Extended chokes

[enfieldspares]

Here's my 2p worth. I once shot in the line with a man who was wearing blue farming overalls and black Dunlop Wellington boots. He was using one of his pair of Powell 12/20 easy opener sidelock ejectors he'd inherited from his father. You see he, the man in the blue overalls, owned the estate...all 1,000 acres of it...and it was his name on the rota that Saturday for milking from which he'd just come.

But back to the OP's question. When I started even a standard O/U was looked down upon...though quite how people in the line with cheap boxlock ejectors and AyA guns would have reacted to a gun turniung up with a Boss O/U or a Woodward O/U I never did find out! But yes at one time they were frowned on and on truth so too were mere boxlock side by sides also frowned upon.

Nowadays most of the line that I've shot in have O/U guns but I agree that sticking out chokes look an abomination. But be of little doubt that if the Edwardians had had them they'd have used them. That being a generation that went in a generation and mere thirty years from percussion muzzle loading shotguns to hammerless self opening ejector shotguns. I don't like to see them but it is as it is.

I used until just this week have a Boss. But I sold it as more and more when I reached in my cabinet to take out a gun I found my hand taking out my late father's cheap Birmingham made Henry Clarke of Leicester boxlock he'd had as a present in 1919 on his then twelfth birthday. The Boss yes gave me, maybe, "swag" or something. Father's gun however gave, and gives me, memories.

Edited December 29, 2021 by enfieldspares

[8 shot]

Are there actually any performance benefits to extended or super extended chokes.

[Scully]

25 minutes ago, 8 shot said:

Are there actually any performance benefits to extended or super extended chokes.

Tad more weight ( though marginal admittedly ) up front perhaps? Better patterns ( debatable ) than factory chokes? 

Look cool! 🙂

[JohnfromUK]

I am a traditionalist - and I use fixed chokes, or (in the one gun I own fitted for them), hidden choke tubes.  However, I have no problem (and almost certainly wouldn't notice) if someone else was using them.  I shoot regularly in a small shoot, and other than the chap I regularly share transport with (who shoots a Caesar Guerinni) I don't even know what make of gun others use.

Other than safety issues, the only thing I can think of that would concern me about what others are using would be plastic wads ....... both because I detest the things and because I know our main landlord would pull the plug on us if he sees any about.

[TIGHTCHOKE]

22 hours ago, 8 shot said:

Are there actually any performance benefits to extended or super extended chokes.

 

21 hours ago, Scully said:

Tad more weight ( though marginal admittedly ) up front perhaps? Better patterns ( debatable ) than factory chokes? 

Look cool! 🙂

Having patterned the Briley Series One chokes extensively years ago when shooting competitively they were far better than any of the Browning options and better than the Beretta Mobil chokes at the time.

I will also state that I invariably shoot fixed 3/4 and full at clays these days.

Then both Browning and Beretta raised their game and improved their choke offerings. 

It really is "horses for courses" how much do you need to get that clay broken or that pheasant folded?

How much are you prepared to spend for an extra kill or two from 100 clays?

A final point, Mandel ( https://www.shotgunchokes.co.uk/ )make some superb aftermarket chokes at very reasonable prices, they really are worth the small outlay.

[WalkedUp]

A big advantage is that you can change them quickly in the field / ground. I don’t use them or ever change choke, but appreciate that would be helpful if you are ultra competitive. 

[Scully]

2 hours ago, TIGHTCHOKE said:

 

Having patterned the Briley Series One chokes extensively years ago when shooting competitively they were far better than any of the Browning options and better than the Beretta Mobil chokes at the time.

I will also state that I invariably shoot fixed 3/4 and full at clays these days.

Then both Browning and Beretta raised their game and improved their choke offerings. 

It really is "horses for courses" how much do you need to get that clay broken or that pheasant folded?

How much are you prepared to spend for an extra kill or two from 100 clays?

A final point, Mandel ( https://www.shotgunchokes.co.uk/ )make some superb aftermarket chokes at very reasonable prices, they really are worth the small outlay.

I haven’t tried Mandel chokes, but have extensively tried Teague and Briley aftermarket chokes. In my opinion both are an improvement over  the original factory chokes of the guns I have them in, but it’s purely my opinion and totally unscientific. 
It could totally be a confidence/psychological thing, but I ‘know’ I shoot better with these aftermarket chokes, and sometimes that’s all you need. 
Saying that, I sometimes shoot sporting with an old trap gun fixed choke at full and full, even driven grouse, with great success, so what do I know? 🤷‍♂️

Edited January 6, 2022 by Scully

[Rob85]

I bought the shooting times last week, imagine the look on his face if Mr "I hate extended chokes" seen this beauty on a formal driven day.

