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Choke choice


Davyo
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If they are that close then open or 1/4 is ample, but if you commit to open chokes the high or longer distance birds will be much harder to bring down due to the shot pattern being far more open, I shoot 1/2 and 3/4 all the time through my Baretta 686E, I only use 29 grm kent velocity, 6's. I drop pigeons at 10 yards or out to 50 yards with very few pricked birds escaping.

Chokes are a matter of personal choice and will depend on your accuracy with the shotgun, :yes::yes:

Edited by lakeside1000
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I used cylinder in my 30" auto 2 weeks ago using hull super speed 29g 6 shot. Worked perfect. The following week I used my 26" aya no4 that's bored just under quarter both barrels and was just as effective. My shooting friend was in the same field and was using half choke and didn't do as well. Maybe all on the day but I never use anything above quarter, that includes on the marsh. I much rather think about putting the shot in the right place, using what you think you get on with in the breech end of the barrel than what's stuck in the other end.

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25 metres is skeet range, I suggest lighter shells and a choke appropriate to what you might shoot skeet at if that's the range you take the shot with a 1 oz / 28 grm load 7s will kill pheasant at that range and used to kill Mallard also pre-ban but still no. 4 steel works on same through open chokes, though I don't shoot pigeon here I cant see them as needing more at said range than these other birds

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I've recently changed from 1/4 & 3/4, which matched what I was used to in my old side-by-sides, down to Skeet & 1/2, and it's definitely helped my hit rate when they are dropping into the pattern.

Also seem to get cleaner kills and few wing shots too. Using Clear Pigeon 32g 6's, or Rio Game 30g 6's.

 

Incidentally I've been pleased with the Rio carts. Got them when my local guy had run out of CP, and was suspicious at first as they were quite cheap. Have only shot about 100 so far, but they appear to be pretty good.

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I've recently changed from 1/4 & 3/4, which matched what I was used to in my old side-by-sides, down to Skeet & 1/2, and it's definitely helped my hit rate when they are dropping into the pattern.

Also seem to get cleaner kills and few wing shots too. Using Clear Pigeon 32g 6's, or Rio Game 30g 6's.

 

Incidentally I've been pleased with the Rio carts. Got them when my local guy had run out of CP, and was suspicious at first as they were quite cheap. Have only shot about 100 so far, but they appear to be pretty good.

The cheapest of cartridges are plenty good enough for pigeons. Funnily enough, I used Rio 30gm 6 all the time until they went up in price a few years back.

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Guest stevo

I tend to do most of my shooting at ranges of 30 - 50 yrds , I use 32 grm # 6 ( RC sipe ) with are an English # 5.5 . and always use a 1/2 or 3/4 in my semi's

 

stevo

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At those ranges you do not need much choke cylinder and quarter would be ample. Also smaller shot size has enough energy to give good penetration so 7.5 would be good enough and 28 grams of 7.5 would give a denser pattern than 32 grams of 6's. However 7.5's do not in my opinion have enough energy once you get much over 40 yards. You also need to be aware that chokes vary quite a bit and are not necessarily accurate. The only true way to know what your gun is doing with the particular choke cartridge combination is to patten test it.

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I enjoy a day out with my yildiz sbs .410,I find fiochi 3" 6's good but they have plastic wads.

As you say you have minimum damage.

I shoot one field with a small oak in the middle,I set up rotary 20 yards out and the pigeons head straight for the tree where the .410 is light enough to take them close in.

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Through my Beretta Ultralight i use 1/4 and 1/2 feeding on Express Power Blues, which for those who arent sure what these cartridges are im using are of course 28g of 7.5s!!!! I even used these on a pheasent shoot last season with fantastic results!!! I personally cant see the point in using a heavier gram and larger shot cartridge when the smaller and lighter loads give clean kills out over the decoy pattern.

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