doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Fixed Chokes for SC

12 ga sxs, DT, to use for semi-serious SC (I don't want to be handy capped either too tight or open), and for pass shooting mourning doves/white wings in Tx. I do reload and could tailor ammo a bit to compensate (some spreader loads, or shoot copper in one barrel in the field). I shoot primarily 7/8 and 1 oz loads. If this were your situation, what would you select as chokes? I appreciate your thoughts!

Hiho Max
How about a tighter IC ...kinda like slightly more improved Cylinder :)(is that skeet 2?)& IM?
I don't get to nutted about chokes....to be honest I couldn't tell you the exact chokes on my two vintage guns....I've shot them for impact point..but not actual choke constriction/pellet count...they are some where in the mid constriction range it seems.
I started with a Beretta OU & was constantly sweating the right tubes for each S/C station....much more relaxed now with whatever the fixed ones are
good luck
franc

For me (and I am not an expert!) My gun is set up Imp.cyl. and mod. Seems to work well for me. I use 1oz. loads, but I really can't see that much change when using 7/8oz. loads of 7 1/2's.

I dont worry too much about it. I didnt even know how my clays gun was choked until Joe Wood measured it at the Vintagers in Raton. Turns out Skeet and IC (Lefever "H") I shoot it pretty well, and dont shoot for money, so shoot and enjoy...

For the load you're talking about 1 or 7/8 oz, I would and have used LM and IM (.015/.025) combination with much success. My best SC score was with this combo. I have also used a 20g with M/F combination to great success. Contrary to popular lore, I find the lighter loads do reduce my SC scores. If those are the two choices for your payload, I'd go with the 1 oz with LM/M or LM/IM. But chokes are often shooter and course dependant. I'm not what I'd call a quick shooter. But I have a friend that has reaction times that are phenomenal and he can shoot more open chokes on many outgoing shots where I'm shooting much tighter chokes to ensure an adequate pattern density.

You are handycapping yourself by worring about chokes so early in sporting.For the hunting I've done in Texas IM was a very good dove choke. If you are shooting whitewings out of fruit trees in South Texas IC works great. If waterhole doves are what you get to shoot most IC works great. You can shoot a complette round of sporting at any range with any single fixed choke from cyl to xfull and do very well and many do it alot.

Maxey, I went to a MX8 last Sept. that was a former full and full trap gun. Wanted to tube it but would have only had .005" metal left between the barrels and chose not to do so. Had it opened to .020" and .020" and have shot registered sporting with it that way. I thought the close-in fast targets would give me a problem but it has not turned out that way at all. I have shot the best scores ever with these fixed chokes. I punched up to A class last year and have since shot some scores in the 90's, even one 95. These were on average difficulty courses, not fund raising charity shoots which are usually set very soft. Don't be afraid to go as tight as .020" (mod.), you can always open them a little more if you wish, but it's tough to put metal back.

My SC S x S is a 32" Fox choked .020" right and .025" left. I will never knock tubes, it would be ridiculous to do so, they are proven to be an advantage at serious sporting, but there is definitely a "freedom" that comes with not fussing over chokes for each station. I find myself focusing on the targets much more intently before getting in the box. Again, this is not to say that you can't do both, just that it was an unexpected benefit for me.

Good luck, Stan

My "serious" SC 12 and 20g guns both have screw-ins, but seldom get changed. In the first season I had the 12g, I changed them often, but soon tired from the constant fussing. Once I stopped messing with them, I had more time to think about actuall shooting. My scores improved. If you think you need to change chokes all the time for changing shots/stations, get a gun caddy that will handle that for you.

Reminds me of a time a few years ago during dove season I began using a A. Allan boxlock with damascus barrels. For a number of days I hunted near high electric transmission lines and as the dove approached they would climb high to clear them. By the time they were in range they were just specks overhead. But the old shotgun really pulled them down. I was thrilled with my new found hunting "partner". I couldn't remember killing birds so far away. Started getting a bit smug. One night, after cleaning the birds and the gun, I got to wondering just how tight those chokes were. So out came my bore gauge and I was stunned to discover the gun was cylinder bored! Now, everyone knows you just can't make these long shots with no choke, don't we? So, as the season progressed, I began to take another shotgun with me that was full and full....that seemed to fit the conditions better. But I also brought home fewer and fewer birds. It took a couple years to get over it and today I'm back to believing "open is better". Just my experiences....

Right on Joe cyl/cyl is great for most everything in Texas and used mind 90% of the time and did fine.