Check out that gorgeous stock!

 

[TIGHTCHOKE]

Pure heart attack material!  

Look at the clothing he is wearing!  

[Scully]

8 minutes ago, Rob85 said:

I bought the shooting times last week, imagine the look on his face if Mr "I hate extended chokes" seen this beauty on a formal driven day.

Check out that gorgeous stock!

 

😃Game shooting with a dedicated trap gun, wearing camo’ T-shirt and trousers, and a baseball cap! 
Doesn’t look as though he’s shaved either! 

[Rob85]

3 minutes ago, Scully said:

😃Game shooting with a dedicated trap gun, wearing camo’ T-shirt and trousers, and a baseball cap! 
Doesn’t look as though he’s shaved either! 

I can't remember the full article as it was last week but I don't think it was a big formal day but still imagine the faces of some people if that turned up on a formal day....especially if he went on to out-shoot the naysayers 

[Scully]

16 minutes ago, Rob85 said:

I can't remember the full article as it was last week but I don't think it was a big formal day but still imagine the faces of some people if that turned up on a formal day....especially if he went on to out-shoot the naysayers 

🙂 I was beating on a quite largish local shoot some years ago, and one of the guns invited a guest who apparently was in the Scottish National Squad. He turned up in all the traditional clothes, but before shooting donned his skeet vest, festooned with his name, sponsorship logos and even safety pins, and wore it all day! 😳😀
 

[Fellside]

My two penneth 

1. Chokes

I have my eye on a new sporter (cross over high bird gun) and I believe the chokes are supplied extended. I will have no hesitation in using the gun with its extended chokes on formal days. I mainly use a Browning o/u with flush chokes, but I use Teague and not the factory standard ones supplied. I can absolutely confirm they are so much better engineered and genuinely produce superior patterns. There will be those that say it doesn’t make enough difference, but would I rather break an extra 5 or 6 clays out of 100….. and would I rather shoot that extra pheasant on a driven day? Absolutely. Perhaps as Scully says confidence is a factor too. So the Browning factory chokes have stayed in the drawer. 

2. Dress code

The chap pictured above certainly looks out of place on a formal shoot day - like turning up at wedding in overalls. I have no idea who he is, but I’m guessing by the gun he is more of a dedicated clay shot. Sometimes when keen clay shots are first introduced to driven shooting, it takes a while before the penny drops re dress code etc. This I might suggest could be the case here. I have equally seen people who have previously done nothing but rough shoot - turn up in camo. Sometimes it takes a while for them to decide they like it enough to buy the rather expensive new clothes - besides not everybody can afford to splash out straight away. 

 

[Stonepark]

On 05/01/2022 at 08:51, 8 shot said:

Are there actually any performance benefits to extended or super extended chokes.

The patterns from shorter older chokes (Berretta Mobil) are normally easily improved by after market chokes, more moden chokes (Berretta Optima HP) are much better and aftermarket replacements have less of an advantage, if any, save for specialist purposes (Patternmaster Code Black) like being designed for large steel shot.

The choke (like the forcing cones) should ideally be at least the the length of the longest shot charge used in the compression area and additionally have a parallel section at the muzzle of at least the same length. This ensures that the shot is compressed smoothly and and exits smoothly and on the older shorter chokes you need to extend them to have the space to allow for the geometry.

This combination seems to give well distributed and regular patterns, but significantly may not have any more pellets in the 30 inch circle when tested but often will avoid the hot core, empty outer pattern or the uneven distribution seen in some short chokes.

Edited January 6, 2022 by Stonepark

[8 shot]

I have long flush fitting Teagues in my Miroku and was thinking of getting two quarters for steel and wondered if they were worth the extra money 

[Scully]

41 minutes ago, 8 shot said:

I have long flush fitting Teagues in my Miroku and was thinking of getting two quarters for steel and wondered if they were worth the extra money 

In my experience I would suggest yes. I have put HP steel through extended stainless Teagues in an old Winchester many times, and they certainly do the job. 

55 minutes ago, Fellside said:

 

Sometimes when keen clay shots are first introduced to driven shooting, it takes a while before the penny drops re dress code etc. This I might suggest could be the case here. I have equally seen people who have previously done nothing but rough shoot - turn up in camo. Sometimes it takes a while for them to decide they like it enough to buy the rather expensive new clothes - besides not everybody can afford to splash out straight away. 

 

Totally agree.