Chokes

[t84a]

I think I'm finally going to get a chance to shoot my new Benelli tomorrow night at IWL. Can someone educate me in the different chokes and give some guidance on which one to use tomorrow? The gun came with 5. Thanks

 

[Mack C-85]

What are you going to shoot? Trap? Skeet? Sporting Clays?

From open to tight:
Open < 25 yards
Skeet 20 to 30 yards
Improved Cylinder 25 - 35 yards
Light Modified 30 - 40
Modified 35 -45
Improved Modified 40 - 50
Full 40 +

More art than science here, experiment and see what works for you.

Skeet= Skeet /Improved Cylinder

16 - 18 yard trap = Light Modified or Modified

Longer trap yardage = Improved Modified or Full

Sporting uses all depending on the station. You'll need to remember the order above for that.

 

[Pretoria78]

I use my Benelli ETHOS to shot trap and use the IM choke at 16-18 yd trap. Works pretty well. At handicapped trap I use Full. YMMV, of course.

 

[t84a]

Thanks. Trap. I've only been to this place once. Educate me some more about yardages. You basically stand at the front of 5 stations. When I bought the gun from Hendershots, they put the **** (that's 4 stars no profanity) choke in, which I believe is IC. Thanks again and keep them coming.

 

[PJDiesel]

The Improved Cylinder and Light Mod are going to break anything they throw.

 

[fabsroman]

Thanks. Trap. I've only been to this place once. Educate me some more about yardages. You basically stand at the front of 5 stations. When I bought the gun from Hendershots, they put the **** (that's 4 stars no profanity) choke in, which I believe is IC. Thanks again and keep them coming.

Chokes go from most open to most constricted in the following manner:

Cylinder *****
Skeet
Improved Cylinder****
Light Modified
Modified***
Improved Modified**
Light Full Choke
Full Choke*
Xtra Full Choke

The asterisks corresponding to the asterisks or notches you will find on the corresponding choke tubes.

After looking at the Briley website, I had to go back and add light mod.

This is a pretty good explanation of choke tubes:

http://www.briley.com/understandingshotgunchokesabriefexplanationbybriley.aspx

As far as explaining trap goes, the spot closest to the trap house on those 5 locations is the 16 yard line. There are lines from there back to 27 yards in 1 yard increments. Handicap usually starts at 20 yards. When shooting competitively, your handicap is determined by how well you shoot the handicap game. As you get better, you get more yardage added to your handicap. However, you can just shoot the 27 yard line for fun if others are alright with shooting that far back.

All the targets come out of the trap house and are rising targets. Depending on where you are station wise, they angle left or right, with no specific set angle (i.e., that is the variable in trap).

Edit to add: I use a modified choke at the 16 yard line.

 

[t84a]

Great explanation, fabsroman. Thanks. So I take it that the wider the spread, the shorter the distance? I would have to shoot relatively early if I were to use a 4 star?

 

[Overboost44]

Very nice, I was setting mine up tonight, so it will be ready to take on the clays this weekend. I broke out the box to find the IC choke. I also found the receipt for it and I bet I spent less than you did $392.50. Actually, it was $0 because my gf at the time bought it for me. She was good for something.:roll eyes:

Anyway, the tubes are as follows:
Steel ok CL*****
Steel ok IC****
the one in the gun must be Modified and have 3 stars
No steel IM**
No steel F *

 

[fabsroman]

Great explanation, fabsroman. Thanks. So I take it that the wider the spread, the shorter the distance? I would have to shoot relatively early if I were to use a 4 star?

Yep, the more * or notches in the choke, the faster the pellets spread and the less constrictive the choke is. For turkeys and geese out to 60 yards, I use an extra full choke. For close shots in skeet I use cylinder or skeet tubes. For the most part, I use Improved Cylinder and Modified for sporting clays, but every once in a while there is a shot way out there and every once in a while there is an incomer that is passing right in front of me, so I use cylinder. However, those are rare.

