Newbie choke questions...

[TheFrenchCanadian]

Hi all,

Just starting to do a little shotgunning, and I'm wondering about choke requirements. I've been shopping around for a gun, and although I realise that screw in chokes are ideal, could a guy get buy with a gun that has a fixed choke/chokes?

I found an interesting O/U that has fixed skeet chokes, could this be used for trap/skeet/sporting clays equally? Or is it absolutely necessary to have the versatility of screw in chokes to be able to use the gun in all three disciplines?

(Apparently these guns have a 30" pattern @ 20 yards, for what it's worth.)

Thanks!
TFC

 

[BreakOne]

Hey French Canadian

It would be fine for skeet but risky for sporting clays and trap. You could use it for trap and sporting clays but you will be unhappy with your result. If You are looking to shoot skeet trap and sporting clays I recomend a screw in choke system. If you get a gun with screw in chokes you will find your self at a greater advantage. You will most likely be change chokes many times on a sporting clay course. I hope that helps. And remmeber a gun smith can always thread the barrel for a screw in choke system, but I dono about that gun because it is fixed skeet chokes and it might be to thin to put in threads.

 

[MauserMike]

I only have practical experience in trap. You want that 30" pattern out to 36 yards for regular 16 yard trap where you typically break clays 20 yards from the house. Modified (the minimum choke IMO), improved modified (very popular), full (also popular - my choice).

You need even more choke for the handicap events where you stand 19-27 yards from the house. The guys standing at the furthest point are breaking birds in the 45-50 yard range.

For trap with its rising targets, it is more difficult to hit some of the birds with a flat shooting gun like you would use in skeet or sporting clays. Trap guns are setup to shoot a little high.

 

[Grouse Man]

You'd be quite disadvantaged for SC and trap. Fixed Skeet/Mod should be pretty flexible if you had to make a fixed choke gun for all three games, so practically you'd only have to thread one of the barrels of the gun you're looking at.

 

[Ice-Pick]

Better suggestion

Buy two cheaper guns specific to your dicipline. I.E. trap gun for trap, skeet gun for skeet or...

A skeet barrelled trap gun is remarkably frustrating you gotta be damn fast getting on those birds, laff.

BUT, using a gun with a MOD. choke works for Sporting clays, Trap and isn't too bad for hitting Skeet.

I have an old Browning O/U that is set at Full and Mod. On most days I break 22-24 Birds on skeet and about the same for Trap. Fairly cheap gun as well.
Old Lightning Superposed, still shoots fantastic. Brownings don't wear out they wear in.
I also have an old Rem. 1100 I bought for jr. and I shoot it sometimes but I had it threaded and have screw in chokes for it One Skeet , One mod.
I find if I spend too much time using the Skeet choke I get sloppy in my technique and go back to the full/mod gun to get my head back on target.


M.