Tin Can Steve Posted April 8, 2009 Share Posted April 8, 2009 First time Benelli owner, and first post. Dropped the hammer last Friday on a Benelli M2 Tactical. ComforTech stock, open rifle sights (not ghost rings), 5-round mag, 18.5" barrel. What a gun! Have put 230 rounds through it in the last two days and I'm giddy as a school girl! Ran like a champ on everything I fed it including Remington and Federal WalMart loads. These don't exactly qualify as "light loads" since both were 3 dram eq. and 1 1/8 oz. shot. But if it'll run the cheap stuff, I'm happy! Also ran some Remington Game Loads (3 1/4 dram, 1 oz.), reduced recoil buckshot & slugs (Federal LE132 & LE133), as well as the (formerly) butt-stomping Winchester #1 buck loads. The softest recoiling round was the reduced recoil buck! My only consternation so far is that patterning with buckshot has been abysmal. My go-to load has always been Federal Tactical Reduced Recoil buckshot (LE132). Patterned extremely well out of all my Ithacas and my 11-87 Police. Too tight really: you could cover all 9 pellets with an open hand at 25 yards. Not so the M2. I noticed this first when patterning a pistol-gripped M2 for a local LEO. That one had a Cylinder choke. Tried the LE132 in my own M2 today. IC choke was awful; no consistency shot to shot and stings right-to-left or vertically. Switched to MOD choke; saw a little improvement. Still no shot to shot consistency and uneven dispersal. This shotgun is being set up for personal defense only; won't be a game gun. What buckshot loads have worked well for you, and what choke do you use to shoot it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D.Hayden Posted April 8, 2009 Share Posted April 8, 2009 I shoot the Kurt Miller approved LM Choke.. It groups quiet well, but I've seen other M2s shoot IC with the same load, they grouped fine too. Matches don't require it very often. Shooting at about 20 yards (+/-) The pattern was all in the Upper A/B. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlamoShooter Posted April 8, 2009 Share Posted April 8, 2009 I can tell you that the Fiocchi 12 LEOOBK does not pattern in my M2 with LM past 20 yards worth a dang on poppers and plates. ......Thats my story and I am sticking to it. Next time I use buck shot past 20 yards it will be with mod or full choke Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tin Can Steve Posted April 8, 2009 Author Share Posted April 8, 2009 I shoot the Kurt Miller approved LM Choke..It groups quiet well, but I've seen other M2s shoot IC with the same load, they grouped fine too. Matches don't require it very often. Shooting at about 20 yards (+/-) The pattern was all in the Upper A/B. But I'm talkin' patterns that suck at 10 and 15 yards! Strings and flyers. I'm accustomed to seeing LE132 patterns about 2.5-3" at 15 yards and 8" at 25 yards with a nice uniform dispersion of shot. Winchester XB121 (#1 Buck) consistently gives me a dense, saucer-sized pattern of 16 pellets in about 4-5" at 5 yards, which is beautiful for across-the-room distances. Haven't been able to produce anything approaching this sort of uniformity from the M2 yet. Winchester Ranger Reduced recoil turned in best performance so far. Don't know whether I should go to Full choke or back down to IC. I would think Full choke would deform 00 and #1 Buck more, making the patterns even worse. What think ye all? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mpeltier Posted April 8, 2009 Share Posted April 8, 2009 I would try cylynder, if available. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Payne Posted April 8, 2009 Share Posted April 8, 2009 Get the Federal 00Buck with "flight control" wad. I used that at the High Plains Shotgun Challenge out of a LM choke and had good results. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tin Can Steve Posted April 8, 2009 Author Share Posted April 8, 2009 Get the Federal 00Buck with "flight control" wad. I used that at the High Plains Shotgun Challenge out of a LM choke and had good results. Yep, that's the LE132 that's always worked for me before. But it's not patterning well with my M2. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tin Can Steve Posted April 8, 2009 Author Share Posted April 8, 2009 I would try cylynder, if available. I'll try to get my hands on my friend's CYL choke and give it a try, but that's what was in his M2 when I noticed that the Federal Flite-Control buckshot patterned terribly out of his gun. I suppose it's a very big taboo to shoot some trial loads out of a barrel with chokes removed? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Sierpina Posted April 8, 2009 Share Posted April 8, 2009 [i suppose it's a very big taboo to shoot some trial loads out of a barrel with chokes removed? It's not a good idea. The threads can get messed up. Also, the barrel is very thin with no tube installed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tin Can Steve Posted April 8, 2009 Author Share Posted April 8, 2009 It's not a good idea. The threads can get messed up. Also, the barrel is very thin with no tube installed. Makes sense. Is there another manufacturer's choke that I ought to try instead of Benelli? Haven't searched yet on the topic of Kurt's Light Modified choke; is that a one-off, or is it available commercially? