Light Modified & Modified for 16 yard Trap?

StoneHorse

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Anyone else using a light modified or modified choke for 16 yard trap? I broke 25 straight for the first time using a recently acquired BT-99 and a flush modified choke. I've shot trap casually for years with a fixed choke Browning O/U and never got past 22 out of 25 clays and that was on a good day.

I was checking out the Briley site and was a little surprised to see on their Clays chart the tightest choke listed was modified. Muller recommends their U2 (light mod/mod) for 16 yard trap. Cruising about Google and learned that some accomplished competitors are using a light modified (practice with full, compete with light modified). This fly's in the face of the "you can use any choke you want as long as it's full choke" crowd and "go for smoke". Its obvious 25 chips beats 24 smokes and a lost.

Keep in mind that I am talking about 16 yard trap and not serious competition. But seems to me that a modified choke can be more than competitive even for handicap trap. Thoughts?
 
"Keep in mind that I am talking about 16 yard trap and not serious competition."

Enough guys I shoot with certainly will take 16yrd as serious competition. Many shoot 16yrd with modified(myself included) and Imp.Modified. I can break some handicap targets with 1Oz through a modified choke, but for Handicap, Full would be my first choice.
 
"Keep in mind that I am talking about 16 yard trap and not serious competition."

Enough guys I shoot with certainly will take 16yrd as serious competition. Many shoot 16yrd with modified(myself included) and Imp.Modified. I can break some handicap targets with 1Oz through a modified choke, but for Handicap, Full would be my first choice.
I will rephrase my last statement. I shoot 16 yard trap and I'm not interested in serious competition, I shoot for fun and relaxation.
 
My personal goal is to break 25 on a regular bases. If I didn't care at all, then it wouldn't matter what choke I screwed in. Just to muck about, I could throw in a skeet choke or a extra full just for giggles. I was asking if anyone else was using a more open choke that what is generally recomended for trap. Most seem to favour full choke regardless of where they are standing. I think I wil just leave in the modified choke and not concern myself with yardage.

Thanks to those that have taken the time to reply.
 
I would say that M or IM is the right choice for 16yard trap, from the perspective of someone wanting to put up the highest scores they are capable of.
 
Not a problem B'y. Every trapshooter has a different believe on works best, 1 1/8oz of #7 1/2 vs 1Oz of #8, Full vs Imp. Mod. or Modified, Unsingle vs Single vs Semi. For the next 4 days I'm going to here it all at the APTA Atlantic Provinces Trap Association Championships which our club is hosting. In the end, what you are most confident in will be the right choice.
 
Well, proof is in the pudding. You broke a 25 with a modified choke. The modified choke in my Kolar vaporizes 16 yard targets. I get more smoke with a tighter choke, but there are some pieces of orange left in the sky. So, I generally shoot the modified choke. Not all choke tubes are created equally. Past experience has shown that many tubes are not accurately measured and don't perform well. Many gun makers don't supply good choke tubes, or at least not in the past. So, the bottom line is that you try the chokes available and pick the one that patterns and performs the best in your gun, with your ammunition and shot by you. However, to answer your original question, yes, lots of folks shoot more open chokes at 16 yard trap.
 
I usually use a Mod for 16 yard trap and sometimes a Light Mod. Most shooters will shoot a 16 yard trap target within 40-45 yards and Mod is more than enough to hit them reliably.

For sporting clays Light Mod is the choke I use the most often and it will reach out and hit trap distance targets and beyond.

Smoke is nice. Xs on the score card are better.
 
Like the guys said already, go with what works for you!
chips beat misses all day long IMO :>)
Most of my fixed choke guns are full , big I try not to worry about whether I am shooting a Full or mod gun.
Cat
 
Unbeknown to me, my dear wife ordered a couple of extended choke tubes for my *new* shotgun a few days ago. I kept misplacing the choke key for removing the flush mounted choke tubes. So I'm getting a early birthday present. I was planning on buying extended tubes regardless so I guess she read my mind.

Edit: Anyone looking for Browning Invector-Plus chokes?
 
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I shoot full choke myself or even extra full. I know a a chipped bird is an "x" on the score card but chipped targets for me cause me to lose confidence in my shooting. I like to see a black boiling dust cloud. It gives me drive, makes me feel like I am into the targets hard but everyone is different. As for LM or M as a viable choke for 16 yard trap? Absloutely more than adequate to get the job done as evidenced by your 25 straight. Congratulations on your straight round!!
 
I shoot full choke myself or even extra full. I know a a chipped bird is an "x" on the score card but chipped targets for me cause me to lose confidence in my shooting. I like to see a black boiling dust cloud. It gives me drive, makes me feel like I am into the targets hard but everyone is different. As for LM or M as a viable choke for 16 yard trap? Absolutely more than adequate to get the job done as evidenced by your 25 straight. Congratulations on your straight round!!
Thk

I did two more rounds today. 24 & 24 using a borrowed extended modified choke. In both cases, I lifted my head just a little off the stock and missed. Looks like modified works for me. At least from the 16-17 yard line. I have been getting good breaks when I do my part.
 
I shoot full choke myself or even extra full. I know a a chipped bird is an "x" on the score card but chipped targets for me cause me to lose confidence in my shooting. I like to see a black boiling dust cloud. It gives me drive, makes me feel like I am into the targets hard

I like the way you think! All my trap guns are fixed chokes, lightest of the bunch is the IM barrel on my doubles O/U. Smoke builds confidence.
 
As Beretta687EELL said, not all mod chokes are the same, but in my Krieghoff KX 5 , the mod choke smokes 16 yard targets.Most good Trap shooters(A or AA) break their 16 yard targets well within 35 yards.My normal routine is to use a tighter choke in practice and put the mod in for registered 16 yard targets.The mod choke has given me annual 16 yd averages of 95 plus percent and more than one 100 straight.If interested, you should check out the research that Gil Ash of OSP Shooting School has done on the modified choke.
 
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