Shotgun chokes/ cleaning

muckyprawn

Just looking for a bit of advice lads...recently bought a nice o/u and would like to learn a bit more about the chokes....Currently the gun is set up up with a the bottom barrel firing first and it is 3/4....and the top is full. Just want to know if this makes sense as my limited knowledge would lead me to think otherwise....also what do find is best for cleaning the barrels....old fashion brushes or the newer "snake" style cleaners???

Tackleberrywho

muckyprawn wrote: »

Just looking for a bit of advice lads...recently bought a nice o/u and would like to learn a bit more about the chokes....Currently the gun is set up up with a the bottom barrel firing first and it is 3/4....and the top is full. Just want to know if this makes sense as my limited knowledge would lead me to think otherwise....also what do find is best for cleaning the barrels....old fashion brushes or the newer "snake" style cleaners???

Sounds ok, first shot has a good spread (although some would use a more open choke), second has a tighter spread as the range of target has increased.

I have a few brushes for cleaning, one inherited from my Da, a bit like a bottle brush.

The other is a 3 piece kit (wooden and brass pieces that screw together)

Cass

Beretta have 9 chokes currently available. They are;

• Cylinder
• Skeet
• Improved Cylinder
• Light Modified
• Modified
• Improved Modified
• Light Full Choke
• Full Choke
• Extra Full Choke

Some older/other chokes come with notches on the choke going from 1 - 5. They represent the choke type ranging from 1 being Full and 5 being Skeet. The Cylinder (if i'm not mistaken) has no markings.
With regards to firing which barrel first. I always shoot the bottom barrel first. Ths is due mainly to the bottom barrel being more "central" (centreline) to my shoulder and so reducing muzzle flip and helping me stay on target for the follow up shot. Good for game even better for clays.

Lastly, about cleaning. Stay away from bore snakes. They are not as good as an "old fashioned" cleaing and will eventually break your heart. Get yourself a rod, couple of mops, a brush (wire and Nylon), a jag, some patches, wiping cloths, oils. Unlike a rifle a shotgun has no copper build only residue from the cartridge. My own cleaning system is to take the gun apart. Starting with the barrels use an oily patch on each barrel. Run the wire brush down each one twice. Run another oily patch down each barrel. Then nylon brush them. Then a run as many oily patches down the barrels until they run clean and wet. Then use a few dry patches on each barrel. Lastly a mop to "buff" the barrels. Then a slightly oiled (slightly) cloth and rub the outside of the barrels. Same for the action. DO NOT allow oil to run into the firing pins. If it gets into the mechanism it can cause priblems later. Give the stock a wipe down (use boiled linseed oil) and reassemble the gun. Place snap caps and dry fire the gun. If storing for a while store barrels down. This prevents excess oil running down into action. Others may differ, but this works for me.

Hope some of this helps.

Sika98k

Improved cylinder and a 1/4 would be my choice in a variable choked gun. Good for general game shooting.

After you have cleaned your barrels squirt some of your spray[I like Brunox] down your clean barrels. Push in some paper kitchen towel and tap it through the barrels with your cleaning rod.

You,ll be suprised at the muck that comes out on the paper !:eek:

pedroeibar1

ezridax wrote: »

Beretta have 9 chokes currently available. They are;

• Cylinder
• Skeet
• Improved Cylinder
• Light Modified
• Modified
• Improved Modified
• Light Full Choke
• Full Choke
• Extra Full Choke

Some older/other chokes come with notches on the choke going from 1 - 5. They represent the choke type ranging from 1 being Full and 5 being Skeet. The Cylinder (if i'm not mistaken) has no markings.
With regards to firing which barrel first. I always shoot the bottom barrel first. Ths is due mainly to the bottom barrel being more "central" (centreline) to my shoulder and so reducing muzzle flip and helping me stay on target for the follow up shot. Good for game even better for clays.

