Practicing with tighter chokes?

[Hunter125]

I was shooting some clays this afternoon, planning on going dove hunting tomorrow, and decided to try my modified choke instead of my Imp Cylinder. Did okay with that, so just for kicks threw on my Turkey Super Full choke. That was a lot of fun, busting clays a lot further out than I normally would be able to.

Is this good practice for hunting with a larger choke, or am I making a mistake practicing with a choke I'm not intending to hunt with?
BTW, I think I did well enough with the Modified that I might take it with me instead of the Imp Cylinder to get some longer shots.

 

[drsfmd]

Chokes don't increase distance, they just tighten the pattern.

 

[Hunterdad]

The tight choke keeps the pattern tighter longer which is why you could bust those clays from farther out. With a more open choke, only a few pellets would hit the clay causing it not too break. I've always shot full choke at everything except waterfowl.

 

[Dave McCracken]

Opinions differ on this. Chris Batha, one of the top SC instructors, recommends using chokes one increment tighter in practice than what one uses in the field or competition.

I tend to agree.

Others urge us to keep everything the same for consistency.

IMO, if POI is the same (Pattern to check) it's a good idea.

 

[rcmodel]

Chokes don't increase distance, they just tighten the pattern.

Yes they do.
They increase distance by tightening the pattern.

If they didn't, you could break blue rock and kill birds just as far with a cylinder bore as with a Full choke.

But you can't.

rc

 

[oneounceload]

Sorry, RC, they don't increase the distance - the pellets will fly the same distance - just not as tightly grouped together - what a tighter choke DOES do is increase your probability of a lethal hit on your target at longer ranges

And yes you can kill targets just as far with a Cylinder as a Full - but as mentioned, your odds would be against you

Most clay games can be successfully shot with a Modified choke - while a little tight for skeet, it is certainly doable, it is about ideal for sporting, and will work at most trap distances as well.

For our feathered friends, it is a decent choke for driven or pass shooting - whether dove or duck

Can other chokes be used to a greater advantage in certain circumstances? Absolutely; however, a lot of folks here seem to have an older gun with fixed m choke and start to wonder if they need all the latest gizmos and gadgets - the answer is no they don't - choke tight enough for your furthest target and focus on the target, NOT your front site and enjoy your success.....

 

[MCgunner]

I put a mod choke in the left barrel and a I/C in the right. I think, for me, full is way too tight. I usually ain't that far from the bird when I shoot and mostly pull the I/C on 'em. Sorta depends on the set up, though.

 

[Hunterdad]

Lets put it this way......a tight choke extends the EFFECTIVE range of the shot.