PSA-Loosen up that choke, or get rid of it altogether

Munster927 said:
I've said it here before, but I firmly believe most peoples guns are over choked. I used to shoot a modified in my terms and early 20s and struggled at times. I've been shooting nothing but improved for the last 12 years and noticed a definite increase in shooting percentage once I opened up my choke.
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I went to ic thirty years ago,no regrets. I also shoot fixed full in the sweet 16.Love the gun.
 
KEOutdoors said:
By the way, bob, its obvious from your posts just this year that you have never patterned a pheasant shell. You didnt have to tell me. The fact you keep posting all this "good info" and ask for shell recommendions, but havent taken the time to pattern a shell leads me to believe you do not view it as necessary and thus are against it. Every club and range around me have a pattern area, you just have to ask. All iowa dnr ranges that i have been to allow it. I refuse to believe you have nowhere near you to pattern.
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I appreciate the response and information you shared. A reason for most of my posts is I love pheasant hunting and think about it all the time. I also like to read, and figured I'd share some interesting information on the subject. Posts about chokes and loads come up all the time on any shooting/hunting forum and will continue to do so. I always find it fun to read about what other hunters choose and why. The reason I asked for shell recommendations on steel was simply pure curiosity, as I don't plan on buying any in the near future. I shot only bismuth when required the past few seasons. I might buy some of those winchester Dryloks over the offseason for duck hunting. As far as the belief I'm against patterning and refusing to believe there's nowhere near to pattern, I don't know what to say. All the different gun clubs I attend allow patterning of target loads only. I don't live in Iowa, and to my knowledge the MN DNR doesn't have any public shooting ranges, although if I'm wrong there somebody please point it out. I think over the summer I'll door knock and see if a private landowner will let me shoot some game loads at paper. A lot of good replies here.
 
Bob Peters said:
and to my knowledge the MN DNR doesn't have any public shooting ranges, although if I'm wrong there somebody please point it out.
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I am not aware of a public shooting range either.

I visit indoor and outdoor ranges. When I want to shoot a pistol or shorter range firearm, I go to the indoor range. When I want to shoot a rifle or longer range weapon, I go to an outdoor range. I go to an outdoor range every October before deer firearms season to ensure my gun is accurate. It always is, but I still want to make sure before the season starts. I'd never forgive myself if a 10 point buck showed up and I missed because my rifle/scope weren't aligned.

I need to pattern my turkey gun before the spring and I hope the range at an indoor range is adequate for it.
 
If you have been here for more than 20 minutes you have seen the choke/patterning brought up over and over. We are all aware at this point. Lets get back talking about the best shells, shot size or other new topics. Heck, maybe we need to rehash these things regularly in the off-season to keep the traffic-up here. Carry on.
 
Bob Peters said:
I appreciate the response and information you shared. A reason for most of my posts is I love pheasant hunting and think about it all the time. I also like to read, and figured I'd share some interesting information on the subject. Posts about chokes and loads come up all the time on any shooting/hunting forum and will continue to do so. I always find it fun to read about what other hunters choose and why. The reason I asked for shell recommendations on steel was simply pure curiosity, as I don't plan on buying any in the near future. I shot only bismuth when required the past few seasons. I might buy some of those winchester Dryloks over the offseason for duck hunting. As far as the belief I'm against patterning and refusing to believe there's nowhere near to pattern, I don't know what to say. All the different gun clubs I attend allow patterning of target loads only. I don't live in Iowa, and to my knowledge the MN DNR doesn't have any public shooting ranges, although if I'm wrong there somebody please point it out. I think over the summer I'll door knock and see if a private landowner will let me shoot some game loads at paper. A lot of good replies here.
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The only gun range "near" the twin city's that might allow high base loads is Del Tone in St Cloud. I'm sure there may be others but I'm not aware of them.

The science of ballistics and patterning is interesting, and certainly has value but it will not turn you into Tom Knapp ;). Good shooters are good because they shoot a lot.
 
Gatzby said:
The only gun range "near" the twin city's that might allow high base loads is Del Tone in St Cloud. I'm sure there may be others but I'm not aware of them.

