Chokes

[JonSkeet2]

Hamster,

I totally agree with what you are saying and now have the confidence to switch to 12 from 38 full time for sporting in my auto.

With all due respect this thread was started by and has been contributed to both new shooters and very experienced shots but the original question was asked by a new shooter. I totally agree that once you have reached A, AA, AAA class you have really figured out your sight pictures, approach and have a thorough understanding of cartridges, chokes and patterns.

If we take this from a new shooters point of view 14 and 38, 38 and 12 etc. is a perfect starting point to stick with for a year or so, if they were to be sent out with 34 and 34 or tighter they would likely end up very very demoralised.

For example, Tonky has very little experience of clay shooting thus far, particularly shooting registered shoots. He asked me about what chokes to put in and from what he had I would have chosen 14 and 12, as the 12 he had was oval and dangerous we had to settle on SKT and 14 for that shoot at Wylye. I could have put 34 and full in and would be pretty sure that would have dropped his score by 50%

The way I see it is that 14 and 38 will allow you to break most stuff out there, for a new shooter they just need to see clays breaking, optimise the sight pictures until they get to a level, build confidence and then tighten up.

No disrespect to any of you but as a relatively new shooter myself tight chokes do not make you happy. I'm now shooting skeet with 12 in practise but will use SKT in registered.

Cheers,

Jon.

 

[GlenPresley]

Actually VicW I would recommend 1/2 as a fix for a semi any day . Don't get me wrong as I'm not having a go by any means, life is a compromise and with a single barrel gun you have to have a compromise and let's face it most layouts can be shot with that combo no problem.

The main point of my prolonged post though was to open up meaningful debate, I do get a bit weary of the old 1/4 will break em all or if I miss with a Full then it's my fault cliches (no offence Glen) because in truth neither is actually true. Horses for courses, choke for solid breaks, open up if your pattern won't have had a chance to develop and don't leave anything to chance as one's own limitations are enough of a handicap.

No offence taken Hammy. For me I would hate to use a more open choke and get chippy breaks, in turn I guarentee I would start sticking lead onto targets that don't need it! Been there before when I messed about with chokes, the one and only time may I add!

I think Vic would be wise to stick to his 1/2 in his auto then he has a pretty good basis for all target presentations.

Glen.

 

[VicW]

Thanks for all the advice on here but I decided to experiment.

I tried both 1/2 and 3/4 chokes last Wednesday at Orston in my auto repeating the same sporting layout that I was familiar with as Charlie and Rob hadn't changed it from the week before and the weather conditions were the same.

I got a better score with the 3/4 choke,much to my surprise,and what's more the results seemed more positive and confidence boosting.

As I said I was surprised as you would expect a shooter of my ability, if I shot registered I would be bordering 'A' and 'B' class, to do better with a more open choke but the 3/4 didn't seem to be a handicap.

Curious or what?

I have acquired a 3/4 choke,courtesy of Ed Solomons, so I will now use that and see how I get on.

Vic.

 

[DoubleBarrelledDon]

the answer here is whatever suits you and the way you shoot....as an example i regularly shoot a wednesday evening FITASC shoot in the summer evenings, last year I shot it week in week out with negative 5 thou and cylinder. My best score was an 80 and this is what would be considered extreme FITASC, a lot of targets out past 50, 60 yards and beyond and I dont think the choke choice cost me any targets whatsoever, in fact some of the GB shots who were there were amazed by the breaks I was getting with them. This year Im trying something different and shooting full and extra full and my scores thus far are no worse or better .......

If you put it in the right place it will break, even with light loads as Rob Eatons performance on a 60 yard battue with skeet chokes and 21grams will attest to....though Im glad to say I did beat him on the night.... Watching people week in week out constantly swapping chokes at competitions when they should be thinking about how they are going to approach the stand or foccusing on the job at hand does in my mind cost more targets than having the wrong choke.

 

[powenb]

I now have my first gun and tried it out today.

To see where it patterned I placed a bit of paper on a board and fired at it from 16/17 yards away.

