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shotgun chokes
#8672168
08/23/22 10:31 PM
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Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 374
elvisp_bucks
OP
Bird Dog
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OP
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Posts: 374 |
I'm thinking about changing the choke in my 1187 for this dove season. I was thinking about putting in a skeet choke. What do the experts think? I think i have a modified choke in there right now but i'm not even sure. I hit the birds ok but I seem to always miss the close ones
Jason
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Re: shotgun chokes
[Re: elvisp_bucks]
#8672292
08/24/22 01:01 AM
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 757
Mr. Jeem
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Skeet choke will work just fine. I've used it for years, although I'm currently shooting Light Modified for everything.
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Re: shotgun chokes
[Re: elvisp_bucks]
#8672312
08/24/22 01:20 AM
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Joined: Mar 2020
Posts: 650
booskay
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I use a 20 ga o/u --------- use full and extra full =====--------- rarely miss =------------- if the limit is 15 and it takes you more than a box of shells, I doubt if the choke is the problem.
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Re: shotgun chokes
[Re: elvisp_bucks]
#8673208
08/25/22 01:29 PM
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Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 1,507
BDB
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I use 20g O/U also. For opening day or anytime there are birds, I have both barrels with I/C. When the birds are thin, I'll put a Mod in the 2nd shot.
But it still comes down to your shooting. About 5 years ago I went out to my dove lease in mid October for a day hunt. The northern birds were thick....so I decided to stay the night and hunt the next morning. Problem was I had less than 10 shells left. I went into Seymour and found an ole boy who sold me 3 boxes of number 9 shot, all different brands and old shells. I took easy limits the next morning at SCREAMING in birds with the wind.
Shells, chokes etc.....its about your shooting and its not even close imo.
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Re: shotgun chokes
[Re: elvisp_bucks]
#8673249
08/25/22 02:20 PM
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Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 955
DUKFVR
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For the majority of the shooters choke is irrelevant. Gun doesn't fit them, they shoot too far, never practice etc. An open choke will definitely help a lot of shooters. It did my wife. Too many use the choke as a crutch when they can't hit & the main reason is one of the listed issues. Put in an IC or skeet and forget about everything ,but focusing on the bird.
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Re: shotgun chokes
[Re: DUKFVR]
#8673280
08/25/22 03:13 PM
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 35,983
Guy
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For the majority of the shooters choke is irrelevant. Choke size is important. If you are talking 25 yard shots, you want a bigger choke, gives you a bigger pattern. I tighter choke, say a full choke, really small pattern, harder to hit a bird, and when you do it a bird, you are putting a lot more pellets on the bird, and the bird will be more shot up. Conversely, if you are talking longer shots, say 45 to 50 yard, you need a tight choke to hold a pattern at long distance, a bigger choke like skeet at that distance does not work. You need to also pick the right pellet size for the choke, smaller pellets are better for big chokes, and bigger pellets are better for tighter chokes, this optimizes the density of your pattern. I personally do not believe in taking log shots, so I use IC all the time and small pellets. I would tell the OP, heck yeah, go for the skeet, and for dove maybe even go for #9 size pellets. Your choke and pellet size here is really geared to the short shot. I used to love shooting #9 pellets, saw some at academy the other day, I almost bought them. ![[Linked Image]](https://www.nrafamily.org/media/shunjj5l/chokestring2.jpg)
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Re: shotgun chokes
[Re: Guy]
#8673290
08/25/22 03:24 PM
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Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 10,388
unclebubba
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For the majority of the shooters choke is irrelevant. Choke size is important. If you are talking 25 yard shots, you want a bigger choke, gives you a bigger pattern. I tighter choke, say a full choke, really small pattern, harder to hit a bird, and when you do it a bird, you are putting a lot more pellets on the bird, and the bird will be more shot up. Conversely, if you are talking longer shots, say 45 to 50 yard, you need a tight choke to hold a pattern at long distance, a bigger choke like skeet at that distance does not work. You need to also pick the right pellet size for the choke, smaller pellets are better for big chokes, and bigger pellets are better for tighter chokes, this optimizes the density of your pattern. I personally do not believe in taking log shots, so I use IC all the time and small pellets. I would tell the OP, heck yeah, go for the skeet, and for dove maybe even go for #9 size pellets. Your choke and pellet size here is really geared to the short shot. I used to love shooting #9 pellets, saw some at academy the other day, I almost bought them. ![[Linked Image]](https://www.nrafamily.org/media/shunjj5l/chokestring2.jpg) Are you saying with this chart that when using a modified choke, the shot stops spreading at 25 yards and is the same diameter all the way out to 45 yards?
