[trigga]

i remember shooting clay and being pretty accurate in hitting the clays but in the real world, when i went dove hunting i can't seem to hit nothing, or if i do they just keep flying away. very few have fallen and too many shots taken. we've been using the winchester x-pert 2-3/4 6-7 steel shot. i was reading and thinking, could it be the choke? my 870 came with a modified choke. do i need a full choke? what is the difference? which one will give me a further shot?

[Virginian]

I doubt choke is your problem. Doves are far more difficult targets than clay pigeons. Learn to judge distance and match your choke to your shots. As to which choke to use opinions vary widely. Some people swear by Improved Cylinder. I use only full. Try increasing your lead.

[hub]

A modified choke is fine for doves, i usually like smaller shot size for dove and quail hunting 8's or 9's. It could be the shells your using. But as far as chokes go. here is a link to the rem choke page at Remington explaining each choke, distance, pattern, hunting use, etc.
http://www.remington.com/products/accessories/gun_parts/remChoke_tubes.asp

[trigga]

distance is usually 20-30 yards sometimes further but most times they fly close, it was either a modified or modified 2. i let a friend borrow the gun, it rained out and he let it sit for two months. you know what happens next. the gun got so rusty the choke is stuck.

[Snarlingiron]

I usually use an IC for doves, but have used modified. Your choke is not your problem. Doves are fast and extremely agile. Believe me, the too many shells for the birds taken story is one very often told.

Also, with steel shot your choke has a more drastic effect than it would with lead shot. With the modified and steel shot, you are shooting the equivalent of a full choke with lead shot. If you are going to continue using steel shot, my thinking is you would definitely be well served by going to IC. No guarantee that your shell to bag ratio will improve.

Search and you will find lots of posts regarding the removal of stuck chokes.

[oneounceload]

At 20-30 yards, if that is your distances, then an IC choke would work just fine. Do you have to use steel where you're at?? IIRC, the old adage was to open up one choke when using steel...(it least it was for ducks)....

the rusted choke might be able to be removed - it will take soaking in a penetrating oil like Kroil for a few days, then some heat from a hair dryer or similer (NOT a torch), and you might have to do it a few times.....but if you can get it out, try an IC....

[trigga]

good idea. well we don't have to shoot steel shot, only on dnr controlled lands but i've eaten squirrel full of lead. toxic? that's why we choose to shoot steel. besides they are cheaper.

[oneounceload]

You can clean the pellets from a squirrel - biting down on either steel or lead can make your dentist very happy...I have never seen steel loads cheaper than lead, that a new one for me.

[rcmodel]

Steel shot in a Modified choke is really shooting full choke patterns.

For dove, which are really hard to hit, especially with a full choke?

I'd suggest you switch to an Imp Cyl or even a Cyl choke tube and see if your kill ratio doesn't increase significantly.

rc

[trigga]

yeah i found it funny that the steel shots were cheaper than lead, about $4.xx for a box of 25 at wally.

[wildman5759]

steel is cheaper than lead there? i just picked up a case of lead 7 1/2 for about $4.38 a box. I could sure as hell use a deal like that for duck season on steel! the cheap steel here runs $11.00+ a box

[JWF III]

I , too, have never seen steel shot cheaper then lead. That's a new one on me.

Switch over to lead #7 1/2 where steel is not required. IC choke and let them get to about 25 yards. You'll find out if it's what is being shot, or who is doing the shooting.

The biggest error I see people make in a dove field is shooting at birds out of range. Every year they ask what they're doing wrong? And how they can improve? I tell them over and over again to shorten their range up to 25 yards and open up their choke. But you can't tell deerhunters, that are used to centerfire rifles and shooting at anything they can see, anything about the range of their gun.:banghead:

Wyman

[lions]

i've eaten squirrel full of lead. toxic?

As long as you take the shot out you don't have to worry about it. It isn't going to leave the meat toxic after you remove it. Like oneounceload said, I'd worry more about my teeth.

[RetiredLawman]

If you really want to look good on the dove field, use IC and pick your shots. Many times I have got my limit with less than a box of shells. I use 7.5 Walmart specials, usually Federal, or whatever is cheapest. You won't shoot as much nor will you take chancey shots. Just pop those that are almost impossible to miss. If you don't shoot unnecessarily at long range, you will get your limit by taking the easy shots. I have seen hunters run the birds off by shooting at 200 yard birds. I get in a corner by myself and it is amazing how many easy shots come your way if you don't take chances.

Last year, the birds were scarce so I had to take long shots. I shot 2 boxes of shells and got 3 birds. Normally, when birds are plentiful, my method works.

[Dave McCracken]

There's many ways to miss dove, I've done most of them.

The biggest prob, IMO, is not knowing how to judge the distance. The only good way I know is to shoot clays or starlings enough to know when something's in range or not.

If you wonder if something's in range, it probably isn't.....

You may want to measure to some points in the field and see what a dove at 30 yards really looks like, then keep your shots inside that.

While there's few rules here, IC and 7 1/2s are a good starting place.....

[Will Fennell]

Some choke in the "middle of the road" - IC, LM, or Modified will be fine. Changing chokes gives you changes in [I]inches of pattern performance[I] and most folks miss by yards.

BTW, if you haven't been following prices of steel target loads, they have come down considerably in price. Last year, when lead target loads where at their highest in price, you could buy steel target loads for the same, or slightly lower cost. They were effective out to about 25-30 yards, and then they just gave out.

[Sav .250]

Choke is not the problem. Clays fly straight and true (almost) While Mr or Mrs Dove is dodging in coming fire and flying at 60 mph.
For my money all you really need is.............more field practice on dove.
I`m not picking on you in any way as I know the feeling.

[Yo Mama]

^ Absolutely. I love going Dove hunting, and am surprised every time I miss that good shot that you should have. Weather it's the heavens, or my aim, the bird lives another day.

I bought an 870 last season, and didn't improve with the longer barrel and choke as I had been using a Mossberg cylinder barrel with no choke prior. It took me a few years to get better at bagging my limit.

[tactikel]

Be sure to pattern your shotgun with several shot sizes and lead/steel, at different ranges. It is certain your gun will pattern better with a certain shell or shot size. If legal, I really would use lead for doves, and use smaller shot sizes. Think about how really small a dove is (without the feathers!),about the size of your fist, at what range can your gun put 3-4 pellets into an oval that size? When you find the shell/shot that patterns the best buy a case :D