Chokes For the season

fiestaman

Well lads, probably been asked a load of times but with the phesants just around the corner what chokes are ye using and what make and size shot cartridges are ye using?

One shot on kill

Ill use a 4 choke and maybe a 6 shell

I only have a set of chokes a week so don't know much about them.

Mezamo

One shot on kill wrote: »

Ill use a 4 choke and maybe a 6 shell

I only have a set of chokes a week so don't know much about them.

Half chokes. 32g eley grand prix 6's can't go wrong

One shot on kill

Sorry for ignorance but Half choke ????

I have a full choke a no1 a no2 and a no4

Witcher

One shot on kill wrote: »

Sorry for ignorance but Half choke ????

I have a full choke a no1 a no2 and a no4

Half choke has 3 notches.

dev110

I do all my shooting with 1/4 (4 notches) and 1/2 (3 notches) chokes. The only time I tighten them up is when I'm going after ducks.

You won't go wrong with 32gr 6's.

One shot on kill

Blay wrote: »

Half choke has 3 notches.

Ah right ok obviously I suppose

cavan shooter

1/2 choke 32 g 5 or 6 whatever is in the pocket.

meathstevie

32g 6's, 3/4 and full fixed chokes German S/S, no fancy screwy things on my gun

owelfisherman

meathstevie wrote: »

32g 6's, 3/4 and full fixed chokes German S/S, no fancy screwy things on my gun

1/2 choke 34gr eley maximum 5 and 32gr vip 6

richiedel123

I use 3 quarter chokes and rc no 8s

SureHowBad

1/4 and 3/4 chokes with 2 Remington 7's, 32g or 34g. Knocks em dead all day long

J.R.

One shot on kill wrote: »

Ill use a 4 choke and maybe a 6 shell

I only have a set of chokes a week so don't know much about them.

One could write a book about chokes & which to use with which shells but in general here's a short 'crash' course:

Full.............. FULL *
3/4...............IMPROVED MODIFIED **
1/2...............MODIFIED ***
1/4...............IMPROVED CYLINDER ****
open.............CYLINDER......SKEET *****





Use heavy shells (low numbers & heavy grams) and tight choke (full, 3/4) for 'tough', large or hardy quarry....fox, geese, duck etc.



Use light shells (high numbers 7, 8, 9) with an open choke (open or 1/4) for small, easy to kill game ....snipe, woodcock etc.





The more open the choke the more the shot will spread (better chance of a hit) but will not travel as far with killing power.......used for near, fast flying small quarry.


THe tighter chokes will travel farther before spreading and will retain more killing power.......but if used at close range will make the carcass inedible by mangling it.


Personally, at thhe beginning ofv the season, when pheasants aren't spooked I use 1/4 with 32 g no. 6 & 1/2 choke with 34g no. 5.


As the season progresses and pheasants are wary and rising farther away I use 1/2 choke with 34g no. 5 & 3/4 choke with 34g no. 4 to knock them that bit further out.


Don't forget that it's a very worthwhile exercise to pattern your choke with the shell you intend to use .....to be sure you have a good even pattern......not all shells pattern well with some shot combinations.

With a good choke & shot combination pattern you have nothing to blame but yourself when you miss!!

One shot on kill

Great info in that's thanks very much. I must actually pattern my gun and selection a shell. What sort of distance should I pattern at.

cubbyleader

Im using 1/4 and full with eley grand prix 32g 6 it's my first full season so it's,a new gun and cartridges

meathstevie

J.R. wrote: »

One could write a book about chokes & which to use with which shells but in general here's a short 'crash' course:

Full.............. FULL *
3/4...............IMPROVED MODIFIED **
1/2...............MODIFIED ***
1/4...............IMPROVED CYLINDER ****
open.............CYLINDER......SKEET *****





Use heavy shells (low numbers & heavy grams) and tight choke (full, 3/4) for 'tough', large or hardy quarry....fox, geese, duck etc.



Use light shells (high numbers 7, 8, 9) with an open choke (open or 1/4) for small, easy to kill game ....snipe, woodcock etc.





