quax

I have a Browning BPS with a 24" barrel. I'm shooting Winchester 3.5" #5s, 2oz. So far with regular lead #5s, I've tried several chokes and haven't found one that patterns well yet; the list includes: Truglo .665 Strut Stopper by Mark Bansner, Trulock .660 and.665., a Jellyhead, and a Kicks Gobblin Thunder .670. [/align][/align]All these chokes perfomed about the same, only putting about 65-85 pellets in a 10" ring at 40yds. I think the Trulock .660 and Truglo .665 performed the worst. The trulock .665 and Kicks GT both were in the mid 80s; the jellyhead .670 was around 80 pellets[/align][/align]The exception was the Gobblin Thunder when I shot 3.5" #6s (2.25oz)thru it, and it had around 100 pellets in the 10" ring - these were some older federals without the flite control wad - no longer made.[/align][/align]Any other recommendations for a finicky BPS with a 24" barrel. I was thinking of a .675 constiction next, going for a less contricted, non ported choke. Any other thoughts?[/align][/align]

kdsberman

Personally, I dont see whats wrong with 65-85 pellets at 40 yards. But thats just me. Man..youve tried all those shells/chokes, your arm must be killing you haha.

nchawkeye

Try 3 inch shells...I've seen several 3 1/2 guns that just didn't like full 2 oz loads...

quax

That's just what i've tried over the last few years; i've got a few guns with the invector + system and most of my friends shoot brownings, so chokes have been easy to try. but yeah, a bps will punish you.

as far as 3" goes, i normally hunt with a gold classic stalker and that's what i shoot thru it - if i were going to shoot 3s, i wouldn't haul the extra weight of this beast around. just trying to find 3.5" shell/choke combo for this gun. thanks for the suggestion, though.

i originally bought it for duck hunting years ago, but now take the gold or japanese A-5 for that. this gun hasn't seen much action in the last few years, so i'm trying to find a reason to keep it around.

Oneshot7

A browning custom is the way to go. I have the BPS with the 28 inch barrel and the custom choke puts 100-135 in the ring on every shot. They are high dollar, but well worth it. It also cuts down on the recoil quite a bit.

quax

are you talking about the full strut by browning?

Dr Andy

Sometimes less is more. The added shot can actually result in a less than desirable pattern,as the added shot can get in the way. Too much traffic. See how you do with 3" 1 7/8 load. BTW that's enough pellets in a 10" circle.

SwampCollie

quax;

You have tried a lot of different chokes, but it appears that you have only tried a couple/three shells to go with them. You can usually find a sweet shooting load for every choke, but sticking with one load that doesn't do so hot out of your gun, irregardless of choke, is limiting your potential a bit in my opinion. Those Winchester #5s you are shooting and your BPS might just not jive well together.

However, as others have written, 80 in a 10" at 40 yards is nothing too terrible. Especially when you consider you are shooting #5s.

As you experienced, going up in payload and down in shot-size made quite a difference when it came to # of hits in your circle. Rather than spending another $50 or even more dollars on choke tubes, I'd go spend $50 on some different makes/sizes/loads of shells. With all the chokes you have, you ought to be able to get at least two attempts with each. That may very well help you find what is going to work better than what you have now. If it is sheer numbers of pellets you are looking for inside a 10" circle, then you'll no doubt be better off with #6 shot. But do remember, that its not just the pellets inside that circle that matter... keep the big picture in mind.... if you get excessive flyers, or strings and clusters of pellets, then you may want to consider something else.

quax

sc, i've tried quite a few different loads as well. i just posted what was best thru that gun, as sad as it is. the exception was a kent 2.250z #5s that put around 80. i haven't shot the 3.5 federals with the flight control wad thru it because i did not have good results with them in my 3" gun - in fact they did the worst of any shell (except fiocci which have no buffer), even when i shot them thru a .680 choke.

i've been over to the nwtf board, and those guys have had good results really chokingdown lead shotwith carlson and hastings .655 chokes, as well as the indian creek chokes. i've got a friend that has a .655 hastings so i may try his if i can get a hold of him. i'll post any results i might get. thanks!

SwampCollie

10-4. I understand now where you are coming from. Thats a tough one to figure out.

One thing I do suggest too, is that you give that bore a good scrub down. I take a cleaning rod, chuck it tightly in a drill, soak the bore well with simple green diluted with water (about 75% water) and use a nylon brush to bust out any plastic residue or fouling. I've found that such a cleaning can really improve your patterns, as simple as it sounds.

Another thing to try.... high density shot... sure its expensive, but in my experience it shoots much tighter patterns than lead. Of course, you gotta find the right tube for it... but obviously what you have isn't working.

If you do consider another choke tube. Give Pure Gold a call. Tell them what you've told us. They have a satisfaction guarentee. If you patterns don't get better... you'll get your money back. Its a can't lose situation for you. I shoot one of their chokes out of my 835... its a .670".