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Re: shotgun chokes
[Re: unclebubba]
#8673310
08/25/22 03:41 PM
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 35,983
Guy
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For the majority of the shooters choke is irrelevant. Choke size is important. If you are talking 25 yard shots, you want a bigger choke, gives you a bigger pattern. I tighter choke, say a full choke, really small pattern, harder to hit a bird, and when you do it a bird, you are putting a lot more pellets on the bird, and the bird will be more shot up. Conversely, if you are talking longer shots, say 45 to 50 yard, you need a tight choke to hold a pattern at long distance, a bigger choke like skeet at that distance does not work. You need to also pick the right pellet size for the choke, smaller pellets are better for big chokes, and bigger pellets are better for tighter chokes, this optimizes the density of your pattern. I personally do not believe in taking log shots, so I use IC all the time and small pellets. I would tell the OP, heck yeah, go for the skeet, and for dove maybe even go for #9 size pellets. Your choke and pellet size here is really geared to the short shot. I used to love shooting #9 pellets, saw some at academy the other day, I almost bought them. ![[Linked Image]](https://www.nrafamily.org/media/shunjj5l/chokestring2.jpg) Are you saying with this chart that when using a modified choke, the shot stops spreading at 25 yards and is the same diameter all the way out to 45 yards? No I'm not saying that. I just googled that image to make my points above, but I agree with "your point", the chart makes it look like the patterns does not get bigger after 25 yards with MC, that does not make sense to me. I probably should have picked a better image. If you quote my post, you can see the link where I got the pic, maybe read what they say and their point.
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Re: shotgun chokes
[Re: Guy]
#8673313
08/25/22 03:43 PM
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Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 955
DUKFVR
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For the majority of the shooters choke is irrelevant. Choke size is important. If you are talking 25 yard shots, you want a bigger choke, gives you a bigger pattern. I tighter choke, say a full choke, really small pattern, harder to hit a bird, and when you do it a bird, you are putting a lot more pellets on the bird, and the bird will be more shot up. Conversely, if you are talking longer shots, say 45 to 50 yard, you need a tight choke to hold a pattern at long distance, a bigger choke like skeet at that distance does not work. You need to also pick the right pellet size for the choke, smaller pellets are better for big chokes, and bigger pellets are better for tighter chokes, this optimizes the density of your pattern. I personally do not believe in taking log shots, so I use IC all the time and small pellets. I would tell the OP, heck yeah, go for the skeet, and for dove maybe even go for #9 size pellets. Your choke and pellet size here is really geared to the short shot. I used to love shooting #9 pellets, saw some at academy the other day, I almost bought them. [ I'll agree with you on being too tight. Most can't hit a bird close so far shooting is out of the question as far as clean kills. Guess what I mean is put in an open choke so you have the greatest chance of hitting close in range birds if that is where your ability lies.. You will still never hit your potential if gun doesn't fit etc. I never cared for number 9's. Felt they left too many bb''s in birds. To each his own & if it works for you always use that confidence builder. If you don't have 100% confidence in you & your equipment you will always be doubting things! The main thing is go have fun!
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Re: shotgun chokes
[Re: elvisp_bucks]
#8673315
08/25/22 03:45 PM
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 35,983
Guy
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A better chart. ![[Linked Image]](https://texashuntingforum.com/forum/pics/userpics/2022/08/full-2250-360032-choke.jpg)
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Re: shotgun chokes
[Re: unclebubba]
#8673316
08/25/22 03:47 PM
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Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 955
DUKFVR
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[quote=unclebubba
Are you saying with this chart that when using a modified choke, the shot stops spreading at 25 yards and is the same diameter all the way out to 45 yards?[/quote]
That chart is very misleading. The shot cloud is always opening up as it travels. With tighter chokes it just starts out tighter & stays tighter longer. But it is opening up some from the time it leaves the barrel.
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Re: shotgun chokes
[Re: DUKFVR]
#8673325
08/25/22 03:58 PM
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 35,983
Guy
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I'll agree with you on being too tight. Most can't hit a bird close so far shooting is out of the question as far as clean kills. Guess what I mean is put in an open choke so you have the greatest chance of hitting close in range birds if that is where your ability lies.. You will still never hit your potential if gun doesn't fit etc. I never cared for number 9's. Felt they left too many bb''s in birds. To each his own & if it works for you always use that confidence builder. If you don't have 100% confidence in you & your equipment you will always be doubting things! The main thing is go have fun!
