Most versatile fixed choke?

J

Jmiverson

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Regina
I know it's an oxy-moron, but I need your opinions on which choke dia. will be best for my needs. I have an Ithaca 51 semi auto, 30" vented ribbed barrel, full choke. I would like to have it opened up. I will be using the shotgun for upland birds, some skeet, and very little buckshot for varmints. I will not be using it for slugs, steel, or turkey loads. I know I'm probably looking for too much, but what would you guys have it opened to? The cost of boring and threading for choke tubes is not really an option at this point.
 
I use IC in my Beretta 90% of the time and only put in a Mod choke for late season pheasants but to tell the truth I doubt it actually helps that much.
 
Improved cyl. Is what I was thinking too. What kind of velocity and % of pellets could I expect inside a 30" circle at say 30 yards with #6 shot? Would this be sufficient for pheasant?
 
Velocity depends largely on your load. Pattern percentage would depends largely on what load you pick as well. Hardened, plated, buffered shots will generally give a tighter pattern. No way to really say except to pattern a few loads. It would be like someone asking what kind of group an old M70 would do with 150gr corelok.
 
If It wasn't a semi I would say I/M but because it's a blow back semi
Mod would be the highest I would go and stay way from the tin's
the cheap target ammo it may not have enough to cycle the shells
once you open the choke up!
 
If you're on target choke doesn't really matter. I've patterned all my chokes and still end up with at least 15-20% of the core pattern on target at 30 yards in IC M and F. Managed 10% with my 18.5" cylinder barrel. All tests done using #8 hardened lead. I watch my buddy poach on the skeet field and cleanly break targets 50 yards out with IC/IC.
Personally I prefer full choke or cylinder. Each load behaves differently in each gun. Flite control wads help keep a tighter pattern in factory fodder. My reload experince claybuster wads seem to keep the tightest in my guns.
I vote to leave it the way it is
 
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