Choke and clays

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  • jimbobborg

    Oddball caliber fan
    Aug 2, 2010
    17,108
    Northern Virginia
    What choke do YOU use for the different games you shoot? I use either IC or a turkey choke for 3-gun, depending on how salty the match director was when he designed the stages. But I'm guessing what to do with the clay games. Any insight would be appreciated. Thanks.
     

    smokey

    2A TEACHER
    Jan 31, 2008
    31,369
    What choke do YOU use for the different games you shoot? I use either IC or a turkey choke for 3-gun, depending on how salty the match director was when he designed the stages. But I'm guessing what to do with the clay games. Any insight would be appreciated. Thanks.

    Depends entirely on how your gun patterns with a given load and how the clays present(if doing sporting clays). Also depends on if you're able to run two different chokes, like you can with an over/under, for sporting clays. It's not outside the realm of possibility to have a cyl choke in one barrel and a modified choke in the other, depending on how clays come to you and the order in which you're planning on shooting them.

    For 3-gun/HD, I've got a fixed modified 18.5" barrel w/ tritium rifle sights on the 870
     
    Last edited:

    tallen702

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Sep 3, 2012
    5,101
    In the boonies of MoCo
    I mainly shoot sporting clays and trap with whatever I'm going to be hunting with. In most cases, it's a fixed full choke. Only time I change it up is when running a SxS with fixed, or a modern auto-loader with tubes. But again, in those instances, I shoot with what I'm going to hunt with as those games are practice and muscle memory training for me.

    Now, if I were going to play clays for the sake of playing, or competition, then I'd match to presentation, distance, etc. etc. etc.
     

    PapiBarcelona

    Ultimate Member
    Jan 1, 2011
    7,334
    Haven't used anything but Muller U2 in both barrels since 2013. Equivalent to a light mod.

    Weekend warrior sporting clays
     

    ezracer

    Certified Gun Nut
    Jul 27, 2012
    4,728
    Behind enemy lines...
    I'm just an occasional weekday clay shooter at Elk Neck. I take my back-up home defense $188 12 ga. Mossberg Maverick ( 18.5" barrel ) which has a "fixed improved choke" ( basically wide open ). I use 1 1/8-8 shells. I do good enough. I'll hit maybe 20 out of 25 clays.

    Hey, I'm having fun and that's what counts. Plus I just like loud noises and recoil!!!!

    :lol:
     

    delaware_export

    Ultimate Member
    Apr 10, 2018
    3,096
    i use standard remington 12 ga 1187 factory chokes for both. impcyl for skeet, mod for trap. on the rare round of SC, mod. i am not a competitor, just a bubba who shoots a bit.
     

    Pinecone

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Feb 4, 2013
    28,175
    Skeet and/or Cylinder for skeet.

    Modified for trap.

    Whatever is appropriate for the presentation for sporting clays. Everything thing from Cylinder to Improved Mod (tighter than Mod). I don't go tighter, as I don't own them. :)

    I have had sporting clays targets at less than 5 yards, and as far away as a bit over 45 yards.
     

    El_flasko

    Ultimate Member
    Industry Partner
    Nov 16, 2008
    7,278
    Abingdon, MD
    I shoot primarily sporting clays and for fun shoots and short course tournaments I use U1/U2. This is close to IC/LM. For longer tournament targets usually U2/U3. Similar to LM/IM. KISS is key in SC
     

    dreadpirate

    Ultimate Member
    Mar 7, 2010
    5,521
    Cuba on the Chesapeake
    Skeet and/or Cylinder for skeet.

    Modified for trap.

    Whatever is appropriate for the presentation for sporting clays. Everything thing from Cylinder to Improved Mod (tighter than Mod). I don't go tighter, as I don't own them. :)

    I have had sporting clays targets at less than 5 yards, and as far away as a bit over 45 yards.

    Yep.
     

    fabsroman

    Ultimate Member
    Mar 14, 2009
    35,769
    Winfield/Taylorsville in Carroll
    Trap 16 yard line - modified
    Trap 20 yard line - improved modified
    Trap 24 yard line - full
    Trap 27 yard line - extra full

    Trap doubles at 16 yard line - bottom barrel modified, top barrel full

    Skeet - C or IC if using a semi and Skeet/IC for a double gun

    5 stand - M or IM if using a semi and probably M/F if using a double gun

    Sporting Clays - really depends on the target being presented. IF the targets are coming toward me and I plan on breaking them 20 yards or closer to me, I go with a more open choke. If they are going away, then M or tighter. There is one station at PGT&S where the targets are incoming, but they are like ducks on the horizon and dropping in 30+ yards out. They are thrown from a tower way out in front of you and pretty much in the skeet fields. I use F for that even though they are incoming. I have been struggling a little with those targets.
     

    Pinecone

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Feb 4, 2013
    28,175
    I shoot primarily sporting clays and for fun shoots and short course tournaments I use U1/U2. This is close to IC/LM. For longer tournament targets usually U2/U3. Similar to LM/IM. KISS is key in SC

    You shoot PGTS with a IC/LM?

    I shoot most of PG with Cyl/Skeet. :D
     

    Pinecone

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Feb 4, 2013
    28,175
    There is one station at PGT&S where the targets are incoming, but they are like ducks on the horizon and dropping in 30+ yards out. They are thrown from a tower way out in front of you and pretty much in the skeet fields. I use F for that even though they are incoming. I have been struggling a little with those targets.

    Try opening up the choke.

    If you are talking about the one station down past the end of the skeet ranges to the left, you are WAY too tight of choke.

    I don't think I have ever used tighter than LM for PG.
     

    jimbobborg

    Oddball caliber fan
    Aug 2, 2010
    17,108
    Northern Virginia
    I asked this question because all of my double-barrel shotguns have fixed chokes. All but the coach gun is over 40 years old. The two OUs are Sk/Sk and F/F :lol: All of my semi-autos have removable chokes, so I can do the swap between chokes.


    Prince George's Trap Skeet. I've never been there, but I'll probably make the pilgrimage next weekend. From what I can glean from other posts, they have 10 stations on the SC range. That's five less than Bull Run. If you see a guy with a red fold up wagon, that's probably me.
     

    JoeRinMD

    Rifleman
    Jul 18, 2008
    2,011
    AA County
    Prince George's Trap Skeet. I've never been there, but I'll probably make the pilgrimage next weekend. From what I can glean from other posts, they have 10 stations on the SC range. That's five less than Bull Run. If you see a guy with a red fold up wagon, that's probably me.

    FYI -- according to their website, they have 22 stations of sporting clays. There may be a couple that are out of service, but still quite a few stations to practice your skills.

    JoeR
     

    fabsroman

    Ultimate Member
    Mar 14, 2009
    35,769
    Winfield/Taylorsville in Carroll
    Try opening up the choke.

    If you are talking about the one station down past the end of the skeet ranges to the left, you are WAY too tight of choke.

    I don't think I have ever used tighter than LM for PG.

    When was the last time you shot it? In years past, I would use IC on it. This past summer, they had the targets dropping way the heck out there. Either the spring on the thrower was worn out, or they wanted to make it like ducks landing on the far edge of the decoys, just barely in range. Then, the out going birds on that station were screaming. Not many in the group before us broke them and not many in our group broke them. I know I broke a couple, but I don't think I ran the station. I do know that it separated me from my brothers score wise though.

    And yes, we are talking about the same station.
     

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