Choke and pellet size has nothing to do with ability or reaching your potential. Has everything to do with optimizing your patter for the type of shots you take. Open choke and smaller pellets are better for short shots, and tighter chokes and bigger pellets are better for longer shots. If you want to challenger yourself, you do not do it with choke and pellet size, if you want to challenger yourself, use a smaller gauge gun, like a 410. If you want to challenge yourself by taking long shots, ok, that is sky blasting to me, but yeah, you will need a tight choke and bigger pellets for that.
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Re: shotgun chokes
[Re: Guy]
#8673331
08/25/22 04:07 PM
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Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 955
DUKFVR
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I'll agree with you on being too tight. Most can't hit a bird close so far shooting is out of the question as far as clean kills. Guess what I mean is put in an open choke so you have the greatest chance of hitting close in range birds if that is where your ability lies.. You will still never hit your potential if gun doesn't fit etc. I never cared for number 9's. Felt they left too many bb''s in birds. To each his own & if it works for you always use that confidence builder. If you don't have 100% confidence in you & your equipment you will always be doubting things! The main thing is go have fun!
Choke and pellet size has nothing to do with ability or reaching your potential. Has everything to do with optimizing your patter for the type of shots you take. Open choke and smaller pellets are better for short shots, and tighter chokes and bigger pellets are better for longer shots. If you want to challenger yourself, you do not do it with choke and pellet size, if you want to challenger yourself, use a smaller gauge gun, like a 410. If you want to challenge yourself by taking long shots, ok, that is sky blasting to me, but yeah, you will need a tight choke and bigger pellets for that. We will have to agree to disagree on some things. I don't know it all for sure & I damn sure know you don't either.,but hey thats everyone. Everyone has to make their own choice. I have shot thousands of patterns with non toxics & sometimes tighter chokes with bigger shot blow the patterns. I have found once you get above the the number size shot sometimes chokes over mod or IM will not pattern bigger shot as good. You just have to pattern your particular load & gun at the distance you want to kill at. i will say we have misunderstood on what i am saying about potential. I will agree choke size doesn't have much if anything about reaching potenential. I'm saying if your gun doesn't fit , you don't practice etc you can't reach your full potential shooting the best you can.
Last edited by DUKFVR; 08/25/22 04:14 PM.
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Re: shotgun chokes
[Re: elvisp_bucks]
#8673362
08/25/22 04:47 PM
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 35,983
Guy
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Here is the link where I got that first image. Maybe you guys want to read it, I have not, I might read it later. What they "might" be saying is "shot string" will stay the same after 25 yards, shoot a still target your pattern gets bigger and bigger, but swinging your gun pattern changes, so maybe this is the point that chart is trying to make.. https://www.americanrifleman.org/content/choke-shot-strings-leads/
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Re: shotgun chokes
[Re: elvisp_bucks]
#8673411
08/25/22 06:26 PM
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Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 374
elvisp_bucks
OP
Bird Dog
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OP
Bird Dog
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Posts: 374 |
Thank you guys very much. This really helps. I'm a decent shot and have gotten limits years ago when the hunting was much better. I had a modified choke in my gun and i just switched it to improved
Jason
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Re: shotgun chokes
[Re: elvisp_bucks]
#8673418
08/25/22 06:47 PM
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Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 4,340
oldoak2000
Extreme Tracker
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Thank you guys very much. This really helps. I'm a decent shot and have gotten limits years ago when the hunting was much better. I had a modified choke in my gun and i just switched it to improved Have you ever patterned your gun/choke/ammo setup? Everyone I've ever helped do this became much better shots immediately. The center of your shot pattern may not be actually hitting where you 'think' it is. I also used patterning (near and far) to help decide if I should go from modified to a skeet choke - quickly saw the difference, and for my setup the modified worked better, once I knew where the pellets were hitting.
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Re: shotgun chokes
[Re: elvisp_bucks]
#8673469
08/25/22 08:15 PM
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Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 374
elvisp_bucks
OP
Bird Dog
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OP
Bird Dog
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 374 |
No I have never patterned my shotgun. But it's a great idea and I'll try it. Thanks sir
Jason
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Re: shotgun chokes
[Re: elvisp_bucks]
#8673506
08/25/22 09:35 PM
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Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 13,561
ntxtrapper
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The thread is kind of worthless without knowing if you’re pass shooting them or coming into water/food.
