Choke question for my son

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1911 guy

1911 guy

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No, not asking whether or not to choke my son, even though he is a teenager now.

He got his first shotgun for his birthday, a Mossberg 500 youth model 12 gauge.

Full house loads are a bit much for him right now, he's very thin and new to shooting a shotgun. So I've been reloading lately. I found a 3/4 ounce load for 12 gauge. Pretty much a 20 gauge load in a 12 hull. He can shoot that comfortably.

Now my question:
Since it's basically a 20 gauge load, should I go with a full choke since that's the closest I'm going to get to a 20 gauge bore for him?
 
You'll have to shoot it at paper to determine the best choke to use. You are still shooting a 12 ga shotgun regardless of the shot weight. IC is still going to be IC and full choke is still full choke. I find that most shooters make more hits with a more open choke at normal ranges. Especially new shooters. Full choke is best used for longer distances.
 
jmr40 said:
You are still shooting a 12 ga shotgun regardless of the shot weight. IC is still going to be IC and full choke is still full choke.
Click to expand...
Exactly, your pattern will be thinner, but the choke will still deliver the same approximate pattern of a full 1 1/8oz load. I shoot skeet with 7/8oz and use a cylinder or skeet choke in my 12 gauge, sporting clays I can still run AA or master class with the same 7/8oz loads with skeet or I/C chokes. The lighter loads in 3/4oz and 7/8oz tend to be much evener with less shot deformation and dense and open spots on a pattern board than the heavy loads. I try not to go too much faster than 1300fps on the really light loads as it tends to actually blow the pattern out wider than a more moderate speed load, at least in my experience. The pattern board or large sheet of paper or feed sack is your friend when developing loads.

Kudos on getting your young-un out and shooting. My local club " http://www.koskoshotgunsports.com/ " has a wonderful youth shooting team, one of the best in the nation at this time, the Dust Devils, they shoot trap, skeet, and sporting clays. We get grants from the Friends of the NRA and Scholastic Shooting Foundation. Check around and see if any local clubs participate in these events.
 
I have to admit that when I saw this my first thought was "Two handed". Rough week......ending up with a new gouge on my pick up......gotta love 'em though.....even when they become teens and act like we did as teens......

My real answer is shoot and pattern for yourself rather than depending on strange voices from the internet.

-kBob
 
MEHavey said:
If you look at this choke-chart, and realize that your 3/4 oz load is
about 67% of a standard 1⅛ oz field load, your initial idea of Full
Choke is the way to go to get about the same shot concentration at
standard (30 yd) field distances.
http://www.theprepperjournal.com/2016/06/09/shotguns-firearm-do-all/
:thumbup:
Click to expand...

The Prepper Journal article referenced above has a glaring error!

"The important thing to remember is not to put buckshot or slugs through a barrel with a choke screwed into it, or you’re going to have an Elmer Fudd moment."
 
then why do they sell choke tubes with rifleing in them, I have a rifled Remington choke tube. eastbank.
 
Rifled choke is not the same problem as a .695" full choke's constriction on a solid-surface .731" foster slug.(which is why "rifled" slugs are grooved-rifled -- to give the lead someplace to go when squeezed in a choke -- and Lyman's unrifled Foster mould is only .705").
... though I doubt an immediate Elmer Fudd moment would be in the offing... maybe :uhoh:



then again...
http://www.xdtalk.com/threads/ruptured-my-maverick-88-barrel-pics.207226/.
 
Last edited:
Buckshot would be fine in a .695 choke , some that I use for deer with a 3" 12ga. and 00BK are .690 . They are made for buckshot and longer distance shots , out to 40 yards . They are not going to banana peel your barrel .
 
Yes the Lyman choke is .705. Used to be.735. New ones are notoriously inaccurate unless expanded to .735 by some means. (I.e.: Federal TrueBall).
As long as they are pure lead, they'll swage down with no problems.

I'd suggest an Improved Cylinder choke for the teen. Go tighter later if needed. Improved Cyl. will handle 95% of shotgunning requirements. I've pass shot geese successfully with IC and steel/tungsten shot. Too much choke is worse than to little in my experience.
 
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