Tighter choke for newbies?

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TerryTibbs

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Joined
Jan 8, 2024
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40
In an interview with George Digweed and Anthony Matarese, they discussed chokes. George mentioned it can be beneficial for newcomers to the sport to shoot full choke to improve accuracy during practice and training. Then opening it up a bit in comps to get a buffer, which makes rudimentary sense. I watched it last night and went out to a registered today, I usually shoot 1/2&1/4 but went 1/2&1/2 whilst there wasn't any score improvement I still managed to break everything i would of wanted to 1/4 normally. So with that in mind, I may experiment with this idea and see how i get on. Im going to work up to a full choke, I will probably try 3/4 in a couple of months. Any guidance from the old and the wise?
 
In an interview with George Digweed and Anthony Matarese, they discussed chokes. George mentioned it can be beneficial for newcomers to the sport to shoot full choke to improve accuracy during practice and training. Then opening it up a bit in comps to get a buffer, which makes rudimentary sense. I watched it last night and went out to a registered today, I usually shoot 1/2&1/4 but went 1/2&1/2 whilst there wasn't any score improvement I still managed to break everything i would of wanted to 1/4 normally. So with that in mind, I may experiment with this idea and see how i get on. Im going to work up to a full choke, I will probably try 3/4 in a couple of months. Any guidance from the old and the wise?
If u ever see roger federer practice with a smaller racket than the one he uses then give it a whirl. I would say this is more a tongue in cheek statement as it most instances practice with what u use not something different
 
Depends what you mean by newcomer. A absolute newcomer has lots of things to think about in the early stages and a complete novice needs to build confidence very quickly. Learn to hit them with open chokes to build that confidence so they at least know they can break the targets and then try tighter chokes by all means. I don't believe George means to start a complete newcomer on something like skeet with full choke? That would be tough.
 
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Depends what you mean by newcomer. A absolute newcomer has lots of things to think about in the early stages and a complete novice needs to build confidence very quickly. Learn to hit them with open chokes to build that confidence so they at least know they can break the targets and then try tighter chokes by all means. I don't believe George means to start a complete newcomer on something like skeet with full choke? That would be tough.
Well, I had you pegged wrong. I thought there would have been at LEAST ONE..... "But if you read my book!" There you go, a free plug. ;-)
 
Robden. I guess that was meant as an apology? If it was thank you, apology accepted. And besides, I didn't need to plug the books, George already has them.
 
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chesterse One of the guys that taught me a lot was a guy called Ray Wings and I believe he was in Lincolnshire? Great guy, but probably no longer with us?
 
chesterse One of the guys that taught me a lot was a guy called Ray Wings and I believe he was in Lincolnshire? Great guy, but probably no longer with us?
Ray Wing passed away a few years ago. He was a local farmer and a brilliant shot.
 
Ray Wing passed away a few years ago. He was a local farmer and a brilliant shot.
Ray was a great guy, I served a couple of years on the County Committee with him. He ran Sutton Bridge gun club for many years and put up shooting towers around the Country trading as Ray Wing Towers

Regards

Leigh
 
Leigh H Thanks for this, I appreciate it. When I was the manager of Clifford Farm in Woolfardisworthy (about 34 years ago now), Ray and his son put the tower up for us. The brochure for Clifford Farm is on my web. site and there is a picture of a young Pete behind the bar with his beautiful wife! She's still with me, (no idea why! ) and still just as beautiful!

Ray was a great guy. He told me he won a landrover at a shoot once and he taught me a lot. At that time his son was about 20 and he always made my wife laugh because he would have marmalade on his toast in the mornings plus......... tomato ketchup! He loved it. Ray would bring us lots of potatoes and carrots. Lovely, lovely guy, the very best. I still miss those days in the UK!
 
I actually start all my clients on skeet with a .177 air rifle, before they shoot, .410, 28g, 20 g, and 12 gauge. All full choke of course.
 
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Truest statement ever
The late A. J. Smoker Smith was reputed to use full and full hence the nick name "smoker." He was world champion also European champion several times, so it worked for him! But unfortunately no longer with.
 
BTW my post #14 above wasn't serious, it was an attempt at sarchasm (from the Greek word sarkazein, meaning "to tear flesh") because as most know, I actually start new clients with pea shooters. And I met Smoker a few times in Florida. Hell of a shot.
 
The late A. J. Smoker Smith was reputed to use full and full hence the nick name "smoker." He was world champion also European champion several times, so it worked for him! But unfortunately no longer with.
John was a great friend of mine and he started with quarter quarter in his later days moved to half
 
In an interview with George Digweed and Anthony Matarese, they discussed chokes. George mentioned it can be beneficial for newcomers to the sport to shoot full choke to improve accuracy during practice and training. Then opening it up a bit in comps to get a buffer, which makes rudimentary sense. I watched it last night and went out to a registered today, I usually shoot 1/2&1/4 but went 1/2&1/2 whilst there wasn't any score improvement I still managed to break everything i would of wanted to 1/4 normally. So with that in mind, I may experiment with this idea and see how i get on. Im going to work up to a full choke, I will probably try 3/4 in a couple of months. Any guidance from the old and the wise?
Old certainly.........Wise....hhhmmmmm,
but stick 2 x 1/4 in and just shoot the damned thing. Unless you are shooting 'fast trap' ? Then use an auto ! 😊
 

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