The more open the choke the more the shot will spread (better chance of a hit) but will not travel as far with killing power.......used for near, fast flying small quarry.


THe tighter chokes will travel farther before spreading and will retain more killing power.......but if used at close range will make the carcass inedible by mangling it.


Personally, at thhe beginning ofv the season, when pheasants aren't spooked I use 1/4 with 32 g no. 6 & 1/2 choke with 34g no. 5.


As the season progresses and pheasants are wary and rising farther away I use 1/2 choke with 34g no. 5 & 3/4 choke with 34g no. 4 to knock them that bit further out.


Don't forget that it's a very worthwhile exercise to pattern your choke with the shell you intend to use .....to be sure you have a good even pattern......not all shells pattern well with some shot combinations.

With a good choke & shot combination pattern you have nothing to blame but yourself when you miss!!

Very informative post. You hit on the main issue as well, if you really want to see the difference get yourself something as simple as a few big plastic bags or cardboard boxes ( the fruitboxes supermarkets use are great for it )and set them up. Shoot the same type cartridge through the different chokes from a set distance ( 20m or there abouts ) and you should see a difference in pattern and up to you to take your pick from what you see.

J.R.

One shot on kill wrote: »

Great info in that's thanks very much. I must actually pattern my gun and selection a shell. What sort of distance should I pattern at.

When patterning a gun for pheasant shooting a lot depends on the dog you are using & the type of shooting you do.

If you use a setter / pointer which 'points' the bird you will usually get a chance of a nearer shot 20 - 25 metres.

If you use flushing dogs....cockers / springers / labradors the shot can often be farther out when the bird is flushed 30 - 35 metres.

Lads on driven pheasant shoots often take high birds at 35 - 40 metres.



As a general rule I would pattern at 35 metres.....good all round average.

You will be surprised at the results......some shells leave large gaps that a bird could easily slip through.

I remember patterning 34gram Remington 5 shells with half choke & the pattern was 'pure muck'.....large concentration of shot in some areas which would mangle a bird & other areas on the sheets with large gaps that a bird could slip through. I patterned the same shells with a three-quarters choke & the pattern was brilliant - even & nicely spread with no gaps.

Try the same shells with different chokes & write on the sheet the choke & shell used. Try with different brands of shells with different loads.

When you find the perfect choke / shell combination stick with that....don't just stick any brand of shell in the gun & hope for the best. If you have no idea what the pattern is like it's practically impossible to figure out how birds are missed. If you know when you fire that the pattern is perfect with no gaps then that immediately eliminates the gun as part of the problem.

As a sidenote -an interesting part of patterning is it will also show if you are firing bang on at the target or if you are firing to the left / right or are high / low.

Going out shooting with a choke / shell combination that you know is perfect for the job will help boost your confidence & abilty.....you have the perfect tool for the job!

One shot on kill

Cheers jr another good write up with loads of info cheers I may get out this week end and sort out what I'm going to use so.

4200fps

My gun has fixed chokes.
Extra full which is quite rare and half choke on other barrel.
Fueled 95% of time on Eley 4's and the odd time 6's.
Plastic wad in cartridges if possable

Kells1

I use 1/4 choke with a 32gram No.6 eley in first barrel and and a 3/4 choke with a 32gram No.4 in the second for Pheasant with my 30 inch barreled gun. Work perfect for me.

Dalken

I'll be using 32g of 7 & 6 shot down 1/2 and full chokes.
Just on point of interest here what way are you lads and lassies with fixed choked gun choked? I've an old Fixed Choke gun and its as above seems a bit tight for general shooting, is this the standard??

4200fps

Dalken wrote: »

I'll be using 32g of 7 & 6 shot down 1/2 and full chokes.
Just on point of interest here what way are you lads and lassies with fixed choked gun choked? I've an old Fixed Choke gun and its as above seems a bit tight for general shooting, is this the standard??

