tomba26 Posted December 6, 2009 Report Share Posted December 6, 2009 Until recently I have shot with 1/4 and 1/2 chokes and not really put much thought into it. What do the more eperienced clay shooters suggest using for mainly sporting clays? Also I do shoot skeet a bit now and then, again what are the reccomendations here for chokes? Many thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magman Posted December 6, 2009 Report Share Posted December 6, 2009 Can of worms , you will have an array of answers here . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slug Posted December 6, 2009 Report Share Posted December 6, 2009 skeet and skeet chokes and a 9 shot for skeet,I don't shoot much sporting but from what I read on here seems 1/4 and 1/2 with an 8 seems the norm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulos Posted December 6, 2009 Report Share Posted December 6, 2009 Your 1/4 and 1/2 will be absolutely fine for sporting I tend to use 1/4 and 3/8 most of the time or 3/8 and 1/2 if there is quite a bit of rangey stuff. (I don't hit much though... ) If you are shooting enough skeet to warrant it, I would buy yourself a pair of dedicated skeet chokes. If not 1/4 and cyl will do fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garyb Posted December 6, 2009 Report Share Posted December 6, 2009 1/4 & 1/2 is fine You could even try skeet & 1/4... if you really must... Choke gives you inches, but you miss in feet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chard Posted December 6, 2009 Report Share Posted December 6, 2009 (edited) In my opinion......... In sporting, there's no logical reason for the tighter choke to be in the top barrel, that's a DTL or trap thing, where you can second barrel the clay when it's more distant if you miss with the first barrel. In sporting there's nothing to say that the second barrel is going to be a longer range shot. So for a start, this means (to me) that you shoot same choke in both barrels. Up until recently, I used to shoot 1/2 and 1/2 but now shoot 1/4 and 1/4 at most targets following advice from blokes who know what they're on about, who suggested to me that I was penalising myself unnecessarily by using tight chokes on close targets. I do fiddle with chokes occasionally though. If faced with a long range shot, I still bung a 1/2 choke in that barrel and if faced with a ridiculously close range bird, I bung a skeet choke in that barrel. If you get to be a top shot, you'll probably want to shoot full or 3/4 choke, because it can make it clearer if you're slightly high or low or behind or whatever, but I'm a long way off that . I tend to agree with the advice that I was given by Cat (and Magman ) that there's little point in making things any harder than they need to be. At Shugborough today, we were quite surprised at how well 1/4 chokes can break some very rangey clays Of course, the down side of shooting same size choke in both barrels is that you need to buy extra ones Edited December 6, 2009 by Chard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulos Posted December 6, 2009 Report Share Posted December 6, 2009 In my opinion......... In sporting, there's no logical reason for the tighter choke to be in the top barrel, that's a DTL or trap thing, where you can second barrel the clay when it's more distant if you miss with the first barrel. In sporting there's nothing to say that the second barrel is going to be a longer range shot. So for a start, this means (to me) that you shoot same choke in both barrels. Up until recently, I used to shoot 1/2 and 1/2 but now shoot 1/4 and 1/4 at most targets following advice from blokes who know what they're on about, who suggested to me that I was penalising myself unnecessarily by using tight chokes on close targets. I do fiddle with chokes occasionally though. If faced with a long range shot, I still bung a 1/2 choke in that barrel and if faced with a ridiculously close range bird, I bung a skeet choke in that barrel. If you get to be a top shot, you'll probably want to shoot full or 3/4 choke, because it can make it clearer if you're slightly high or low or behind or whatever, but I'm a long way off that . I tend to agree with the advice that I was given by Cat (and Magman ) that there's little point in making things any harder than they need to be. At Shugborough today, we were quite surprised at how well 1/4 chokes can break some very rangey clays Of course, the down side of shooting same size choke in both barrels is that you need to buy extra ones Sorry, that did it for me :P B) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chard Posted December 6, 2009 Report Share Posted December 6, 2009 Sorry, that did