Start at the top of the list with cylinder, and as the shots get further away progress down the list. With trap, it will also depend on how long you wait to pull the trigger because those birds are moving away from you the instant you call PULL.

 

[PJDiesel]

Trap


Pfffffft.

 

[fabsroman]

Trap


Pfffffft.

I pretty much shoot anything anybody wants to shoot. Better to shoot trap than not shoot at all and I don't really enjoy shooting by myself anymore.

 

[PJDiesel]

I pretty much shoot anything anybody wants to shoot. Better to shoot trap than not shoot at all and I don't really enjoy shooting by myself anymore.

Same here, I shoot skeet every so often to really aggravate myself.

If you get lonely, you know where I'm at, my treat on this long overdue whippin.

 

[fabsroman]

Same here, I shoot skeet every so often to really aggravate myself.

If you get lonely, you know where I'm at, my treat on this long overdue whippin.

I didn't know you were such a masochist. Willing to pay for your own whippin. Sounds good to me. lol

 

[Augie]

Don't get to hung up on choke selection, for now just stick a modified in it, that will break any 16 yard trap target and most sporting clays targets.
I shoot a lot of vintage guns that have fixed chokes most of them a very tight full, my scores are just as good with them as with a modern gun with interchangeable chokes.

 

[sxs]

Chokes go from most open to most constricted in the following manner:

Cylinder *****
Skeet
Improved Cylinder****
Light Modified
Modified***
Improved Modified**
Light Full Choke
Full Choke*
Xtra Full Choke

The asterisks corresponding to the asterisks or notches you will find on the corresponding choke tubes.

After looking at the Briley website, I had to go back and add light mod.

This is a pretty good explanation of choke tubes:

http://www.briley.com/understandingshotgunchokesabriefexplanationbybriley.aspx

As far as explaining trap goes, the spot closest to the trap house on those 5 locations is the 16 yard line. There are lines from there back to 27 yards in 1 yard increments. Handicap usually starts at 20 yards. When shooting competitively, your handicap is determined by how well you shoot the handicap game. As you get better, you get more yardage added to your handicap. However, you can just shoot the 27 yard line for fun if others are alright with shooting that far back.

All the targets come out of the trap house and are rising targets. Depending on where you are station wise, they angle left or right, with no specific set angle (i.e., that is the variable in trap).

Edit to add: I use a modified choke at the 16 yard line.

Great explanation. I would add that I often use Light Modified if I'm shooting 1-1/8 oz (some lighter loads are 1 oz)...But most consider Mod or Improved Modified to be proper for 16 yd trap.

 

[sxs]

Don't get to hung up on choke selection, for now just stick a modified in it, that will break any 16 yard trap target and most sporting clays targets.
I shoot a lot of vintage guns that have fixed chokes most of them a very tight full, my scores are just as good with them as with a modern gun with interchangeable chokes.

Spreader loads can help with those extra full chokes.

 

[PJDiesel]

I'm sure some will gasp, but, I simply pull a chocke (completely) on a real close station. Doesn't hurt a thing, been doing it for years. The wad is around the shot, choke screws right back in like butter (Mullers).

 

[El_flasko]

I didn't know you were such a masochist. Willing to pay for your own whippin. Sounds good to me. lol

You and PJ need to set a date (not in June) and let's make this happen. I always enjoy shooting at Oxford and I am happy to drive you up there Fab if you can make your way to exit 77 on I95

Ryan

 

[PJDiesel]

You and PJ need to set a date (not in June) and let's make this happen. I always enjoy shooting at Oxford and I am happy to drive you up there Fab if you can make your way to exit 77 on I95

Ryan

Indeed. I'd like to have some of you guys up on some Tuesday nights this summer. I know weeknights can be tough for everyone though. Sunday course is generally pretty soft. On Tuesday I usually set at least one tricky station, sometimes two or three. We also have a "long bird" challenge every so often.