Best all around choke constriction for pheasant

870-Lefty

Member
What is everyone's opinion on the best all around choke constriction for a single barreled shotgun for pheasant hunting? I would think it would be L.M. or Mod., but what do the rest of you think?
 
Without knowing how any individual gun/load patterns, a LM or .015 constriction is probably as good a bet as any in a single barrel gun. Enough constriction to kill a pheasant out to 40 yards with the right ammo if need be. On close shots just let the bird get out a ways. self control.... self control. :)

It's all I ever use. :thumbsup:

But if you only have a Modified, that will work fine as well.
 
I hate to over think this but, it would depend upon how you are hunting. If I were hunting over a pointing dog then I would use IC. If I were hunting over a flushing dog I would use a Mod. choke.
 
Opinions will vary on this one, but my two favs are an O/U with an Imp/IM...hit them close and still have some distance. Or, if shooting a single, it's hard to beat a modified choke. Newer ammo has tightened all choke tubes up a notch.
 
Last year I shot IM and my son shot IC, he always had first shot then I was clean up if needed. Also depends on the load, steel or lead? Carlsons black cloud mid range is my favorite to date this year with black cloud close range 4's, hevi- metal 4's. think it's .705
 
Everybody is different.

I've had a Remington factory full lead/steel in since sept first after doves, and I've been shooting steel and other hard non-tox shot. With well over 2 dozen pheasants so far I've yet to even come close to blowing one up but I have killed as far as 70 or so yards. I did decapitate one. Killed one yesterday with 3.5 inch bb's even.

Most of my birds could have been killed with improved cylinder or light modified but when 50 yards is the only shot I get that day, or some high pass shooting at geese I'm prepared.
 
When I hunted over traditional Labs, I liked modified in my 1100. Since I have transitioned to GSPs, I have found that I really like skeet on the first shot and IC on the follow up if needed in the 686.
 
I grew up with IC in a short barrel. For quail I figured the only thing better was a cylinder bore and an even shorter barrel! As I went west, I tried a modified Invector plus choke tube in a Winchester a backbored, SX/2. I did not seem to miss. With pointed quail at 10 yards going out, or ruffed grouse and woodcock, I like the IC/C. with pheasants or prairie grouse where there are no trees, I like the modified.
 
Most of my fixed choke vintage guns are cylinder/lightmod, but my favourite is cylinder/cylinder.
in my modern guns I prefer IC/MOD.
DT
 
Mod has pretty much been the answer for decades. Maybe IC over pointing dogs. But from my experience in KS and SD mod works day in and day out.
 
I use Modified in all of my Ithaca Model 37s for pheasants, whether I'm out with my Lab (a tenacious flusher) or my pointing dogs. I've never developed much confidence in IC in a single barrel.
 
For years I used a full choke but with the newer tighter patterning ammunition I have switched to IC. I didn't know at first how that would turn out but to my surprise it was the right move. I also might add that I hunt over a GSP half the time my buddy brings his Lab so about half the shots are pointed and flushed respectively. Long story short Iam an IC convert!
 
I shoot an O/U and prefer skeet and IC. If I use the skeet barrel I rarely need the second shot. However, if I could only have one barrel my choice would be IC.
 
For most upland gamebirds, a choke of .007 to .023 constriction(comparable to those constrictions in a 12 gauge) is perfect.
Seems rather simple.
 
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