I couldn't believe how much spread there was on the 1/4 choke that was in there.

There didn't seem to be any sort of grouping. The 1/2 didn't seem much different.

I couldn't see how it would break clays. But boy it did!! Love it!!!

 

[powenb]

BTW I was using 28 7.5 Fist cartridges.

Will this make a difference?!

 

[Will Hewland]

Not between chokes really. To test a tighter choke, shoot a longer distance. 25 yards+ starts to reveal issues and big spreads from cheap loads.

Buy some plas wad 7 shot to test. You won't believe how much tighter they are at 25 yards.

CSC3

 

[Fuzrat]

BTW I was using 28 7.5 Fist cartridges.

Will this make a difference?!

Bet they pack a punch :.: What gun did you get in the end mate?

 

[powenb]

Actually they weren't too bad. I had assumed I was going to get them in a 24 but they didn't have then in stock.

I went for a Browning Ultra XS as the fit was great and the adjustable stock would make it very versatile.

 

[Fuzrat]

Good choice Mate, Had one myself in 32" all the gun you will ever need for any discipline

 

[powenb]

Thanks. That is hopefully the plan.

 

[VicW]

Explain this if you can.

I am happy to shoot with a tight choke in my auto and as part of my experimenting I tried Teague extended 1/2, 5/8 and 3/4 chokes and a Briley extended 3/4 choke donated by Ed Solomons.

On a variety of courses I have got my best results with the 3/4 Briley.

That in itself gives me confidence when I use it.

I haven't patterned any of them so I can't go down that route.

I know that the Teagues are physically different in that they are tapered throughout their length as opposed to having a parallel section.

Any ideas or doesn't it really matter?

Vic.

 

[powenb]

Would you recommend two Skt chokes for Skeet, or are two 1/4's with 9 cartridges just as good?

 

[Will Hewland]

That combo is pretty good. Might cost you 1 target lost in 100 over skeet chokes. Tighter chokes will teach you more anyway.

CSC3

 

[powenb]

Good, cos I've got two 1/4's already!! ;-)

 

[Will Hewland]

That's what I nearly said. Don't spend out on the skeets..

 

[Salopian]

What is your general concensus of opinion on the current choke choice by the 'Masters'?

There is a lot of published material that shows that 1/2 choke ( Modified) is the most universal / efficient constriction, BUT.

Many of the 'expert' winners seem to now favour 3/4 in both barrels.

Then to compound our indecision we learn that AJ 'Smoker' Smith got his nickname from using a tightly choked gun, but actually favoured 1/4 & 1/2 for nearly all his sporting, then big George says that he prefers tight chokes, but has a spare set of open choked barrels made which he seems to be using quite a lot, then to further add to the equation he uses a fixed choke gun when he could so easily use the universally accepted multichoke.

I mean we all know how professional Golf is and you don't see many Golf Pro's using just one club, in fact they are restricted I believe to 14 clubs in the bag at any one time, but many have been disqualified for carrying more.

So, for current day Sporting Clays what do you prefer?

 

[Hamster]

A J Smoker (RIP) used a tightly choked gun initially and learnt to love the combo, he did apparently open up a little on subsequent gun changes but I believe when he settled back into the game using a DT10 , he went the 1/2 and Full route.

The only Master shooter I can readily recall using 1/2's is Mark Winser but he does shoot a K80 which are known to think chokes should throw tighter than denomination :???: . What he uses now I don't but would love to know.

There is a lot of 1/4 talk around but you won't find a Master trusting it regularly, for a very good reason, tis full of holes.

In my view true half chokes are adequate but 3/4 is better, more is a handFULL .

 

[Fuzrat]

This "master" uses 1/2 and 3/4, but I will spin a skeet in for anything real close esp. low driven

 

[Salopian]

Fuzrat, is your surname Bates? :.: :.: :.:

How do you spin a skeet into a fixed choke gun.

So why don't we all use multichoke guns? It can't be balance, because for instance what weight Mr. Teague takes out he supplies back with his tubes.

Just a thought to get us all thinking.