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Shotgun choke..Really required today??

modocmodoc Member Posts: 474 ✭✭✭
edited January 2006 in Ask the Experts
With the full length uni wads holding things together,,are chokes really needed??Thanks for comments..modoc
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Comments

  • He DogHe Dog Member Posts: 51,593 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Yep, it you shoot skeet and pheasants or turkey you are going to need at least a couple.
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  • JimmyJackJimmyJack Member Posts: 5,515 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Yes! If you have doubts, go out and pattern your gun at different distances, with and without the chokes.
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  • Henry0ReillyHenry0Reilly Member Posts: 10,892 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by JimmyJack
    Yes! If you have doubts, go out and pattern your gun at different distances, with and without the chokes.


    Actually, don't try shooting a choke tube type gun without some choke tube installed.
    I used to recruit for the NRA until they sold us down the river (again!) in Heller v. DC. See my auctions (if any) under username henryreilly
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  • only winchestersonly winchesters Member Posts: 1,580 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Hello Modoc: Well if all your shotgun shooting is under 20 yards, a choke wont make much difference. But with Steel, lead, hevi-shot,bimuth, tungsten/matrix, tungsten/poly, etc etc types of shot, shot size and distance you plan on shooting do make a difference.

    Not all shells are produced with "uni-wads", although most use some form of the plastic cupped wads, there are still shells that use a fiber wad.

    So in general yes a choke is required, since most platic wads only travel about 10 yards, (30ft.)but the shot is long gone from the wad before that.

    Regards Dave
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  • MossbergboogieMossbergboogie Member Posts: 12,211
    edited November -1
    No question YES
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  • modocmodoc Member Posts: 474 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Many thanks 'Only Winchesters',,nice to receive an expert opinion when on the expert forum..The rest of you said it short and sweet and for that I thank you..Unlike most folks I have MANY shotguns,,one or two for each different game but wondered about the need of chokes..I think now it is clear..Thanks..modoc
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  • laogailaogai Member Posts: 309 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    john barsness wrote what i thought was an excellent article last year on this general topic. wish i could remember which magazine/issue, sorry. anyhow, his conclusion was that except for geese and turkeys, chokes tighter than improved cylinder are rarely needed today, and most hunters are over-choked. that is not to say no choke is needed, tho!
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  • only winchestersonly winchesters Member Posts: 1,580 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Hello everyone: Your welcome Modoc. Well I can't argue with laogai! I agree that most bird hunters are over choked. But you kind of have to look what's happened in the last 40 plus years!!

    Before plastic shot shells and the plastic cupped wads, the ideal "all purpose" shotgun was a Full choke simply because at 30 yards a 70% pattern was considered good, using the old paper shot shells. Then came the plastic shells and cupped wads, then the same shotgun would pattern 90% plus at 30 yards. That's a big difference.

    Then you look at the types of hunting, upland, (pheasants, grouse, quail, dove, turkey), or waterfowl, and how you hunt them, upland over pointers, flushers. Waterfowl over decoys, pass shooting, then factor in the weather, rain, rain and wind, fog etc.

    Years ago the average guy had one or two guns, and used them for everything. Now with screw in choke tubes, one gun has become more versatile, but not necessarily the only gun a hunter has.

    Then you add in the type of shells today, lead, steel, bismuth, tungsten/matrix, tungsten/iron, hevi-shot etc etc. Sometimes I wonder how did I ever get any birds before all these changes!! LOL

    I've shot ducks with Trap loads and doves with duck loads, been under choked and over choked, over powered and under powered, but I can drop birds. Thank God I have a good hunting buddy, (my lab JJ) because if I can't hit them, he go find one for me! Sometimes on his own when he gets fed up with me! LOL Still a bad day hunting birds, still beats going to work!

    Regards to all!

    Dave
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  • modocmodoc Member Posts: 474 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Yep,know about those great hunting buddies..We had a Lewellyn Setter that had a world of patience but when the party didn't connect with birds She would just come over and sit down and look at you straight in the eye as if saying "what am I knocking myself out for,,if you jerks can't hit them"??Then she'd get busy again..Woke you up and warmed your heart all at once..When we lost her in 1954,I just could not bear to have a replacement,so hunted over other's dogs since..I still love dogs and am seldom without one,,but never again trained mine too hunt..AHH memories..Thanks again for the info..modoc
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  • select-fireselect-fire Member Posts: 69,527 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    onlywinchester said it clearly, but leave me add, usually you have the wrong choke in the gun for the application every time.. The lonely Dove will be too far out to take it with a cylinder bore or skeet. Then three more will come by too high.. then a songbird will fly directly at you and want to land on the front sight...the old no threat target. Whereas I figured the o/u was the best selection. Open choke on one barrel , Medium mod on the other. Keep your finger on the barrel selector.
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