Best Chokes for DTL

[ph5172]

Guys

In your Opinion what is the best choke set to use on DTL,

 

I use Full and 3/4 and get an average hit rate

 

But my mate who uses a semi uses a skeet choke and hits about the same.

 

In theory you should be using a tighter choke as the target are side on, or am i mis informed and by changing to open choke i will hit more.

 

Opinions please.

[dunganick]

oh god tin hats on :thumbs:

 

My understanding of it is this: With an open choke at longer ranges with an edge on target your pattern could have holes large enough for the clay to get through if you didnt centre it properly in the pattern. On the other hand, if you used a tigher choke 1/2 3/4 etc... you will have a tighter pattern with less holes, so if you dont centre the clay there is actually a better chance fo centering it with a tighter choke.

 

this is my belief about it, alot of people just shoot 1/2 3/4 or full full

 

basically if you put the gun in the right place it will break, if your serious about it shoot full and 3/4 and know you only have yourself to blame.

[Oly]

Do what I do, live with 3/8's and 5/8's teagues in! :thumbs:

[ph5172]

well i think i may experiment, my understanding was the same open choke bigger gaps

 

but my mates theory is bigger spread more chance of a score if you are slighly off as a chip is as good as a break.

 

ahh choices choices...lol

[pin]

As an example today I thought I had 3/4 and full in my gun, was telling everyone that's what I was using. Got high gun with 87ex100 and noticed just now I shot it with skeet/skeet.

 

Makes a lot less difference than you think, mind that was sporting.

 

Speaking to the lad who runs Steve Smiths up Newcastle way, he's a county shooter, he favours 3/4 and full, 7 1/2's

[humperdingle]

I have always had a problem with DTL targets in the past... sometimes I'd hit loads and sometimes very few. Only recently have I sussed out this discipline.

 

I've found that choke makes little difference to me, as I have skeet and 3/4 at the moment, and I think I must have hit 20/20 today. The reason I missed in the past was simply that I was leaving the target too long, then "Aimed" at the clay. Now, the clay must be at a maximum of 15 to 20 yards when I pull the trigger. As soon as I see it, I immediately move and shoot with follow-through. Very instinctive, but It works well on DTL. Problem with leaving it a while is that you are not building lead into the shot, therefore missing behind usually.

 

Just try to pull the trigger faster and use the Force, Luke. :thumbs:

[Andy W]

Anyone have a chart detailing the effective range of chokes using a given shot size like 7.5 / 9?

[ph5172]

cheers pin and hump. i think ill try both and see what happens

[Mungler]

Instead of changing choke, I have been changing cartridge for the target.

 

The choke thing is bunkum to me - it was a miles away over head crosser from a high tower shot with skeet chokes and a high velocity 9's cartridge that made my mind up.

 

It was also StuartP pointing out that an 8 has 50 more pellets in it than a 7.5. Damn that's 50 more chances in my books.

 

Thus, I now where possible just use 8's and 9's for sporting but a nice fast cartridge.

 

With DTL try 1/4 chokes and a very fast No. 8, I am sure you will be fine.

[Andy W]

What length barrels do you have Mungler? I have just bought off e bay a cylinder and skeet extended teague for my 30" Miroku and am thinking of trying skeet and 1/4 with 7.5 & 9's for sporting.

[Mungler]

32" barrels for me.

[Catamong]

Munglers got the right idea, 1/4 choke will grind up most DTL birds, if you shoot them like a Sporting target, i.e, pretty damn quick.

 

8's are fine for DTL, although I would put 7.5's in for the second barrel, with probably light mod, (3/8) choke.

 

Cat.

[pin]

it was a miles away over head crosser from a high tower shot with skeet chokes and a high velocity 9's cartridge that made my mind up.

 

Same here, would have called the man a lair if I hadn't seen it myself. No fluke either, 4 in a row.

[dunganick]

it was a miles away over head crosser from a high tower shot with skeet chokes and a high velocity 9's cartridge that made my mind up.

 

Same here, would have called the man a lair if I hadn't seen it myself. No fluke either, 4 in a row.

