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

Not that I have shot enough clays to count, but those folks are good shots and don't want one to sneak through their pattern, a world different than a rooster. The way they "powder" those targets, it would just ruin a bird. We have a load of "shooters" here, let's hear it from them.
 
Last edited:
If I understand trap: the target starts at about 42 mph, 16 yards away, goes basically straight away, and is about 4” across and about 3/4” deep…very small target traveling very fast, probably never being broken much closer than 30 yards…never gonna come at me, or give me a crossing shot…and the shooter has a fair idea with each shot what will be presented…I can see not using IC. Very different than hunting wild birds that start at 0 mph…and that are much bigger than a clay pigeon…which we all know. If my math is correct, and it may not be, 40 mph equates to about 57’ per second…so, 42 mph, roughly 20 yards per second…so, a goofball like me that pauses too long, and shoots after one second is shooting at a 36 yard target…sometimes further, sometimes closer…it seems to be a game with many fewer variables than other clays games or bird hunting scenarios.
 
benelli-banger said:
If I understand trap: the target starts at about 42 mph, 16 yards away, goes basically straight away, and is about 4” across and about 3/4” deep…very small target traveling very fast, probably never being broken much closer than 30 yards…never gonna come at me, or give me a crossing shot…and the shooter has a fair idea with each shot what will be presented…I can see not using IC. Very different than hunting wild birds that start at 0 mph…and that are much bigger than a clay pigeon…which we all know. If my math is correct, and it may not be, 40 mph equates to about 57’ per second…so, 42 mph, roughly 20 yards per second…so, a goofball like me that pauses too long, and shoots after one second is shooting at a 36 yard target…sometimes further, sometimes closer…it seems to be a game with many fewer variables than other clays games or bird hunting scenarios.
Click to expand...
Trap is typically shot with 71/2 or 8 shot...many more pellets than for example #5 shot used at pheasants.
Perhaps IC is the ultimate choke in the east and midwest, especially over a point or pen-rased birds?

Here in Montana, there is plenty of time to shoot in open country and most of my shots are with the bird (roosters, sharpies, huns)
are typically flushing beyond 16 yards.
Try shooting trap at 16 yards with improved cylinder and modified chokes and you will see the difference.
If your ever shoot at Big Sky Sporting Clays, try shooting the red course with IC versus modified and you will see the difference.
I was fortunate to loose zero birds this past season, part of the reason was I used a choke that was dense enough.
(Steel shot, improved/modified early season, skeet2/modified late season...steel patterns tighter than lead and
and I typically shoot #4 or bigger steel)
 
Last edited:
I shot LOTS of SD roosters past 40 yards this season with my IC choked guns typically using #5 lead, standard velocity loads…works for me…not preserves, rarely pointed…but it’s not uncommon to get close flushes, either…I could see using LM choke, or even M…just haven’t been persuaded by my results, or the lack thereof. Whatever works.
 
As a point of reference, it’s 20 yards from the plate to the mound, 30 yards to first base, and about 42 yards from the plate to
2nd base, the same distance between first and third. I haven’t been on a Diamond in a while, gonna do it sometime for kicks to eyeball the different distances. I walk off dropped birds when they’re long shots some of the time…
 
benelli-banger said:
As a point of reference, it’s 20 yards from the plate to the mound, 30 yards to first base, and about 42 yards from the plate to
2nd base, the same distance between first and third. I haven’t been on a Diamond in a while, gonna do it sometime for kicks to eyeball the different distances. I walk off dropped birds when they’re long shots some of the time…
Click to expand...
So do you think the average hunter over or under estimates the distance they shot a bird?
 
Glock said:
So do you think the average hunter over or under estimates the distance they shot a bird?
Click to expand...
I'd say most people over estimate a bird they shot, and under estimate birds they shoot at and miss. Everyone thinks they knocked down a bird at 50 yards when in reality it was 25-30 and everyone thinks they should have hit that bird at 35-40 yards when it was 60 yards.

I used to play football, and for me in the field trying to get a quick range when a bird flushes I think "can I throw a football there". I could regularly throw 40 yards, if I can't throw that far, I don't shoot, if I can, I shoot.
 
Glock said:
So do you think the average hunter over or under estimates the distance they shot a bird?
Click to expand...
I've been thinking about this lately. My guess is most people over estimate the distance they shoot birds at. I'm going to do a lot of work with the range finder to get better at distance estimates in the offseason.
 
I grew up bow hunting and my dad and I would play a game of guessing distance to trees and checking with range finder. It's surprising hard to be that accurate. And size of object will really change your idea. A small rooster will feel like it's 10 yards further and a large one might seem 10 yards closer. I basically never trust anyone when they say their yardage. Always take +/- 20 yards to them.
 
benelli-banger said:
My main hunting partner and I guess at various objects and walk them off pretty often
Click to expand...
And what are the conclusions typically? Im an average shot but I get to hunt more than most. According to my sons who I typically hunt with my estimates are short. Interesting topic.
 
AKSkeeter said:
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?
Click to expand...
Cause you get sissy breaks with anything but full!
 
chad.vis said:
And what are the conclusions typically? Im an average shot but I get to hunt more than most. According to my sons who I typically hunt with my estimates are short. Interesting topic.
Click to expand...
It varies, of course, but the more you practice yardage estimating the better you get at it. I used to shoot archery a lot, shot at 10, 20, 30, 40 yards…was fairly decent at estimating yardage because of that. All you can do is do your best, hopefully err on the side of not taking overly long shots.
 
I think one of the things that makes it more difficult is that there is less to compare to when estimating range of a flying pheasant. With estimating something on the ground (like a deer) you have objects (along with time) around to help estimate. But with a bird, you only have the outline of the sky and so many seconds to make your decision.
 
I think after lots and lots of pheasant hunting we get fairly adept at recognizing “the whole enchilada” and have a pretty good idea pretty quickly…or not. Once in a while I kick myself for not shooting, but I rarely shoot at a bird that’s too far away and kick myself for that…that pretty much never happens. I think I sometimes pass on a bird thinking it’s at a questionable distance, but I may also think I’m gonna get a closer flush…then I don’t, and may be irked at myself. Obviously I’d rather pass on birds that are at a questionable distance than be shooting…but I don’t limit my shots to 40 yards, for example, and lots of birds end up in the vest that are beyond 40 yards with my IC and standard #5 lead loads.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top