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choke sizes


countryman
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Hi

 

Getting a bit confused on what modified choke is and improved cylinder is in terms of 1/2 3/4 etc. Also what chokes would you recommend for general clay shooting as i seem to be switching them around a bit too often. Thanks

 

Countryman

 

Have a look at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shotgun#Pattern_and_choke

 

A lot of people shoot 1/4 - 1/2 for clays. but Skeet and 1/4 is fine also.

 

I'm sure the Cat will be along soon to clear up any questions you have :blush:

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Yes, the Cat's here and as others have already said, Improved Cylinder is roughly 1/4 choke and Modified is roughly 1/2 choke.

 

As to which choke to use, I presume you are talking about English Sporting targets in a local club environment, i.e not too testing.

 

I would suggest you use no more than 1/4 choke for any target and see how you get on. Now that Beretta supply colour coding on all of their Optima extended chokes on the 682 / DT10 range of guns, I can now see what choke others are using It never ceases to amaze me how many novices use 1/2 & 1/2 or even 3/4 & Full on "normal" Sporting targets. I reckon they must be thinking, "That's what Faulds & Digweed do, so it must be right for me".

 

My most popular choke combination is Skeet & 1/4, the vast majority of Sporting clays can be broken comfortably with this combination.

 

Give it a try, let us know how you get on.

 

Cat.

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  • 5 months later...
Afternoon Gents,

You've covered general choke sizes for Clay Pigeon, what choke sizes would you recommend for pigeon shooting?

Thanks Q :blush:

 

I tend to go up a size, i.e. as above for clays (Cyl & 1/4) then for the real thing 1/4 and 1/2. While a chip will get you a kill on clays i prefer a tighter group on the real thing. I tend to lay out my decoys at around 25/30 yards.

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  • 1 year later...

What you have got to remember is that perhaps a full choke in one barrel is only half in another.

 

Choke is the constriction at the muzzle compared to the bore behind it. If a full choke tube is measured as .689" that will give 40 thou of constriction ie full choke in a barrel bored 729 (standard 12 bore size) but only 20 thou (1/2 choke in a barrel bored 709 (Min 12 bore size or 13 bore) but 50 thou in a barrel showing a size of .739" and 60 thou in a barrel with an internal diameter of .749" (Max 12 bore size or 11 bore). Looking minimum size to maximum means theoretically you could have a full choke tube in one barrel showing cylinder in another.

 

In practice,of course, the variation in size is very limited but it really is something that needs considering.

 

You need to know the internal diameter of the barrel and of the choke tube to find the difference in size and so the amount of constriction and therefore your choke rating.

 

Also remember some take 35 thou as full choke not 40 thou

http://doublegunshop.com/choke.htm

 

 

Imperial 12 bore sizes are:-

 

.710"-.718"

.719"-.728"

.729"-.739"

.740"-.749"

Providing 10 thousanths of an inch between proof sizes.

 

Whilst Metric 12 bore sizes are:-

 

18.1mm-18.9mm although the Proof House will reproof a 12 bore up to 19.1mm if there is sufficient barrel wall thickness.

The proof is allowed between any two points ie 18.3-18.5mm

 

 

So even with metrification, that is now used by UK proof, the size of a 12 bore can still vary by the size of a Full Choke tube. (40 thou)

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and at the end of the day, choke is what the pattern does on the pattern plate at a given distance with a given load.

 

All the notches, names, and measures are only the mechanical gauging of what one hopes is going to occur out there in the shot cloud, so learn about your gun and its chokes ( not to mention your gun fit), buy getting some nice big sheets of paper and filling them with holes on different chokes / carts and ranges/ and doing some pellet counting inside a 30" ring.

 

It will be one of the most informative afternoons you will ever do to learn about what your gun does

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Thanks for all the help and advice

 

I have only just bought my first multi-choke - I didn't realise what a nightmare it was to work them out!!!

 

The gun came with the following Teague extended chokes -

 

1x UK Skeet

1x UK 1/4 (US Imp.cyl)

1x Uk 3/4 (US Imp.mod)

 

It also came with 2 Tru-lock extended chokes - both say Modified (and have M stamped on the end)

 

Which 2 chokes are best for English Sporting Clays and which should I have in each barrel (I shoot bottom barrel first)?!!!!!!

 

Many thanks :lol:

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Put 1/4 in the bottom barrel, and 1/2 in the top. This should suffice for the majority of English sporting clays and pigeon shooting.

 

webber

 

 

I agree................so measure the bore 9" from the breech, then measure your chokes and as a starter use the ones that are nearest to 10 and 20 thou difference respectively. Any 'good' gunshop will do that for you FOC so just ask at your local.

 

To throw another spanner into the works please do understand that a choke does not necessarily alter the pattern only the tightness of the pattern. Usually the pattern is set by the cone (the restriction to bore size after the chamber) and in a quality English gun (unchromed) may be changed by a skilled barrel man to improve the pattern irrespective of the choke. That being said, removable chokes can vary so if possible try others on a pattern sheet to see the differences. I.e. a 1/2 choke may (and I say may) throw a poor pattern equivalent to a 1/4 choke and vice versa so trial and error is the key to best results for your needs.

 

Since large sheets of paper are difficult to come by use a fertilizer sack cut open double on a 2"x1" frame

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1/4 and 1/2 are the usual choice for all round sporting.

 

1/4 fired first from the bottom barrel and 1/2 from the top.

 

Why that way round?

 

Simple, the pressure line of the bottom barrel is straight into the heel, while the upper barrel is above. If you fire the upper barrel first the gun lifts ( muzzle flip). In most cases the second shot will be at a more distant target, but with typical sporting argets 25 - 40yds, both 1/4 and 1/2 are going to do the job if you put the shot in the right place.

 

If your gun has a selective trigger, there may be rare occasions where firing top first to reverse the choke order without changing them has some advantages, but usually the only reason for firing top first will be when a game shooter has two widely different chokes and loads in their gun and ants to put out the optimum load first on sight of the quarry.

 

In clays it would be very rare to want to fire top first.

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Thought I`d jump onto this one as I`ve got my first ever shoot this Sat, where I usually beat.

I`m shooting with my Berretta 686 and currently have in the lower barrel: "improved cylinder" and in the top: "Modified"

I`ve got some Hull Special Pigeon size 6 32 grm load for the day.

I get on ok on the clays using this set up (not the above ammo) but will it be ok for pheasants?

Many thanks oh wise ones :good:

 

Nick

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