 

try shooting the high tower at bisley, 90 yard midi driven, i shot it with cylinder and cylinder and broke 7/10 when i went with LB a long time back.

 

Chokes are all in the mind.

 

I shooting 1/4 1/2 for everything with a few exceptions.

 

keep it simple.

[Andy W]

Barell length does make a difference though, a mate of mine has a Beretta 682 gold e with opti chokes using skeet and 1/4 for everything but he has 32" barrels, 30" barrels must surely make a big difference compared to the 32", do they not? so my way of thinking would be the equivelant to skeet & 1/4 on a 32" would be 1/4 & 1/2 on a 30" or 28", right or wrong?

[dunganick]

Barell length does make a difference though, a mate of mine has a Beretta 682 gold e with opti chokes using skeet and 1/4 for everything but he has 32" barrels, 30" barrels must surely make a big difference compared to the 32", do they not? so my way of thinking would be the equivelant to skeet & 1/4 on a 32" would be 1/4 & 1/2 on a 30" or 28", right or wrong?

 

 

wrong im affraid, barrel length does not make an effect of the size of the pattern. the bore will still be the same dia. and the choke will still restrict this dia. by the same amount, so your gun should still throw in identicle pattern, only difference possibly being with long and short chokes, as in theory the long chokes will pattern better.

[throdgrain]

Some wise words here! I also have tried different chokes a lot too, and still end up going back to 1/4, it does everything, I''ll stick with it !

[Andy W]

only difference possibly being with long and short chokes, as in theory the long chokes will pattern better.

Thanks for that, it makes sense that a longer choke will pattern better so my Invector plus extended teague must be ok then, I am very tempted to try skeet & 1/4 on my next sporting shoot, does anyone know the approx effective range of a skeet choke before the pattern gets big holes in it?

[pin]

Forget about the distance, honestly

 

Shoot I won at the weekend with skeet/skeet had everything, 54 yard blaze (love the rangefinder), the lot. You don't hit 89% with large holes in your pattern.

 

The difference is I *THOUGHT* I had 3/4 and full in there, so I *KNEW* if I was on it everything would break.

 

If I had known I was using skeet I would probably have changed to something a little tighter, certainly 1/4 for the long blaze - as it was it was all in my head.

 

Nail in the coffin for choke changing for me, until I consistently can't break something with 1/4 and then can with more choke I am stopping changing

[MC]

About bloody time too.

 

The one thing that a 32" barrel does make is your lead picture, you appear to need less lead.

[pin]

The only thing you can reliably say and everyone will agree on comparing a 32" gun to a 30", is that one is 2" closer to the target.

 

Just how much difference that 2" makes (now now!) could be debated forever, yet more personal preference. I think it's all to do with pointability, swing speed and balance - than anything to do with patterning.

[MC]

The only thing you can reliably say and everyone will agree on comparing a 32" gun to a 30", is that one is 2" closer to the target.

Just how much difference that 2" makes (now now!) could be debated forever, yet more personal preference. I think it's all to do with pointability, swing speed and balance - than anything to do with patterning.

 

 

That really depends on where you stand in the cage :unsure:

 

Sorry couldn't resist it.

[Dunkield]

I think your build and the way, or the speed of, your swing dictate ideal barrel length choice.

I started with a 686 f/c 28" Beretta, and when I changed it for a 30" 687 m/c sporter, I found it much easier and steadier on longer birds.

 

There is no point getting a 32" if you built like Mr Muscle, you won't be able to do a 100 birds with it without falling flat on your face.

[bobby t]

choke probably makes so little difference to an average shooter, it must be more important to be able to put the gun in the right place. with modern caartdridges there cant be that much difference in the choke. i read in one of the BASC things about how choke is only really effective up to 50yards and that there is very little difference at 60yards with a half and full.

[ROB REYNOLDS UK]

trap guns are 3/4 and full for a reason ..gun fit is the most important thing in shooting ,then its the way you stand then its your shells ,iv shot 99 - 297 missing the 92 bird out on dtl useing a 32in gun .my mate was number 3 in england some years back and is makeing a come back on dtl scene and he uses a 32in gun also ..it does help if you use a trap gun and not a sporting one ..