Chokes and doubles trap

jacky

jacky

CGN frequent flyer
Rating - 100%
40   0   0
Location
in the valley
What is the idea behind shooting an imp cyl choke using a shell with #9 shot for the first target in double and then only modified or improved modified for the second bird. Is it really that much better. I could actually use the help.

Jacky
 
I believe those that use IMP CYL and 9'sfor the first bird are point shoooting it, and then swinging onto the second bird.

This was the way it was explained to me years ago, anyway.
I think my old man always used 8's and F/M chokes however.
I know that is all I ever used, but then I am not a big handicapper when it comes to doubles!:redface:
Cat
 
I use a light mod choke with #8's for the first bird as you always know where it is coming out, as mentioned above you almost point shoot it. Also because you taking the first bird as quick as you can,to give you time for the second bird. Really it's easier to shoot then standard trap.
cooner
 
I have been using a modified choke with a 1oz #8 load for the first target and a full choke with a 11/8 oz load for second bird. I think I am going to open up the second choke.
 
If you are planning to be competative in doubles trap it might be worth while to pattern your tubes at the distance that you normally take your first bird and also the spot where you take your second, and then make your choices.

If there are some good doubles shooters where you shoot, ask one that you respect to watch you break targets and weigh his opinion. The only difficulty that I see, and it may be only me, is that shooting doubles or any trap with open chokes, might make you sloppy and you might not develope the pointing skills rhat you are capable of.
 
Covey Ridge said:
If you are planning to be competative in doubles trap it might be worth while to pattern your tubes at the distance that you normally take your first bird and also the spot where you take your second, and then make your choices.

If there are some good doubles shooters where you shoot, ask one that you respect to watch you break targets and weigh his opinion. The only difficulty that I see, and it may be only me, is that shooting doubles or any trap with open chokes, might make you sloppy and you might not develope the pointing skills rhat you are capable of.
Click to expand...

hmmmm yes this is something I have looked at before and thought about. I shot some singles practice last winter for a month or so with an extra full choke in hopes of improving my pointing skills and I am not sure it helped. ??
 
jacky said:
hmmmm yes this is something I have looked at before and thought about. I shot some singles practice last winter for a month or so with an extra full choke in hopes of improving my pointing skills and I am not sure it helped. ??
Click to expand...

I would never suggest the extra full choke, but my thoughts on opening up too much is: 1. open too much and you might get sloppy or 2. open too much and you may not get the really hard hits that show that you properly centered the target and you may loose confidence.

I remember seeing some really good trap double scores when the only choice was full and full, full and mod or full and imp, mod.

Hey, now choke tubes are affordable. Try a bunch of combos and you will eventually find the right mix.
 
1. open too much and you might get sloppy or 2. open too much and you may not get the really hard hits that show that you properly centered the target and you may loose confidence.
Click to expand...

I have been thinking about this ofr a week or two now. I end ed my competitive season with one 400 bird average performance and another 700 bird really poor performance. My last two events were not good.

I have been shooting my briley mod choke for everything, singles and handicap ( 20 yards) all season and I think it has made me sloppy. I was missing targets that I would just shake my head at wondering why ??

So yesterday I went to practice and put my briley full choke in and shot a 96.
I knew in my head that I had to be right on the target and it helped.

Jacky
 
jacky said:
So yesterday I went to practice and put my briley full choke in and shot a 96.
I knew in my head that I had to be right on the target and it helped.

Jacky
Click to expand...

Focus and concentration! Look like you did it 96 times:D That is a nice score and no one will ever know, but I think that you may not have scored as high with more open tubes. Nice shooting!
 
I am wondering now if the pattern ( and it didn't seem to be when I patterned it) was too open and I was missing birds this year because if it ??
 
jacky said:
I am wondering now if the pattern ( and it didn't seem to be when I patterned it) was too open and I was missing birds this year because if it ??
Click to expand...

Probably not! I do not think that you should do too much wondering or thinking about this. I think that the bottom line is that any well centered shot from any target choke from skeet to x full will break the first target in trap doubles and any shot that is not centered may result in a poorly broken or chiped target if you are lucky and a dusted or lost target if you are not lucky. For me, I would rather score with a well placed shot than hedge towards luck and I would rather err on the side of more choke than less.

You scored your 96 because you centered your targets well. The targets you missed were because you did not center your targets well.
 
Last edited:
Jacky :

Well now, you've got the whole "off season" to practice & experiment !

What seems ideal for one, may not work as well for you. By all means, find out how far out you actually break your targets ... and pattern/choke accordingly. For the guy who breaks his targets fairly quickly, say at 32-34 yards ... Full may be more of a Handicap. If he's "righ-on" his came - inkballs, but if off just a little, those "X's" can turn to "O's" in a hurry! In every case, 100 well-broken targets beats 99 that are "smoked" ... the margin of error can be surprisingly small.