More or less that would be the most common selection for fixed choke guns. Maybe as they most likely the best combination. I can't praise them enough. Thats my honest answer from my experience with using them. I'd normally fire the tight choke barrel last

Mezamo

Dalken wrote: »

I'll be using 32g of 7 & 6 shot down 1/2 and full chokes.
Just on point of interest here what way are you lads and lassies with fixed choked gun choked? I've an old Fixed Choke gun and its as above seems a bit tight for general shooting, is this the standard??

Most fixed choke guns are 3/4 & full although some old english SxS's will be more open depending on what the gun was going to be used for. Get hold of a choke gauge if you can.. then you will know for certain what you have

Mez

TriggerPL

J.R. wrote: »

When patterning a gun for pheasant shooting a lot depends on the dog you are using & the type of shooting you do.

If you use a setter / pointer which 'points' the bird you will usually get a chance of a nearer shot 20 - 25 metres.

If you use flushing dogs....cockers / springers / labradors the shot can often be farther out when the bird is flushed 30 - 35 metres.

Lads on driven pheasant shoots often take high birds at 35 - 40 metres.



As a general rule I would pattern at 35 metres.....good all round average.

You will be surprised at the results......some shells leave large gaps that a bird could easily slip through.

I remember patterning 34gram Remington 5 shells with half choke & the pattern was 'pure muck'.....large concentration of shot in some areas which would mangle a bird & other areas on the sheets with large gaps that a bird could slip through. I patterned the same shells with a three-quarters choke & the pattern was brilliant - even & nicely spread with no gaps.

Try the same shells with different chokes & write on the sheet the choke & shell used. Try with different brands of shells with different loads.

When you find the perfect choke / shell combination stick with that....don't just stick any brand of shell in the gun & hope for the best. If you have no idea what the pattern is like it's practically impossible to figure out how birds are missed. If you know when you fire that the pattern is perfect with no gaps then that immediately eliminates the gun as part of the problem.

As a sidenote -an interesting part of patterning is it will also show if you are firing bang on at the target or if you are firing to the left / right or are high / low.

Going out shooting with a choke / shell combination that you know is perfect for the job will help boost your confidence & abilty.....you have the perfect tool for the job!

Just on this , I've a book called high pheasent , where he done a serious of test . One of which was kites at different heights and tested different shells of every size and make . He found that a 32g 7 had the best pattern consistently !

TriggerPL

J.R. wrote: »

When patterning a gun for pheasant shooting a lot depends on the dog you are using & the type of shooting you do.

If you use a setter / pointer which 'points' the bird you will usually get a chance of a nearer shot 20 - 25 metres.

If you use flushing dogs....cockers / springers / labradors the shot can often be farther out when the bird is flushed 30 - 35 metres.

Lads on driven pheasant shoots often take high birds at 35 - 40 metres.



As a general rule I would pattern at 35 metres.....good all round average.

You will be surprised at the results......some shells leave large gaps that a bird could easily slip through.

I remember patterning 34gram Remington 5 shells with half choke & the pattern was 'pure muck'.....large concentration of shot in some areas which would mangle a bird & other areas on the sheets with large gaps that a bird could slip through. I patterned the same shells with a three-quarters choke & the pattern was brilliant - even & nicely spread with no gaps.

Try the same shells with different chokes & write on the sheet the choke & shell used. Try with different brands of shells with different loads.

When you find the perfect choke / shell combination stick with that....don't just stick any brand of shell in the gun & hope for the best. If you have no idea what the pattern is like it's practically impossible to figure out how birds are missed. If you know when you fire that the pattern is perfect with no gaps then that immediately eliminates the gun as part of the problem.

As a sidenote -an interesting part of patterning is it will also show if you are firing bang on at the target or if you are firing to the left / right or are high / low.

Going out shooting with a choke / shell combination that you know is perfect for the job will help boost your confidence & abilty.....you have the perfect tool for the job!

Just on this , I've a book called high pheasent , where he done a serious of test . One of which was kites at different heights and tested different shells of every size and make . He found that a 32g 7 had the best pattern consistently !

owelfisherman

which choke has 4 notches??

steyrman2

owelfisherman wrote: »

which choke has 4 notches??

1/4 or skeet