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Re: shotgun chokes
[Re: Guy]
#8673514
08/25/22 09:55 PM
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 35,983
Guy
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For the majority of the shooters choke is irrelevant. Choke size is important. If you are talking 25 yard shots, you want a bigger choke, gives you a bigger pattern. I tighter choke, say a full choke, really small pattern, harder to hit a bird, and when you do it a bird, you are putting a lot more pellets on the bird, and the bird will be more shot up. Conversely, if you are talking longer shots, say 45 to 50 yard, you need a tight choke to hold a pattern at long distance, a bigger choke like skeet at that distance does not work. You need to also pick the right pellet size for the choke, smaller pellets are better for big chokes, and bigger pellets are better for tighter chokes, this optimizes the density of your pattern. I personally do not believe in taking log shots, so I use IC all the time and small pellets. I would tell the OP, heck yeah, go for the skeet, and for dove maybe even go for #9 size pellets. Your choke and pellet size here is really geared to the short shot. I used to love shooting #9 pellets, saw some at academy the other day, I almost bought them. ![[Linked Image]](https://www.nrafamily.org/media/shunjj5l/chokestring2.jpg) Are you saying with this chart that when using a modified choke, the shot stops spreading at 25 yards and is the same diameter all the way out to 45 yards? No I'm not saying that. I just googled that image to make my points above, but I agree with "your point", the chart makes it look like the patterns does not get bigger after 25 yards with MC, that does not make sense to me. I probably should have picked a better image. If you quote my post, you can see the link where I got the pic, maybe read what they say and their point. I read that article where I got that image, it is an NRA article, but it does say: "The best general-purpose option, a 0.020" modified choke’s pattern is 25" at 25 yds., but stays that diameter out to 45 yds., which covers the entire spectrum of practical game-shooting ranges." https://www.americanrifleman.org/content/choke-shot-strings-leads/
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Re: shotgun chokes
[Re: elvisp_bucks]
#8673517
08/25/22 10:00 PM
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Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 455
Savage243
Bird Dog
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Bird Dog
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I usually keep an IC and Light Mod in all of my O/U shotguns. I will change chokes depending on how the birds are dropping that day. A couple years ago, I changed to Skeet and IC and noticed that I was hitting numerous birds with #7.5 shot and they would keep flying or I would have to catch and kill them by hand. That got old really quick so I went Light Mod/Imp. Mod and started killing them stone dead. I never base choke selection on how I am shooting, but rather, how are the birds reacting to being hit. Some days, I go lighter chokes because they seem to drop after being hit by the wad (tongue in cheek here).
Also, shot size is going to help dictate the proper choke as well. When I shoot #9 shot, I will generally go a bit tighter.
Again....it all depends on the day. Chokes are light and easy to change in the field so don't handicap yourself with a preconceived notion for how the day will go.
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Re: shotgun chokes
[Re: elvisp_bucks]
#8673713
08/26/22 02:52 AM
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Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 35,308
Brother in-law
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I have the same gun and I only need an improved modified
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Re: shotgun chokes
[Re: elvisp_bucks]
#8675769
08/28/22 10:48 PM
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Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 800
Jon
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I use light modified 80% of the time and do way better than with modified. Just after legal if they are coming in low to feed and you can't hardly see them I'll go with skeet or improved cyl.
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Re: shotgun chokes
[Re: elvisp_bucks]
#8675961
08/29/22 02:35 AM
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Joined: Nov 2019
Posts: 464
Gw123
Bird Dog
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Bird Dog
Joined: Nov 2019
Posts: 464 |
I hunted with everything from a skeet up to an o/u choked full/extra full with the same results. Choke isn’t as important as what people make it out to be. Far more people miss birds or targets because their gun doesn’t fit, their comb isn’t the correct height, lead is incorrect, or no follow through than having the wrong choke.
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Re: shotgun chokes
[Re: elvisp_bucks]
#8677854
08/31/22 01:51 PM
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Joined: Aug 2022
Posts: 226
flashman252
Woodsman
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Woodsman
Joined: Aug 2022
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I just run a patternmaster for everything. Ducks, geese, dove, snakes, coyotes, bobcats... you get the point. I am REALLY bad about taking it out and cleaning it also. I have a dedicated remington versamax that has a 13 rd mag tube for snow geese. It was also my pigeon gun for a long time, and that barrel got so hot on one of those pigeon shoots, that patternmaster has welded the threads together. 3 gunsmiths, lots of heat and no one can get it broke loose. Oh well, it stays forever. Have 2 other guns, all have the patternmasters in them, they shoot mighty fine.
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