Lastly, about cleaning. Stay away from bore snakes. They are not as good as an "old fashioned" cleaing and will eventually break your heart. Get yourself a rod, couple of mops, a brush (wire and Nylon), a jag, some patches, wiping cloths, oils. Unlike a rifle a shotgun has no copper build only residue from the cartridge. My own cleaning system is to take the gun apart. Starting with the barrels use an oily patch on each barrel. Run the wire brush down each one twice. Run another oily patch down each barrel. Then nylon brush them. Then a run as many oily patches down the barrels until they run clean and wet. Then use a few dry patches on each barrel. Lastly a mop to "buff" the barrels. Then a slightly oiled (slightly) cloth and rub the outside of the barrels. Same for the action. DO NOT allow oil to run into the firing pins. If it gets into the mechanism it can cause priblems later. Give the stock a wipe down (use boiled linseed oil) and reassemble the gun. Place snap caps and dry fire the gun. If storing for a while store barrels down. This prevents excess oil running down into action. Others may differ, but this works for me.

Hope some of this helps.

+1. Routine is fully covered in that post.

If I am shooting for two days in a row, I use a boresnake at the end of the day just to give a superficial clean/avoid a full clean. Burnt powder is hygrostatic, so if left long enough it could cause stains. BLO is not much use on a synthetic stock..
P.

Half-cocked

Don't forget to remove the chokes and clean the threads every now and then. Otherwise they can end up welded into the barrels. Lightly oil the threads before putting them back in.

premiercad

With regards to firing which barrel first. I always shoot the bottom barrel first. This is due mainly to the bottom barrel being more "central" (centreline) to my shoulder and so reducing muzzle flip and helping me stay on target for the follow up shot. Good for game even better for clays.

very interesting theory ...makes sense,

i saw recently where an o/u game shooter suggested you leave the selector set on firing the top barrel first as if you quickly broke the gun to get a third round loaded, the top barrell is much more accessible for a quick lock and load, now i know of no phesant or duck which would hang around for a third shot but maybe if you were after a fox ??

Cass

pedroeibar1 wrote: »

............, I use a boresnake at the end of the day just to give a superficial clean/avoid a full clean..........

True. I actually have a bore snake for that very reason. Don't use it too often though, but good if its going to be a long day. I also have a bore/breech brush. You know the brushes that are slightly oversized to give the breech a good cleaning.

............ BLO is not much use on a synthetic stock..
P.

Emmmm, no. Would make it nice and shiny until the first shot is fired and the gun takes of behind you. Slippery little sucker.......

premiercad wrote:

very interesting theory ...makes sense

Well it was told to me many years ago and like that it made sense. I shot that way anyway as the father taught me to use the bottom barrel first so i just kept going. Make your own decision as to whether it works for you. With regards to the thrid shot. I rarely fire, break the gun then load a thrid cartridge close and fire a 2nd and 3rd shot. I usually fire one then 2 and if necessary reload with 2 more cartridges. Personal choice.

chickenfarmer

muckyprawn wrote: »

Just looking for a bit of advice lads...recently bought a nice o/u and would like to learn a bit more about the chokes....Currently the gun is set up up with a the bottom barrel firing first and it is 3/4....and the top is full. Just want to know if this makes sense as my limited knowledge would lead me to think otherwise....also what do find is best for cleaning the barrels....old fashion brushes or the newer "snake" style cleaners???

The way your chokes are setup are for clay shooting. Specifically DTL or ABT. Trap shooters like very tight chokes. If you look at any trap guns with fixed chokes they are mostly 3/4 and full, sometimes tighter, rarely more open (on trap guns !! not game or sporters) . Makes your pattern smaller but better kills. Some coaches will recommend for learners to learn with tight chokes for sporting clays also. To learn exactly about lead and shot placement. As said above, the bottom barrel firing 1st is also again for clays. recoil is directly back into the shoulder on the bottom barrel keeping you on the target for the 2nd barrel. if you fire the top barrel 1st you will have more muzzle flip.

pedroeibar1

ezridax wrote: »

Well it was told to me many years ago and like that it made sense. I shot that way anyway as the father taught me to use the bottom barrel first so i just kept going. Make your own decision as to whether it works for you.

Barrel flip is a reason. It's sorta off topic, but the bottom/top barrell firing order is more linked to the days of fixed chokes, same as left/right on a sxs, and goes back to the type of shooting the gun was built for - driven or walk-up (former has birds incoming, latter has birds going away.

ezridax wrote: »

I usually fire one then 2 and if necessary reload with 2 more cartridges. Personal choice.

I fire one, then 2 and then say a rude word!;)
Rs
P.

Cass

pedroeibar1 wrote: »

I fire one, then 2 and then say a rude word!;)

Heh, heh.