School me on Chokes

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Barnard308

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Guys
Shotgun NEWBIE here with a question or two.

Did a search and came up dry so I am looking for knowledgeable info on choke tubes, brands and when to use what one. I have a 20g silver for me and my kids to shoot sporting clays with and I mainly use a 12g Stoger for sporting clays. Both these shotguns are semi's and I am looking to buy extended chokes to make it easier to change them in the field, but I don't know what choke is good for what application or range of shot. I know lots of guys are gonna say pick one and stay with it but that's not the advice I am looking for. Please share your opinions and preferences. Thanks
 
There are many brands to chose from : original equipment manufacture ,Briley ,Tru Lock ,Carlson to name a few . for sporting clays a light mod or imp cyl will cover the majority of target presentations you will see . in a single barrel gun I like the light mod. for my over /under I use a imp cyl Lt Mod combination . Carlsons can be had through ALs corner store ( google it ) . good info here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Choke_(firearms)
 
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Chokes are for distance... The farther out you need a dense pattern, the tighter the choke. Manufacturers will all tell you why theirs are the best, but 95% of people couldn't tell the difference. If all your shots are at 20yards an IC would be good. Move to 30-40 yards and a mod or IM would be better. Past that go full. Best to pattern with the loads you shoot. Faster loads tend to shoot more open than slower loads in my experience, but with shotguns there are very few hard rules as there are a lot of variables like shot size, velocity, choke profile, and even differences between constrictions between manufacturers (I.e. one full may be a different constriction to another full). It is probably a bit too much to start, so an IC for less than 25 yards and an IM or full past that wouldn't be a bad initial point.
 
Barnard308 said:
Guys
Shotgun NEWBIE here with a question or two.

Did a search and came up dry so I am looking for knowledgeable info on choke tubes, brands and when to use what one. I have a 20g silver for me and my kids to shoot sporting clays with and I mainly use a 12g Stoger for sporting clays. Both these shotguns are semi's and I am looking to buy extended chokes to make it easier to change them in the field, but I don't know what choke is good for what application or range of shot. I know lots of guys are gonna say pick one and stay with it but that's not the advice I am looking for. Please share your opinions and preferences. Thanks
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Are you looking for clays exclusively or hunting?, either way it could be worth your while to call carlsons and or trulock to ask their recommendations for your preferred loads. They are very good about giving advice and often willing to exchange tubes until you find the one that gives your desired pattern and performance. Aside from that other posters are pointing you in the right direction. At the end of the day you are going to have to pattern your guns with whatever chokes you choose.
 
The best advice I can offer is read as much as you can of Tom Roster's research. He will eliminate alot of hype and b.s about some manufacturers claims about how their chokes work or perform. He is considered the leading authority in the world on shotgun ballistics. After all the stuff I have read of his I do not spend a dime on any expensive after market chokes and my guns pattern as well as those that do.
 
I like to keep things simple if i can, mod for trap and IC/mod for skeet .
That way I can hunt birds, shoot trap, and skeet with the same gun!:d
That being said, my favourite bird gun is CYL/CYL so it does well for skeet but is a bit tough for trap, I have to be on the birds fast.:p
Still good practise for pheasants however!:dancingbanana:
Screw in chokes are highly over rated IMO., in fact some makers like Ugaretechea will not build a gun with them !
Cat
 
I have experimented with various chokes, and I have settled on Skeet for skeet, Mod for trap, LM for sporting clays and waterfowl, and usually IC and Mod for upland hunting . Of course that could change with different guns, different loads, or a different sporting clays field.
 
Yeah Roblack it is, Kids love that Silver just gotta get them out shooting it this weekend.

Cartwheel, thanks for the advice and clarification I really appreciate you taking the time to reply.

Thanks to everyone else also.
 
I think you'
ll find that the Imp choke that was in the gun when you got it will be the all around best for SC David. When I first started in the game I experimented a bunch with different chokes and would often switch chokes at different stations. I came to realize that hitting the bird had far more to do with the technique I was using than the choke,so I never again switched from Imp cylinder and my scores got better. Love the Superposed too David,Ive got her shining like a new penny and shot it one round last weekend.
 
struff55 said:
Did a search and came up dry on info on the Internet . Odd ?
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HMM.......thought this was the internet??? Might have asked a question on a GUN FORM to get real life answers from real life people with experience. Signed up to this site for first hand info not to get random crap info from random web sites, thought that's what this was all about. My Bad !!
 
No worries my friend, just have to be a bit discerning on which replies are pertinent and which to ignore.
 
As Roblack said don't over think choke selection . When you miss there is a very high chance it wasn't the the chokes fault . Putting the pattern in the right spot is the most important thing .
 
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