I got the Deer/Turkey combo in Mossy Oak breakup. Not much of a turkey hunter, so I swapped the XX-Full choke out for a modified and did some patterning with buckshot. Which brings me to my next question. Is it normal for a gun to pattern better with 2-3/4" shells vs 3" ? I didnt have the same brands, but still.

25 yards, Winchester Super-X 3" 00 , was about 16" between the two farthest points. The 2-3/4" were Remington Express 00, and it was about 13" between the two farthest points. Now I was wanting to go to some 3-1/2" 00, but Im not sure if the pattern is going to open up more.

The barrel is only 22", so would I be better off to use a full choke insteads ?

I may just hunt with the slug barrel and some Winchester 3" Parition Gold slugs. But I really prefer buckshot where I hunt at (kind of brushy in places).

Any thoughts, and/or advice on this matter ?

My 535 does the same thing, 3-1/2" buckshot patterns even worse than the 3". With slugs and a rifled choke the 2-3/4" group tighter than the 3" or 3-1/2" but nothing to write home about. My sons 500 groups decently with a rifled barrel, best load is a 2-3/4" brenek KO. To bad the 500 barrel wont work with the 535. It looked like you could make a spacer to get it to work but I didn't want to chance it.

What you need to do is put a I/C choke in your turkey barrel and shoot rifled slugs. Much cheaper than the saboted slugs and shoot just about as good. For the type of brushy country your hunting in I would go with slugs. Think about the rifled slugs too. A lot cheaper and will do better than 00 buckshot. Works for me out past 100 yards for the rifled slugs through a smooth bore. Hate to see them stop making smooth bore slug barrels. Shotguns and muzzleloaders are all you can use here in Ohio unless you hunt with a handgun.

I also use 2 3/4" shells.

Mine came with a 22" Turkey barrel and a 24" rifled slug barrel. I picked up a full choke tube today, and also picked up some 2-3/4" Hornady 300gr SST slugs to try out.

I got the Deer/Turkey combo in Mossy Oak breakup. Not much of a turkey hunter, so I swapped the XX-Full choke out for a modified and did some patterning with buckshot. Which brings me to my next question. Is it normal for a gun to pattern better with 2-3/4" shells vs 3" ? I didnt have the same brands, but still.

25 yards, Winchester Super-X 3" 00 , was about 16" between the two farthest points. The 2-3/4" were Remington Express 00, and it was about 13" between the two farthest points. Now I was wanting to go to some 3-1/2" 00, but Im not sure if the pattern is going to open up more.

The barrel is only 22", so would I be better off to use a full choke insteads ?

I may just hunt with the slug barrel and some Winchester 3" Parition Gold slugs. But I really prefer buckshot where I hunt at (kind of brushy in places).
Any thoughts, and/or advice on this matter ?


Tang:

Your Mossberg 535 has a 3.5" chamber and a standard diameter bore. This is Mossbergs first 3.5 incher that is not overbored. It also takes standard INVECTOR style choke tubes. That said let's look at the buckshot loads you tested.

The Winchester 3" SuperX 00 Buck load has 15 pellets, with fiber wads, plastic buffer and no shot cup. The pellets are soft unplated lead. Considering how much bore scrub those pellets are subject to, I am not surprised at your "generous" pattern size. No Winchester Buckshot round (that I am aware of) has any kind of shot protector. The "Mark V" shot collar for buckshot disappeared decades ago.

The 2 3/4" Remington Express 00 Buck load has 9 pellets of soft unplated lead. The big difference is a one piece plastic wad that includes a shot cup. The "Power Piston" wad prevents bore scrub and the resultant flat spots on the large pellets. This is the primary reason for the better pattern from the Remington round.

Incidentally the 2.75" Express load and the 3.5" 00 Express round share the same wad. However, with 18 pellets in the load, fully half are subject to flattening by bore scrub. All other Remington buckshot loads have a plastic gas seal, fiber wads, buffer and no shot cup. All factory 3.5" buckshot loads lack a shot cup that competly protects the entire charge and some have no shot cup at all.

If you want the best possible pattern with an over the counter buckshot round and standard factory chokes, there is only one answer: Federal's 3" Premium 00 round with 12 plated pellets in the new Flite-Control wad. With a standard full choke tube, I would be surprised to see this 1325 FPS load pattern much larger than 18 inches at 40 yards!

To get any buckshot patterns smaller that this, you will have to check with James Gates at Dixie Slugs for some of his Tri-Ball 3x.60 Buckshot.

Ralph

Thanks for the very informative reply.

Tang:

I need to correct an error in my earlier reply on Winchester buckshot. Winchester #1 buckshot loads, including 2 3/4" and 3" rounds are an exception. These are loaded with steel shot type tough plastic wads. As a result they pattern quite well and offer some of the heaviest payloads available.

Quick list of over the counter 12 gauge loads put up with buffer and a full length shot cup include:

Federal Premium with Flite-Control Wad - 00 buck only.
Federal Premium buckshot - all shot sizes (except 3.5" loads)
Federal "regular" buckshot - all shot sizes
Winchester Super-X #1 Buckshot 2.75 and 3 inch loads.
Remington Express 9 pellet OO buckshot round.
Remington Low-Recoil 8 pellet 00.
Hornady Buckshot - 8 pellet 00

This list does not take into account Buckshot marketed to police. Nor does it include innovative loads from small independent firms like Dixie Slugs - Tri-Ball 3x.60 Buckshot.round.

Ralph