The science of ballistics and patterning is interesting, and certainly has value but it will not turn you into Tom Knapp ;). Good shooters are good because they shoot a lot.
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Knapp videos are amazing...try to do a bit of those things...even just throwing a stack of clays into the air like he does is not easy.
 
Thanks Gatzby! I love Tom Knapp, wish I could have seen him in person. And I agree with you 100%, being a practiced shooter is the most important thing. Last year I did a trap, skeet, and sporting league. I've had instruction from 3 very well known shooters as well as a 4th guy who is more regional. I'm in a winter league for trap right now. I love to break some clays in the off-season. If you ever get south on 169 by LeSueur visit caribou gun club, they've got great shotgun facilities.
 
To be REALLY good you need to practice, for shooting pheasants, you just need to learn HOW to do it. For the last off-season I didn't fire a single shot with my shotgun...I shot great all season except for the last outing of the year. After a while it just becomes a natural thing. Not sure I fired it 2 off-seasons ago either and that the last 2 years have been my best shooting seasons of my life, I fact every year it seems easier...I just turned 60...I guess I am a slow learner.
 
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Bob Peters said:
Thanks Gatzby! I love Tom Knapp, wish I could have seen him in person. And I agree with you 100%, being a practiced shooter is the most important thing. Last year I did a trap, skeet, and sporting league. I've had instruction from 3 very well known shooters as well as a 4th guy who is more regional. I'm in a winter league for trap right now. I love to break some clays in the off-season. If you ever get south on 169 by LeSueur visit caribou gun club, they've got great shotgun facilities.
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We need to make a UPH team next year!
 
Bob Peters said:
Thanks Gatzby! I love Tom Knapp, wish I could have seen him in person. And I agree with you 100%, being a practiced shooter is the most important thing. Last year I did a trap, skeet, and sporting league. I've had instruction from 3 very well known shooters as well as a 4th guy who is more regional. I'm in a winter league for trap right now. I love to break some clays in the off-season. If you ever get south on 169 by LeSueur visit caribou gun club, they've got great shotgun facilities.
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Many years ago I was at a charity auction in St Cloud, Tom Knapp was sitting with the owner of DPMS Panther Arms who was a business associate of mine . We had so much fun....at the end of the night he agreed to golf in a lions club tournament in Dayton MN if I would do a 3 shell shoot off with him at the horse and hunt club. He did come golf with us but we never met in the field until a couple years later. I was guiding at a west river hunt club and Tom was there to do a Benelli/Cabela's promo hunt. He was one of the most fun people I've spent time with. He did live life to the fullest.

PS He was damn near as good with a golf club as a shotgun. Pretty sure he couldn't train a dog for crap though, at least I hope not.
 
Tom Knapp. I met him and had a couple of drinks with him in Huron, SD at the Ringneck Festival years ago. He put on a shooting exhibition on Friday afternoon. Pretty incredible what he could to with a shotgun and some clay targets. However, on Saturday, the day of the pheasant hunting competition he was on one of the teams. He went 0-3 on wild pheasants. Go figure that one!
 
Tom was a regular at game fair. Didn’t matter how many times you saw him before, he always left you amazed at his ability.
 
Just as an FYI. Tom Knapp was probably the best shotgunner on the planet. Take note of what kind of shotgun he was always using.

I'll give you a clue. Its not a Browning or a Beretta! 🫣
 
If Tom went 0 for 3 on shooting pheasants, they must have been out of range, but more likely he intentionally missed. He wouldn't miss a pheasant within range. If you made him shoot deer slugs, I would bet he would not have gone 0 for 3. Everyone knows his shooting with a shotgun, I saw a video, I am pretty sure it was Tom, shooting an aspirin out of the air with a .22 rifle. The 7 or 8 clays he throws and shoots is more impressive to me. I can not shoot as fast as he does, just shouldering and pulling the trigger using live rounds. He was special...yes there are a few others out there.
I think I will goggle and watch some of his videos this weekend!
 
I just watched a single video, I will guess he could shoot better than I can from his hip or over his head with the gun upside down...he wasn' t going to miss a pheasant in flight!
 
Why do most trap shooters use full or modified choke at the standard 16-yard competition?
In a survey of 95 trap shooters in shotgun world, only 2 used Improved Cylinder at 16-yard trap.
Why not IC at 16-yards trap?
 
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