Choke Configuration for SxS

VictoryXC

VictoryXC

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I am curious as to what others preferences are for choke configurations on their SxS's for various upland hunting. 1) pheasant 2) sharpies 3) huns 4) woodcock 5) best all round configuration. I have had two SxS's opened up so far and I went with IC/Mod on both. Thanks in advance
 
Patrick

Okay, we have:
Cylinder
Skeet
Improved Cylinder
Light Modified
Modified
Improved Modified
Light Full
Full
Extra Full

Now, figure out every possible combination of pairs of the above 9 constrictions.

That is how many guns you need to have.

Mic drop!
 
My woodcock gun is a cyl/IC 20ga. My pheasant gun over pointing dogs is Skeet/imp mod. Both have double triggers. I have a 12ga "do all" gun that is skeet1/skeet2.
 
IC/M is commonly the most ideal combo for majority of Upland scenarios be that over a dog or driven birds.

Presently, except for one shotgun that has fixed IC/IM chokes, my guns are all equipped with screw-in tubes and since my stomping grounds are the ON bush only, I prefer the generic IC/M selection. However, late fall, I switch from Mod to IM on my 20s. With the 28s, I always prefer M/M throughout the season.

Anyway, much of that config should also depend on how a shotgun may pattern with a certain combo. In the case of fixed chokes, understandably so, one isn't left with much flexibility.
 
I have a BSS 12 gauge choked IC/IC that sees the most use on grouse (ruffed and sharptail)... a couple BSS 20 gauge's that are Mod/IC and Skeet/LM... and an old Tobin 12 gauge that I opened to Mod/Mod for late pheasants.
 
My grouse/woodcock gun is a Remington 11-48 16 gauge. It is choked CYL. (has been shortened) With 1 oz. of 8's it works well for me. I hunt thick cover in Northern Ontario. I find MOD too be way to tight unless you are hunting Sharp tails or Pheasants in the wide open spaces. For a double IMP CYL and CYL would be my medicine.

Darryl
 
Skeet/M or IC/IM would be my preference but, by selecting or loading the right cartridges, I have satisfactory patterns even with IM/Extra full in a 16 gauge SxS for close flushing birds. The Extra Full barrel is definitely in reserve for the long shots because I have been unable to find a cartridge load that opens the pattern significantly. The IM barrel patterns closer to IC with home grown spreader loads.
All my upland guns are fixed choke.
My favourite 12 bore hammer gun has chokes of 0.015/0.025 or about Light Modified/Improved Modified, and has worked well in the field for me.
 
canvasback said:
Patrick

Okay, we have:
Cylinder
Skeet
Improved Cylinder
Light Modified
Modified
Improved Modified
Light Full
Full
Extra Full

Now, figure out every possible combination of pairs of the above 9 constrictions.

That is how many guns you need to have.

Mic drop!
Click to expand...

And then there are the different gauges........oh, oh!
 
Thanks to everyone for all of the information. I think I am on the right track with my fixed choke SxS's. I do have one 20ga SxS with screw in chokes so some flexibility with it. The point about patterning & shell choice is great advice which I seem to always overlook. Thanks again.
 
In descending order (not counting multiples), I have:

Extra full & Extra full
Full & Full
Improved Modified & Extra Full
Improved Modified and Full
Modified & Full
Improved Modified & Improved Modified
Improved Cylinder & Modified
Cylinder & Cylinder

When I look at my guns as a whole, IMO, there are too many tightly choked barrels and not enough open choked barrels. I just hate removing metal from barrels. It's so final.

BTW, did not include my Winchester M12's or Rem 870's in this group. Nor, obviously, my guns with choke tubes.
 
Ahsan Ahmed said:
Would've been nice if Polywad's Spred-r loads were readily available here.
Click to expand...

It sure would! Almost enough to make me want to be a distributor for both Poly-wad and RST. Was an importer/distributor of US athletic hardgoods and footwear brands for 35 years. Can't believe there isn't a market for those brands here. But neither wants to go through the headache of exporting from the US.
 
Don't forget that your shotshell can be configured for a tighter pattern. Shot hardness, wad, load size, pellet size, buffer, etc., can all be used to get a tighter pattern from an open choke.
 
Grouse Man said:
Don't forget that your shotshell can be configured for a tighter pattern. Shot hardness, wad, load size, pellet size, buffer, etc., can all be used to get a tighter pattern from an open choke.
Click to expand...
X's 2 on this subject.
Federal Prairie Storm #6 in my IC/Mod O/U 20 gauge shoot a very tight pattern in my fixed choke SKB.
Great grassy field load for scared sharpies & are a terrible waste for ruffed grouse in the boreal forest IMO.
 
For more open pattern try cutting wad petals down by half, or choose a wad that only cups half the load of shot. Works very well in 16 gauge for me.
Examples - using Z16 BPI wads in Cheddite hulls with a modest volume powder like Green Dot or using R16 wads in huge capacity Federal game hulls with most of the standard suitable powders, you likely still need an overshot wad for good crimps. In 16 gauge Remington Game hulls I cut R16 wad petals to half height. Each of these opens up patterns significantly with good distribution.
I have also experimented with nitro card and cushion wad stack in these cartridges. One can also separate the shot load with several overshot cards to create some spread.
I have not yet had good success with the Ballistic Products x-stream spreader inserts in 16 gauge loads.
All loads that I use are from published data - Ballistic Products, Lyman or other reputable source such as Powder Manufacturer - many are listed on 16ga.com with source attribution.
 
saskbooknut said:
For more open pattern try cutting wad petals down by half, or choose a wad that only cups half the load of shot. Works very well in 16 gauge for me.
Examples - using Z16 BPI wads in Cheddite hulls with a modest volume powder like Green Dot or using R16 wads in huge capacity Federal game hulls with most of the standard suitable powders, you likely still need an overshot wad for good crimps. In 16 gauge Remington Game hulls I cut R16 wad petals to half height. Each of these opens up patterns significantly with good distribution.
I have also experimented with nitro card and cushion wad stack in these cartridges. One can also separate the shot load with several overshot cards to create some spread.
I have not yet had good success with the Ballistic Products x-stream spreader inserts in 16 gauge loads.
All loads that I use are from published data - Ballistic Products, Lyman or other reputable source such as Powder Manufacturer - many are listed on 16ga.com with source attribution.
Click to expand...

^Wonder if this will work with 10 gauge all brass hulls??
So far I have only great success with #4 birdshot & marginal with #4 buckshot. (buffering with this buckshot)

00 & 000 buckshot & buck and ball loads partial success at 10-15 yards.
And out to lunch poor performance at a mere 25 yards! (buffering only)

BPI supposedly makes a BP wad for this gauge, but my internet research points to poor/marginal performance, even with this specific wad.
 
I am sure that good wad seal is important in brass hulls. I would think that you need a shot cup to get good buckshot patterns.
 
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