it for me ******* students B) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonD Posted December 6, 2009 Report Share Posted December 6, 2009 LOL, For skeet i shoot SKT\SKT with a 28g 9, Sporting generally 1\4 and 1\2 with a 28g 7.5. I found messing with chokes and cartridges didn't help much, if you are new to it stick to what works, as has been said find what works for you. I hit far more now i can't be ***** changing chokes, i may change the load to something bigger shot wise with the exception of one ground where i shoot 1\4 and 1\2. They won't make any difference apart from providing an excuse\distraction\confusion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Browning Posted December 7, 2009 Report Share Posted December 7, 2009 I was once told by a good mate, and GB team member, to (and I quote):- "Stop ******* around with chokes and shoot 1/4 1/4 for everything. If you really NEED to change A choke put 1/2 in for rangey edge on birds" I took his advice, stopped worrying about chokes, and started enjoying my shooting more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chard Posted December 7, 2009 Report Share Posted December 7, 2009 I couldn't really say that changing chokes occasionally causes me sleepless nights and spoils my enjoyment of shooting Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beretta Posted December 7, 2009 Report Share Posted December 7, 2009 just one less thing to think about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomba26 Posted December 7, 2009 Author Report Share Posted December 7, 2009 Thanks for the replies folks, I'm going to order anoither 1/4 choke for sporting and try shooting 1/4 and 1/4 as Chard and Browning suggested. Would it be worth getting a couple of skeet chokes or just take one of the 1/4 chokes out and bung a cyl choke in the days I am shooting skeet (which are not nearly as often as sporting to be honest)? It's probably also worth tryying some no 9 or even 8 cartridges for skeet as up until now I have just shot 7.5 for everyting (recently with Eley Blues). Cheers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlaserF3 Posted December 7, 2009 Report Share Posted December 7, 2009 This http://www.islandlakeshootingrange.com/ima...hart_inside.jpg explains a few things and why sometimes you might need to put a tighter choke in sometime. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robbly Posted December 7, 2009 Report Share Posted December 7, 2009 Skeet and skeet for skeet, and i'd go with 24g 9's.......3/8 and 3/8 for sporting with 28g 7.5's and keep a few 9's for close encounters. You won't find anything out of range with 3/8 and they're very forgiving on close stuff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
COACH Posted December 8, 2009 Report Share Posted December 8, 2009 (edited) I` shoot 1/4 + 1/4 for everything but 60yd edge-on clays and then I stick in a 3/4 choke to make sure. I also only use 21g or 24g cartridges. 1/4 + 1/4 will take out most English Sporting targets and annihilate skeet. 1/4 + 1/4 and forget them. If your on them, you`ll break them. Edited December 8, 2009 by COACH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henry c Posted December 9, 2009 Report Share Posted December 9, 2009 Obviously everyone has there own ideas but I always use Skeet choke in my bottom barrel and Cylider in my top. I usually use 28 gram 8 shot cartridges of whatever brand is to hand. In my oppinion you may as well make your pattern as wide as possible when your not shooting live game - it only takes 1 pellet to break a clay. Occasionally if i get to a stand with a really long range target i will slip in a Half choke, but I think its easy to worry too much about chokes and end up playing 'Golf' and changing choke on each stand! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
utectok Posted December 9, 2009 Report Share Posted December 9, 2009 I shoot 1/4 and half on most stuff occasionally going for cyl 1/4 on the clay range I'm not really ***** to by another 1/4 choke! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George1990 Posted December 9, 2009 Report Share Posted December 9, 2009 Got a s/s recently, fixed at 1/2 and full. You certainly notice the full choke on rabbits at the clay ground. And it's easy to see that the pattern in very tight at that close bunny range. So i'd probably avoid full choke for the time being Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dereck Kemp Posted September 24, 2020 Report Share Posted September 24, 2020 1/2 & 1/2. for most 'local' shoots. 3/4 & 3/4 if you have some distance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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