For me, Light Modified ( about .015" - .017" choke) and Improved Modified
( about .028 - .032" choke) work pretty well on doubles with 1 oz of 8's for the first, 1-1/8 oz 7-1/2's for the second. I load the 1 oz to about 1250 fps data and the 1-1/8 oz to 1200 fps data ( currently using Promo and Claybuster) Improved Mod also works well for me for singles and Handicap distances back to 23. Save the tight chokes for the back fence with 7-1/2's.

But do pattern and don't accept what the choke has marked on it ... I've seen many that say they're one thing and pattern completely differently.
 
Last edited:
beretta boy said:
Jacky :

Well now, you've got the whole "off season" to practice & experiment !

What seems ideal for one, may not work as well for you. By all means, find out how far out you actually break your targets ... and pattern/choke accordingly. For the guy who breaks his targets fairly quickly, say at 32-34 yards ... Full may be more of a Handicap. If he's "righ-on" his came - inkballs, but if off just a little, those "X's" can turn to "O's" in a hurry! In every case, 100 well-broken targets beats 99 that are "smoked" ... the margin of error can be surprisingly small.

For me, Light Modified ( about .015" - .017" choke) and Improved Modified
( about .028 - .032" choke) work pretty well on doubles with 1 oz of 8's for the first, 1-1/8 oz 7-1/2's for the second. I load the 1 oz to about 1250 fps data and the 1-1/8 oz to 1200 fps data ( currently using Promo and Claybuster) Improved Mod also works well for me for singles and Handicap distances back to 23. Save the tight chokes for the back fence with 7-1/2's.

But do pattern and don't accept what the choke has marked on it ... I've seen many that say they're one thing and pattern completely differently.
Click to expand...

This is good and I also like the loads you listed for doubles, although does it make a difference if I use 8's instead 71/2's for that second shot ??

I also load 1oz of 8's for my singles ( Promo) and then I use 11/8 of 8's for my handicap ( 20yards and I use Green Dot).

As for chokes you could not be more correct. My Browning choke imp mod is as tight as my Briley full. I always pattern my chokes. I do think that I will practice with that full choke to help my " pointing ability" during the off season.

I also just got Micheal Keys book on mental training for the shotgun sports which I have heard is a great book to help.

Jacky
 
Your load combo is perfect the 1oz load on the 1st shot has less recoil and allows a faster and smoother transfer to the 2nd target, 8's work fine for both targets. The choke issue has a lot of variables if you are a fast shooter a imp/cyl will work but the mod would be my choice, the imp/mod or full should be fine for the 2nd target.I agree with covey pattern your tubes to see what you really have,I think the "proper" distances are 21 and 31 yards my browning chokes pattern tighter than what they are marked. I don't believe in open chokes for trap, not because of getting sloppy but because a dense pattern will smoke a bird when you are on and if you start chipping targets it gets your attention and tends to focus you again.Secondly when I drop a target I don't want it to be because of a hole in the pattern. Besides that big cloud of black and orange smoke makes you forget droping the odd one.
 
doubleman said:
I don't believe in open chokes for trap, not because of getting sloppy but because a dense pattern will smoke a bird when you are on and if you start chipping targets it gets your attention and tends to focus you again..
Click to expand...

A poor break that does not get your attention and loosing focus is what I mean by getting sloppy.:D
 
Jacky ...

From the International Trap & Sporting Clays I've shot - I have more confidence in 7-1/2's than I do 8's when the target range gets to be 40 yards and beyond. Would rather have a few broken visible pieces than the goose-egg you get for "dusting" a target.

Also took the time to watch several of the better 27-yarders that were scoring well at a number of the ATA Grands. Majority - 7-1/2's ... and more than a few of them were shooting Federal paper Handicaps and those gold Remington Nitros !
 
beretta boy said:
- I have more confidence in 7-1/2's than I do 8's when the target range gets to be 40 yards and beyond.
Click to expand...

If I have to pick one all round for all the target sports, it would be 7-1/2's. With 7-1/2s I have never felt handicaped on 16 yard, skeet or those short sporting shots, but I sometimes wonder when I dust one with 8's.
 
Point taken ... 8's work very well out to 30 yards or so ... then ????

9's are the size of choice for NSSA Skeet ... however, once past 25 yards,
I don't find 9's all that reliable . Yes, you can break targets at 50 yards + with 9's ... but you can dust(or "miss" ) a lot too !!! 7-1/2's for the long stuff ... 8's for anything less.
 
beretta boy said:
Jacky ...


Also took the time to watch several of the better 27-yarders that were scoring well at a number of the ATA Grands. Majority - 7-1/2's ... and more than a few of them were shooting Federal paper Handicaps and those gold Remington Nitros !
Click to expand...

I'm a 26 yarder and I use 8's until the temp drops to 0 and then 7-1/2's help a little. In the winter we pick up a lot of targets with 5+ pellet holes in them. The handicap loads help a lot if you shoot more than 1 event because the leads stay about the same as 16yards(if the extra recoil doesn't bother you). Its an on going debate with most trap shooters the difference is .005" between the two but that works out to a 50 pellet/oz difference. I personally don't notice much difference, if one or the other adds to your confidence level it will break more birds
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom