Hamster Posted July 1, 2011 Report Share Posted July 1, 2011 I think some people don`t worry enough , in all seriousness. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thunderbird Posted July 1, 2011 Report Share Posted July 1, 2011 Seems apparent from what the experts are saying that chokes are a technical measure to be taken advantage of by someone with the appropriate skill and knowledge of both their gun's and their own performance capability. For a beginner, becoming too obsessed with them is a way of diverting attention from the more basic shortcomings in your shooting technique and experience. I daresay we've overheard inexperienced people blaming a bad round on some issue other than themselves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GRamsay Posted July 1, 2011 Report Share Posted July 1, 2011 I think some people don`t worry enough , in all seriousness. Well depends if its just a bit of fun or not,as you can probably tell,I take it as a bit of fun Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timps Posted July 1, 2011 Report Share Posted July 1, 2011 Seems apparent from what the experts are saying that chokes are a technical measure to be taken advantage of by someone with the appropriate skill and knowledge of both their gun's and their own performance capability. For a beginner, becoming too obsessed with them is a way of diverting attention from the more basic shortcomings in your shooting technique and experience. I daresay we've overheard inexperienced people blaming a bad round on some issue other than themselves. I totally agree with you on this, I overheard one novice shooter blaming his lack of hits on a clay due to having 28” barrels and they did not have the range of his mates 30”... :blink: :o Chokes are a benefit not an excuse, if they are becoming an excuse then I agree stick in ¼ ½ (sporting) and stop worrying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GRamsay Posted July 1, 2011 Report Share Posted July 1, 2011 It was the gun that was **** Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canis Posted July 1, 2011 Report Share Posted July 1, 2011 lets be quasi scientific for a moment. The shot string moves out from the muzzle of the gun diverging from the line of fire. Choke is simply the factor that decides how wide the "front face" of the shot is at whatever distance. coinventional wisdom about choke selection is about acheiving i shot describing a 30" circle at X yards at the point of hitting ther target. As you go to tighter chokes than this at the same range the shot beaten area diminishes in size so you have to be more accurate in following the line of your target to still acheive a break. The higher choke will make the shot string slightly longer though so the margin for error in the amount of forward allowance will be slightly reduced. Likewise with lesser choke the pattern at the same range it the shot will have dispersed more ansd possibly there is chance of the clay skimming through the shot string without comming into contact with a single shot. So essentially choke choice can make a difference, but in practice most of us mere mortals are not good enough at this lark to quantify the difference diferent choke would haver been of our chiped or missed clays. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zapp Posted July 1, 2011 Report Share Posted July 1, 2011 I learned to shoot on fixed choke guns, so my automatic outlook on a missed target is that I got something wrong. I can honestly say that I dont think I have ever taken a shot, seen the clay sail on and then thought "I would have smashed that if I had used a tighter choke". If you have eliminated all other variables, not least your own ability, then fill your boots where choke changing is concerned. If (like me) you havent, then you are just shifting the blame rather than knuckling down and becoming a better shot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catweazle Posted July 2, 2011 Report Share Posted July 2, 2011 If chokes didn't matter they wouldn't be a part of every shotgun made. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisAsh Posted July 3, 2011 Report Share Posted July 3, 2011 The sister argument is using 7.5 shot at skeet ranges when size 9 would give possibly a better pattern with more shot, in fact most seem to use 7.5 all the time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Potter Posted July 3, 2011 Report Share Posted July 3, 2011 If chokes didn't matter they wouldn't be a part of every shotgun made. That's a pointless statement, a bit like saying triggers are part of every shotgun made. Difference being that a trigger is a physical part of the shotgun whereas choke has more than one meaning. It true meaning is a method of expressing the constriction at the muzzle end of the barrels. In fact if a barrel was measured at the same dimension as the rest of the bore (true cylinder) then that gun would have no choke and your statement would not only be pointless it would also be incorrect. The relatively recent advent of multichoke barrels has provided a further definition for the word "choke" as the device to be screwed into the muzzle of a barrel to provide different degrees of constriction (degrees of choke) for that barrel. This thread so far has been discussing the relative merits of differing degrees of constriction. Mr Potter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catweazle Posted July 3, 2011 Report Share Posted July 3, 2011 (edited) That's a pointless statement Mr Potter Whatever. Edited July 3, 2011 by Catweazle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Potter Posted July 3, 2011 Report Share Posted July 3, 2011 Maybe I'm reading a different thread, the one I read seems to be full of people saying not to worry about the choke as it isn't important and "if you point the gun in the right direction you'll hit the clay". I believe the choke is more important than that, and shotgun manufacturers, by their actions, would seem to agree. However, no doubt you are much more experienced at shooting clays than me, so my opinion might be completely wrong. It is just my opinion after all, but I don't see many clay guns being offered with no choke or even with fixed chokes. Apologies Catweazle, I didn't pick up on the meaning of your post and I would basically agree that manufacturers do not supply guns with true cylinder barrels as both clay and game shooting require some degree of choke to do its job more successfully. I think that multi chokes were invented to allow clay shooters to use the same gun for different disciplines, skeet and trap would previously have been shot with different guns. This would be OK for most but the top skeet and trap shooters are unlikely to shoot other disciplines and would have guns purpose made for their specific disciple. This is particularly true of trap guns with the recent adoption of very high ribs and, when I first started shooting (mid 80's), the fashion for skeet guns was 26" barrels. What we have got now is most sporting shotguns being supplied with multi chokes and the confusion that has spawned. There is no correct answer to the OP's question, well certainly within the English Sporting disciplines. Give a guy who is convinced that tight chokes are correct a gun with open chokes, tell him they are open and he will miss, don't tell him and he'll probably kill and vice versa with the guy who prefers more open chokes. Never forget that the biggest and most important bone in the human body is without shadow of doubt the head-bone!!! Mr Potter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul T Posted July 3, 2011 Report Share Posted July 3, 2011 If I point the gun in the right place the clay breaks. ...Of course, a lot of the time I find the clay is either too early or late :blink: :lol:. My O/U is m/c at cyl and 1/4 and I don't have any other chokes for it. Even if I did I doubt I would change them. If I ever get to a level where I think the choke selection will make a big difference to my shooting I will be a very happy man . I know when a shot feels right and I know when it doesn't. Would a different choke improve a poor shot? Doubtful; it was a poor shot, kill or no kill. An edgy kill from a poor shot just makes me smile - that's luck rather than skill. For the majority of us, better shot preparation and technique is the key to improving our skill, not a change of choke. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chard Posted July 3, 2011 Report Share Posted July 3, 2011 I don't think there is a single subject in the entire sport of shooting which generates more verbal **** than choke selection. People just seem to feel the need to talk **** the moment chokes are mentioned Of course chokes make a difference. If you're a **** shot, they'll make less of a difference. If you go shooting and don't give a monkeys if you hit anything or not, well ******* good for you. Keep taking the pills. There are competition shooters out there for whom one or two extra kills make or break the day and decide whether they win or lose. Competitive shooting not for you? Well good for you Kinnell Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poontang Posted July 3, 2011 Report Share Posted July 3, 2011 The sister argument is using 7.5 shot at skeet ranges when size 9 would give possibly a better pattern with more shot, in fact most seem to use 7.5 all the time I could almost guarantee any serious skeet shooter will use 9's not 7.5's Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulos Posted July 3, 2011 Report Share Posted July 3, 2011 I could almost guarantee any serious skeet shooter will use 9's not 7.5's Correct. If not, very few will go bigger than 8's Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dr. lecter Posted July 3, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 3, 2011 trap gun fixed chokes decent shell , up and at em . i shot 88 at orston gun club notts 100 sporting , not good enough to win with shooters like nick hendrick, paul wilkinson, jon lee , dave carrie etc etc , but im happy and that is what its all about . PULL ! . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Azzurri Posted July 3, 2011 Report Share Posted July 3, 2011 trap gun fixed chokes decent shell , up and at em . i shot 88 at orston gun club notts 100 sporting , not good enough to win with shooters like nick hendrick, paul wilkinson, jon lee , dave carrie etc etc , but im happy and that is what its all about . PULL ! . Hi Doc, I shot the same shoot today,with my multi choked sporter, changed the chokes on nearly every stand to suit the targets (I know how each choke performs)and finished on 89 and a 23 on the pool with 1/4 & 1/4 :o I used to shoot 3/4 & Full for years but in my mind,unless you're doing a serious amount and I mean a serious amount of shooting (which I don't anymore) tight chokes on everything just cost you targets. Good shoot though wasn't it ? Azzurri. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hamster Posted July 4, 2011 Report Share Posted July 4, 2011 (edited) I used to shoot 3/4 & Full for years but in my mind,unless you're doing a serious amount and I mean a serious amount of shooting (which I don't anymore) tight chokes on everything just cost you targets. Azzurri. So so true, the trouble with taking advice on chokes is that with respect the vast majority of people are not in a position to give it . It makes me laugh when people mention the likes of Faulds or Digweed (Ben H is a changer, as are dozens of other stars). At what point did you think you could compare yourselves to these two? Just because they can outshoot the undeniable handicap of Full or X full does NOT mean you could too.................not until you get to shoot 50k+ thou per year and give up the day job so you can spend the rest of the time either live shooting or instructing. I don't think there is a single subject in the entire sport of shooting which generates more verbal **** than choke selection. People just seem to feel the need to talk **** the moment chokes are mentioned Of course chokes make a difference. If you're a **** shot, they'll make less of a difference. If you go shooting and don't give a monkeys if you hit anything or not, well ******* good for you. Keep taking the pills. There are competition shooters out there for whom one or two extra kills make or break the day and decide whether they win or lose. Competitive shooting not for you? Well good for you Kinnell Well said . I shoot 3/4 most of the time but frequently swap if I think some other combo could help ME out. Locally at least I get to within a stones throw from Digweed too. Is that proof that choke changing works? No but it sure as hell proves changing doesn`t distract your brain to the degree some would have you believe. Edited July 4, 2011 by Hamster Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elmer Fudd. Posted July 7, 2011 Report Share Posted July 7, 2011 (edited) Some interesting comments here. When I started clay shooting back in the early 1970's, multi-choke guns were only a pipe dream. Everything was fixed choke. If you wanted an open pattern for skeet or close in sporting targets you used a FELT wad cartridge,usually size 9 shot. If you then wanted a tighter pattern from the SAME barrell for more distant or edge on birds you used a PLASWAD usually in a 7.5 shot (anyone remember ounce 'n an eighth Eley "Blueys") and if you needed further distance, you broke out the trap gun, usually to much sniggering and mickey taking. So now, coming back after a 20 year layoff I find multi-chokes everywhere. Brilliant...I can fill me boots so I have. I can now fiddle with so many more choke/cartridge combinations than I believed were possible and in glorious 28g or less. The only downside of such a long layoff is that I now realise how frustrated Micheal Schumacher feels (he's crape after his layoff as well). It's not that I can't hit stuff, I can, but it's the consistancy that's missing. Why hit 8 out of 10, or should I say, how the hell did I miss those two?? This always happens on those long going away quartering crossers. There must be a choke/cartridge combination out there somewhere for these blighters..Anyone got any ideas??? Edited July 7, 2011 by Elmer Fudd. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EdSolomons Posted July 7, 2011 Report Share Posted July 7, 2011 One word- technique! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hamster Posted July 7, 2011 Report Share Posted July 7, 2011 One word- technique! Not to mention Vorsprung durch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dr. lecter Posted July 7, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 7, 2011 Hi Doc, I shot the same shoot today,with my multi choked sporter, changed the chokes on nearly every stand to suit the targets (I know how each choke performs)and finished on 89 and a 23 on the pool with 1/4 & 1/4 :o I used to shoot 3/4 & Full for years but in my mind,unless you're doing a serious amount and I mean a serious amount of shooting (which I don't anymore) tight chokes on everything just cost you targets. Good shoot though wasn't it ? Azzurri. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dr. lecter Posted July 7, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 7, 2011 well shot , wish i was more consistant , i just think for me fixed chokes are one less thing to worry about . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Azzurri Posted July 8, 2011 Report Share Posted July 8, 2011 well shot , wish i was more consistant , i just think for me fixed chokes are one less thing to worry about . Fair comment Maybe see you there one day Azzurri. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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