What Chokes for the Opener?

BritChaser

BritChaser

Well-known member
Wondering how to choke for the KS opener. Weather conditions will not be a factor. I shoot 2 3/4 inch 12 ga. shells with 1 1/4 oz. of nos. 6 and 5 shot. A friend said he read an article about how modern shotshells pattern more densely and therefore we should open our chokes a step such as skeet and IC rather than IC and mod., for example. In a thread about 20 ga. loads I was impressed by the kill power described by 20 ga. shooters. Any ideas?
 
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I'll be shooting cyl/ ic opening weekend out of my 20 then tightening up a bit, seems to work great for the opener. That is my quail choke all season out of my 28ga and kills them dead out to 35yds or so.
 
quail hound said:
I'll be shooting cyl/ ic opening weekend out of my 20 then tightening up a bit, seems to work great for the opener. That is my quail choke all season out of my 28ga and kills them dead out to 35yds or so.
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seriously- cyl/ic at 35 yards or so on quail- could you show your 35 yards or so pattern-
 
Shadow said:
seriously- cyl/ic at 35 yards or so on quail- could you show your 35 yards or so pattern-
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I shoot Cyl / Imp C in my 20ga most of the time. Imp C will do the job on quail out farther than you would think. I really like 7.5s in a quail and pheasant area over pointing dogs. Up close 7.5 shot will do a number on pheasants as well.

If I am hunting areas more like the western half of KS and when it is a little windy, I will move to #6 shot and Imp c / mod, still in 20 ga.
 
Sorry Shadow, I've never patterned any of my guns. If I bring my gun to my shoulder, fire a round and the bird drops my pattern is good. I hunt with flushers and believe me birds have dropped to my guns beyond 35yds.
 
quail hound said:
Sorry Shadow, I've never patterned any of my guns. If I bring my gun to my shoulder, fire a round and the bird drops my pattern is good. I hunt with flushers and believe me birds have dropped to my guns beyond 35yds.
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This would be how I "pattern" my gun too. Seems to work.
 
I personally shoot the same load and run with an IC well into December. There are a lot of variables involved obviously including temperature, exact shotgun bore diameter, shot plating etc. But I generally feel well taken care of with a good quality IC choke shooting the Federal PF load (copper plated) or Fiocci Golden Pheasant. FYI I shoot a Beretta 390 with a Trulock extended tube. After we get into December I generally use the same type of choke in an IM constriction, although I'm sure modified would be absolutely enough choke. Just my 2cents, and I'm sure others have lots of other great suggestions as well.
 
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I feel the same as your buddy. I choke cyl/IC or skeet/IC for at least the first week, until the birds tell me different. IC and modern loads will kill a long ways out.
 
I'm an IC guy all season long... patterns well with my shells and out of my gun. Haven't changed it in years, patterned it with a few different rounds over the years and it still seems to be about where I like it.
 
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