# Chokes: patternmaster vs kicks



## InlandKid

I have a pardner pump 12ga 28". now all I have for chokes are the factory modified and a primos dead zone decoys. The primos patterns well out to 30-35yds and great for when I use it and the bird decoy in. I'm looking at the patternmaster and kicks chokes for when the birds just don't want to commit and the shots a little long, which one do you guys like better and perform better. I know each choke performs different in each gun I'm just looking for a majority. I hunt mostly duck, not too much geese.


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## freyedknot

patternmaster does not "choke " the pattern as much,but rather strips away the wad upon leaving the barrell. not sure about the kicks. mmake sure the choke you select is for steel shot also.


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## ducky152000

if there not in your face dont shoot! no fun in skybusting, and not very rewarding at all. i use a carlson mod choke and thats all you need for decoying birds patterns great to 30 yds. when you start shooting 50 and 60 yard shots is when you hit a bunch of birds and they just fly off and die somewhere


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## meisterdog

Last year I was using my browing hunter gold 3" with the patternmaster choke and busted some incredible shots. second season for the tube and love it. I busted a goose over a tree had to be 50+ yards out and up and dropped it like a big bag of potatoes. Thing fell like a rock into the river. I also dropped some more geese in fields from a long way away. I really stand by my patternmaster and well worth the money. I bought it because of watching what it did in my buddy's gun the year before. WELL WORTH THE MONEY.....


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## InlandKid

Thanks for the input guys, two more questions. I see that patternmaster has long range and extended range, what distances are those for. Can you shoot regular loads thru the black cloud one? I shoot Winchesters most the time but get black cloud when they are on sale. I'm leaning towards the patternmaster


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## goose commander

as ducky points out work harder on getting birds to decoy in for you and have less wounded birds fly off never to be found.

their design is to decrease the shot string from about 12 feet to around 2-4 feet string putting more pellets in a tighter(still a mod type size) ring instead of a longer string. but remember the shot only has as much energy as its weight and speed dictate (simple physics). 

as far as the long vs extended they work like a mod. in general concepts. the only diff being the extended is designed more for a 3 1/2" and the long a 3". this is because of the shot cup lenght and the chokes attempt to slow it down. the long range will handle a 31/2" but the shot cup will begin to protrude out the muzzle before the choke can do its job... kinda defeats the purpose.

IMO these are great chokes and an assest to any arsonal. even more so in the late season when the geese are in full plumage and a little shy.just a few thoughts im certainly no expert on these chokes..good luck


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## InlandKid

goose, my gun only takes 2 3/4 and 3" shells, so I should get the long right? the extended would just have a added unneeded length for me?


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## goose commander

i believe so inland but go to patternmasters web and double check the info on each chokes specs. it will tell you which one for sure.


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## firstflight111

i would not spend my money on a ported choke ...i want the down range power ..to help me bring down my game ..just remember a ported choke only help you get back on target faster .. a non ported choke will have more down range power= less wonded birds ..it not only your choke but what type of shells you use some are good some are great ...your shot size can make a differences to... like me for ducks i use this is just me ..in some places i hunt i will use 2 and 3/4 low brass 7.5 to size 4 s just depends were i am at .. for geese 2 to bb..2s early in the year ..then late i use bbs .. when i am laying out i will load my gun first shot 2 3/4 ,3 in ,3.5 in cause i know there going to be close sometimes less then 5 feet but you have to find the right type of shell for your gun ..they will all pattern different... hope this helps you


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## InlandKid

thanks guys, This will be my third season. Last year for christmas I told my family all I wanted was stuff for duck hunting. They got me a jerk cord rig, floating gun case, goose flag, and a set of buck gardner full acrylic goose honker hammer and full acrylic buck brush double. After the first season I was addicted and camo painted my jon boat and got a blind. Now every where I go I look for new places to hunt and always have a duck call on me, which my girlfriend hates, and its all thanks to the great guys on here that got me interested in it.


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## killingtime

welcome to duck hunting inlandkid. i got so addicted through the years i bought a cabin in northeast arkansas. as ducky mentioned try your best to decoy your birds close. you can kill birds at long range but in the long run its more rewarding to call them in close and let em have it. we use jerk cords alot in arkansas and they can be very affective especially on calm days. just make sure you dont jerk when they are right on top of you or they will flare most of the time. there are alot of good duck hunters on this sight so dont be afraid to ask anything. good luck.


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## JimmyZ

Welcome to the craziness. My dreams for the upcoming season have started already lol.

I shoot the regular pattermaster out of a 1187. It works great. One thing I did want to add in addition to the other great advice is, If black cloud is on sale and you buy some DO NOT SHOOT IT THROUGH A PATTERNMASTER unless it's the patternmaster specifically designed for BC. Black cloud is not meant to be used in a wad stripping choke. Those wads in BC are designed differently than a regular wad. The black clould wad can get stuck if shot through a patternmaster and could cause some serious damage to yourself as well as destroying your barrel.

Good [email protected]!$


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## fishkiller

I have had a patternmaster choke. The problem I had with it was that it swelled up after about 3 boxes of shells. The choke was hard to remove & hard to put in. This has been a problem with this choke and others.


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## quick draw mcgraw 15

whatever you do if u get a patternmaster DONT shoot black cloud out of it!!! patternmaster had to come out with a whole other choke made for black cloud because there were so many gun malfunctions. just an fyi!


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## JimmyZ

kicks makes a vortex choke that is specifically designed for black cloud as well. It's the tubes the duckmen use. Although on one episode i know I saw a patternmaster sticking out of one barrel.


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