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Sierpina Posted April 8, 2009 Share Posted April 8, 2009 It's not a good idea. The threads can get messed up. Also, the barrel is very thin with no tube installed. Makes sense. Is there another manufacturer's choke that I ought to try instead of Benelli? Haven't searched yet on the topic of Kurt's Light Modified choke; is that a one-off, or is it available commercially? Carlson's choke tubes. They have a light modified. Make sure whether or not your barrel is threaded for Crio Chokes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tin Can Steve Posted April 8, 2009 Author Share Posted April 8, 2009 Carlson's choke tubes. They have a light modified. Make sure whether or not your barrel is threaded for Crio Chokes. Yep, crio chokes. How about the Blackcloud chokes? They advertise that they're built for the FlightControl wads in their ammo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mpeltier Posted April 8, 2009 Share Posted April 8, 2009 (edited) I have had real good results with Carlson crio extended choke tubes for the M2. I am not sure but I think the extra length makes the constriction a bit more gradual and thus less disruptive to the shot pattern. I have yet to have a bad pattern with any ammo from them, for what its worth. I use specifically the SKEET and LM chokes for better than 90% of the shotgunning I do in 3-gun competition. Edited April 9, 2009 by mpeltier Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Payne Posted April 8, 2009 Share Posted April 8, 2009 I never thought to add that to my post. Carlson extended chokes are what I use also. Shooting the FN SLP shotgun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tin Can Steve Posted April 9, 2009 Author Share Posted April 9, 2009 Carlson's choke tubes. They have a light modified. Make sure whether or not your barrel is threaded for Crio Chokes. I only see "light modified" for Benelli listed under 20 ga. Are people referring to the "Skeet" choke (.720) when talking about 12-gauge light modified? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArturoJ Posted April 9, 2009 Share Posted April 9, 2009 Check in the "BENELLI 12 gauge Sporting Clays Choke Tubes" section here: Carlson's Chokes. I use the LM choke for everything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlamoShooter Posted April 9, 2009 Share Posted April 9, 2009 Check in the "BENELLI 12 gauge Sporting Clays Choke Tubes" section here: Carlson's Chokes. I use the LM choke for everything. Every Thing? the only choke I got extra for my M2 is the Carlson's LM when you measured it should be 1/2 between IC =0.010 constricted and Mod =0.020 constricted Light mod is 0.015 constricted. I shot some International Bunker Trap yesterday with my M2 and LM and regular 2 3/4 dram 7.5 shot The targets broke when I did my part. But the Buck shot in that choke has its limits with what I found so far. Aiming a shotgun is still new to me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigbrowndog Posted April 9, 2009 Share Posted April 9, 2009 Aiming XXXXXXXX is still new to me!!!! Here let me fix your post!!! Just Kidding, Mr Phoote. As with all chokes and shot you REALLY NEED to pattern your SG, My M1 has the tendency to throw the Buckshot charge High, and I have the tendency to forget that when I'm shooting. Which does not make for a good stage. Trapr Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArturoJ Posted April 9, 2009 Share Posted April 9, 2009 Well, not every thing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mpeltier Posted April 9, 2009 Share Posted April 9, 2009 Carlson's choke tubes. They have a light modified. Make sure whether or not your barrel is threaded for Crio Chokes. I only see "light modified" for Benelli listed under 20 ga. Are people referring to the "Skeet" choke (.720) when talking about 12-gauge light modified? Not me, I mean Skeet and LM. I use the skeet choke for stages that have slugs and clays/easy steel all at close to intermediate ranges. My slugs are like lazer beams when i do my part with this choke. For stubborn or slightly farther steel i chenge to the LM choke. Now if there are reallllllly stubborn steel, or if I can shave a bunch of steps by engaging targets at a real long distance, I sometimes break out the full choke (and aim). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Posted April 9, 2009 Share Posted April 9, 2009 The Fiocchi nickel-plated 00 buckshot seems to work good out of my M2 with a IC choke. Kept 3 rounds in the "C" zone at 15-20 yards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HRider Posted April 10, 2009 Share Posted April 10, 2009 I have shot Remington reduced recoil 00 out of my M1 and a full choke with good results. It put six of the eight pellets in a 3'' circle with one pellet to either side of the circle at 25 yards fairly consistantly. It will put five of nine from a Winchester 2 3/4" 00 in an IPSC target at 50 yards. I have not patterned it with the modified choke tube. I use the modified for three gun. I also tried some of the Nobel 2 3/4" 12 pellet 00. It only put two pellets in an IPSC target at 30 yards. Hurley Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5Shot Posted April 10, 2009 Share Posted April 10, 2009 I have good results in my M1 with the Factory Improved Modified choke and a Pattern Master Buckshot Choke (no vent holes). 5Shot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tin Can Steve Posted April 11, 2009 Author Share Posted April 11, 2009 I have good results in my M1 with the Factory Improved Modified choke and a Pattern Master Buckshot Choke (no vent holes).5Shot Thanks all for the answers thus far. Had a chance to fire some Federal Reduced Recoil 00 Buck through my gun with a friend's Trulock Cylinder bore choke. Seemed like a significant improvement over either the Benelli IC or Modified chokes. This seems consistent with the advertised construction of the FliteControl wad and buffering. Seems like squeezing those rounds through a tighter choke would tend to deform the shot and cause it to disperse in flight. On the other hand, patterns improved for the Winchester Ranger (9-pellet) and Winchester #1 buck when I used the Modified choke. I'll post some photos tomorrow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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