Let's talk about choke selection and what works for you, I've fallen for the admittedly silly trend of over choking my gun, I'm using a turkey choke now when and imp/cyl would do on the off chance of a longer shot.
Actually an imp/cyl would do for the majority of my shooting but I still keep screwing in a turkey choke.
Most of my shotgun shooting is either fox whistling with ranges seldom over 20 yards and often much closer.
Then I shoot slugs at deer or pigs and the imp/cyl is again the right choice or buckshot at flushed pigs.
If I'm hunting waterfowl I find the imp/cyl good but prefer the modified choke as my birds are usually pretty high.
I've really got no need for anything more then a modified, I actually find with heavier shot that tighter chokes, especially the turkey choke don't do well with anything bigger then #3 shot, I'm thinking but don't have one to test a that a 3/4 or light full choke would produce the best patterns with the larger shot sizes.
So what's your views, experience and opinions on chokes and shot sizes?
Choke selection?
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Choke selection?
I'm soft and I don't care.
- stokesrj
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Re: Choke selection?
I use a wide variety of chokes depending upon what I'm doing. If I had to choose only one, like I did with my BD14, it would be modified (1/2) choke.
But here are some of my favorites;
For pass shooting doves I use modified and Improved modified. For flushing quail over a dog I use Cyl and Imp Cyl or Cyl/Mod depending upon if they are close holding like bobwhite or running, dodging, won't hold until their third flush like Gambles or Scaled quail. For Pheasants I use mod/full unless they are pen raised birds then Cyl/Imp Cyl. For Turkeys I use an extended .675" choke tube with Heavy Shot. I also use this for coyotes and fox but that shooting is usually at 50-75 yards if I'm lucky, or more than likely 200+ yards and I switch to a rifle. For buckshot, I use whatever choke that gun and load like, could be anything from cyl to full. I'm looking for the tightest pattern possible as I almost never hit an animal with the edge of a pattern, I want nine holes in them if possible.
But here are some of my favorites;
For pass shooting doves I use modified and Improved modified. For flushing quail over a dog I use Cyl and Imp Cyl or Cyl/Mod depending upon if they are close holding like bobwhite or running, dodging, won't hold until their third flush like Gambles or Scaled quail. For Pheasants I use mod/full unless they are pen raised birds then Cyl/Imp Cyl. For Turkeys I use an extended .675" choke tube with Heavy Shot. I also use this for coyotes and fox but that shooting is usually at 50-75 yards if I'm lucky, or more than likely 200+ yards and I switch to a rifle. For buckshot, I use whatever choke that gun and load like, could be anything from cyl to full. I'm looking for the tightest pattern possible as I almost never hit an animal with the edge of a pattern, I want nine holes in them if possible.
Robert J Stokes
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Re: Choke selection?
This year I hunted with IC and Mod. For ducks I'll go back to Mod and Full.
I based this on pattern testing and knowing the range at which I'm going to be shooting for a particular quarry. When I get my three barrel gun it will probably be IC, Mod, Full.
I based this on pattern testing and knowing the range at which I'm going to be shooting for a particular quarry. When I get my three barrel gun it will probably be IC, Mod, Full.
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Re: Choke selection?
I've been doing a lot of pattern testing and I've found a tight pattern isn't always a good pattern, so I chase a more even pattern, I steer clear of high velocity shell's and like a 34-36 load for the best pattern unless I'm going for #6 shot or the like when 32gm does the job.
I'm soft and I don't care.