Upland Game Choke Choices?
- Thread starter mmattockx
- Start date
I agree, which is why I simply want to open the chokes up and not have choke tubes installed.
Mark
Yeah, that lines up with my experience too. As the years go by, having that first barrel opened up a bit really helps on the quicker shots, while keeping the second tighter still gives you reach when you need it. IC/Full feels like a solid, no-nonsense setup for hunting over dogs.
light mod and full
The road blasters here use a full choke a lot for longer shots on grouse. Just aim a little higher and a few pellets are in the head neck area. It's a fine art shot for sure mostly done with a 30" 12ga Cooey. I'm getting a Stevens 301 turkey gun in 12ga for just that purpose. Comes with an extra full choke and a rail for a red dot. I'll be good out to 150yds with that uber set up.
I find that IC/IM can do it all, and two triggers give me instant choice of which one to use.
For about 10 years my primary hunting and skeet and trap gun was a baikal ij58 with the full and fuller chokes. I never saw it as a downside. I'd change my loads to suit my intended game. 7/8oz copper plated 6s did most of my bird and bunny hunting.
The cheapest way to open the chokes on a baikal is a hacksaw. Cut about 3/4" off the muzzle you get ic/mod. Cut an inch you get cyl/ic. Drill and re tap for the bead and square the muzzles off with a file.
For hunting upclose game you could load spreader loads. They work decently on game to about 15 yards or so. I had trouble with skeet targets using my spreader reloads as they created a large pattern at 21 yards
Using larger shot in tighter chokes often opens the pattern up slightly and the less pellets in the shell help in not hitting your animal too badly while the bigger shot hits harder and causes a clean kill.
The cheapest way to open the chokes on a baikal is a hacksaw. Cut about 3/4" off the muzzle you get ic/mod. Cut an inch you get cyl/ic. Drill and re tap for the bead and square the muzzles off with a file.
For hunting upclose game you could load spreader loads. They work decently on game to about 15 yards or so. I had trouble with skeet targets using my spreader reloads as they created a large pattern at 21 yards
Using larger shot in tighter chokes often opens the pattern up slightly and the less pellets in the shell help in not hitting your animal too badly while the bigger shot hits harder and causes a clean kill.
The 301 turkey is a downright fun gun. I have one in 410 and love it. With a red dot its cheating for squirrel hunting
Maybe I should see how it does as-is before I start cutting steel. Patterning will have to wait for milder weather, though. It's effing cold out right now and I don't need to know that badly.
I have to say I hadn't considered this option. It sounds drastic, but my alternative is the brake cylinder hone and removing the chrome that way, which is also pretty severely redneck in nature. Maybe some measuring will need to be done to see what that would entail.
Mark
Licensed to kill
CGN Regular
- Location
- Peace Country Alberta
Brilliant. Never thought of that. If one wants a more “precise” choke you could set a set of inside dividers at the constriction you want, insert and pull out until the legs touch, determine the length to the muzzle and cut there.
I dont have any metal working skill and I hate my myself everyday because of it but I can use a hacksaw lol. I've cut quite a number of singles and doubles. AyA and baikal always shoot to the same poi after as they did before if my cut was straight.
Honing could change point of impact if its not equally applied around the bore
As for the full and fuller chokes on the skeet field choke for smoke. Truth is if you're on the target it'll break whether its a full choke or cylinder choke. I've run more 25 straights with a tightly choked gun than I ever did when I used an actual skeet choked gun
Licensed to kill
CGN Regular
- Location
- Peace Country Alberta
Agreed. Open chokes are to help poor gunners like me. If you can centre the target in the pattern, the centre is the centre whether extra full or cylinder and unless you are throwing donut patterns you can’t miss regardless of choke. However, if you are shooting upland, extra full won’t leave much for the table.
Just let them get out a bit or shoot a spreader load. Theres spreader inserts you can add to the wad or use the wads already designed with the spreader in them. Or load a felt cork with no shotcup with a size or 2 bigger pellets at higher velocity. Those options will open the pattern
Nowadays the only time I worry about choke is woth some turkey guns and guns I use buckshot with
I'd pattern various loads at various distances before I spent time effort and money altering a choke. Years ago I had it fixed in my mind that a certain choke was needed for each scenario but after years of shooting and experimenting unless you're after the extreme fringes of the spectrum whether thats card cutting chokes or the widest pattern in the shortest distance choke really doesn't matter for the other 98% of shooting
Licensed to kill
CGN Regular
- Location
- Peace Country Alberta
Always easier to open them that tighten them. Of course, some barrels are so thin at the muzzle that there is no way to tighten the choke. buffered loads are supposed to tighten the pattern. I have some buffer that I bought many years ago to try yo get a bit more than cylinder in my muzzleloaders
