Carlson's Black Cloud Choke

[DaSwede]

So I'm a newbie goose hunter. I plan on setting up in a picked field where I know geese fly over and frequent.

My question is I bought some Black Cloud Steel Shot, knowing that I have a Carlson's extended lead and steel shot choke (both mid and long), but now after reading and looking up some stuff, I see that Carlson's makes a choke just for Black Cloud ammo. Do I need to upgrade to that choke, or is what I have going to work? I've read where the patterning is better with the BC Choke, but just thought I'd see what you all thought.

[dan z]

I believe you will get better performance out of the black cloud choke. You don't have to upgrade if the money situation doesn't call for it.

[zero]

there are four of us that hunt geese together, all of us use black cloud BB in 3 or 3.5" and we all use the Carlson black cloud choke. it works really well, we use the mid-range choke. we have tried a bunch of different shot and chokes and have settled on this set up. everyone shoots a super V or SBE II.

the only thing I can tell you is get a bunch of big sheets of cardboard and pattern your gun with the different shot with different chokes, it takes some time but you'll find out what shot and choke works best in your gun, you'll also find out if you gun shoots high or low, I shoot a BT-99 for trap and that gun shoots 75% high from browning so it takes me a few rounds sporting clays with my hunting gun to get back on track.

good luck

[fishuhalik]

A buddy of mine put one on his Super Vinci. Patterned it with the factory choke & with the Carlson & he said the difference was pretty big. You'll still kill plenty of birds w/o one. Just be a little more selective with your shots. Learn how to work your call better & proper decoy placement. It's way more fun shooting cupped birds anyways!

[fishhound2013]

DO NOT shoot black cloud out of a regular wad stopper choke. It will not pattern for anything and is potentially dangerous. I tested this the other day through a Kicks high flyer and it does not pattern. There have been instances of catastrophic failure when the wad gets hung.