Sporting Clays and Game - Tightening up ????

[salop sniper]

Folks,

Apologies first for another choke question!

I am not a choke twiddler and have Teague 3/8`s in both my barrels for all my clay shooting and the bit of game shooting that I do.

How ever I think some of the more rangy stuff I may be missing out on a few kills and breaks with pattern failing/opening up too much, so am considering tightening up my chokes..... again, it will be a pair of the same for both barrels. But am torn between a pair of half's or a pair of 5/8`s.

I belive its the clay ground I will see the improvements on as I only shoot higher birds once a year on my beaters day.

Any advice / thoughts ?

TIA

 

[Will Hewland]

Folks,

Apologies first for another choke question!

I am not a choke twiddler and have Teague 3/8`s in both my barrels for all my clay shooting and the bit of game shooting that I do.

How ever I think some of the more rangy stuff I may be missing out on a few kills and breaks with pattern failing/opening up too much, so am considering tightening up my chokes..... again, it will be a pair of the same for both barrels. But am torn between a pair of half's or a pair of 5/8`s.

I belive its the clay ground I will see the improvements on as I only shoot higher birds once a year on my beaters day.

Any advice / thoughts ?

TIA

Are you talking clays? I really don’t think you will ever miss a clay with a 3/8 choke (due to pattern). I’ve recently gone back to 1/4 in both because I rarely have a problem with long stuff, just closer stuff.  I just worry about missing closer targets with overly tight choke. I really wouldn’t waste your money on two new chokes, 3/8 are great. Just keep some 7 shot cartridges in your bag for longe range hitting power. (Although personally I don’t bother). 

Obviously if you are doing some extreme range 90 yard edge-on practice lark, then yes, 3/4 choke will help, but I suspect you’re not..

 

[chippy]

Are you talking clays? I really don’t think you will ever miss a clay with a 3/8 choke (due to pattern). I’ve recently gone back to 1/4 in both because I rarely have a problem with long stuff, just closer stuff.  I just worry about missing closer targets with overly tight choke. I really wouldn’t waste your money on two new chokes, 3/8 are great. Just keep some 7 shot cartridges in your bag for longe range hitting power. (Although personally I don’t bother). 

Obviously if you are doing some extreme range 90 yard edge-on practice lark, then yes, 3/4 choke will help, but I suspect you’re not..

1/4 in both!!! Chippy is already taken. You will have come up with another name

 

[salop sniper]

Will, I currently use the exact same setup for clays as I do game !

Its just once or twice a year I come across a real long out crosser that I struggle with and then on the game on my beaters days I see a few 60Yard + pheasants which i wonder if I should have more choke in for a tighter pattern ???

 

[Will Hewland]

Will, I currently use the exact same setup for clays as I do game !

Its just once or twice a year I come across a real long out crosser that I struggle with and then on the game on my beaters days I see a few 60Yard + pheasants which i wonder if I should have more choke in for a tighter pattern ???

I play the numbers game. Choke for 99.9% of the targets you will see? It’s easy to assume the long difficult target missed is due to equipment..

 

[Westward]

I've asked a lot of people about this and assuming most give an honest answer, the most popular set up for those who don't want to faff around changing chokes seems to be ½ & ½.

There is a fairly objective pattern test on the net organised by Gil Ash and printed in Shooting Times (US):

http://www.shootingtimes.com/editorial/longgun_reviews_st_headintheclouds_201002/99884 it demonstrates that the ½ choke is by some margin the most versatile choke there is and it works effectively at any range you're likely to encounter on a clay shoot.

 

[Will Hewland]

1/4 in both!!! Chippy is already taken. You will have come up with another name

On the odd occasion that I hit a clay, the quality of the kill is quite sufficient I’ll have you know. 

I was watching somebody chip their way through a stand at AGL recently. 8 awful kills ( I suspect due to being off centre each time..). Anyway, on the last target a little chip flew upwards from the top of the clay. Vince the ref says “pilot ejected”. 

BTW the Blaser 1/4 are a 3/8 in normal language. Barely a bigger pattern than my P gun 1/2. 

 

[salop sniper]

Cheers guys, will save my penny's for now then

 

[ChrisPackham]

I’d go a bit tighter on 60 yard Pheasant to be honest,

 

[Nimbusgb]

Shot my first 2 seasons with 3/4 and full. 

My scores were better than they are now with 3/8 and 1/2

But I suspect choke is not whats making the difference!

 

[Bebo]

BTW the Blaser 1/4 are a 3/8 in normal language. 

That's why I went fixed 3/8, 3/8 in my K80, rather than 1/2 and 1/2.