What 12 gauge choke

[bikemutt]

If you had to select a choke for an auto-loading 12 gauge for upland quail and pheasant hunting, as well as occasional trap shooting, what would it be?

I'm thinking MOD.

Thanks

 

[SwaneeSR]

If adjustable chokes are not an option, then I agree with you Modified is the way to go. I use for grouse, pheasant, and trap.


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[desidog]

A compromise choke is just that. Ideally, you want a gun threaded for choke tubes so you aren't hamstrung in one of your pursuits. If it's an older gun already in your possession, you might be able to get it threaded if the barrel is thick enough. If not, I'd keep looking for one that fits the choke tube bill.

 

[guyfromohio]

Agree. Mod if fixed. Full for trap, more open for birds if using tubes.

 

[bikemutt]

OK, I should have been more clear, this is a newer Browning Maxus. I bought it as used from a dealer in unfired condition. It came with only a full Invector Plus choke. The reason I ask the question is good quality chokes are not inexpensive, I don't want to buy the full suite which will include constrictions I'll never use.

 

[I6turbo]

So you have the Full. Ideally you would want to pattern it with the ammo that you will be using, and decide between IC and Modified based upon that. If patterning isn't possible, I'd go Modified because it's better to have enough shot in the pattern to do the job than too few.

 

[guyfromohio]

Don't over-analyze the choke. My bet is that it won't mean that much to your performance. If it was my gun, I'd use that full for trap and get an IC for upland birds, skeet, and clays.

 

[jmr40]

If I were restricted to a fixed choke it would be IC. It increases the odds of hits at the ranges most commonly encountered. On longer shots at game, which are lower percentage shots anyway, I'd just pass up the shot. There are lots of options in ammo that can tighten up the patterns anyway. In fact steel fired through an IC barrel patterns like a tight modified choke anyway.

I have 5 different tubes for my Benelli. IC is used 95% of the time. If turkey hunting I go with the full. I almost never use any of the others.

 

[FL-NC]

The simple answer is to get a gun that takes interchangeable tubes and shoot some patterns to see what they do. The short answer is MOD.

 

[Predator55]

Well if you are going with a fixed choked gun send it out for choke tubes. If you can't do that then I would go with a imp cyclinder. You mentioned quail and small game birds are shot up close and withimp you will have something left to eat. As long as you keep your shots close then imp will do it all, and in the event your shooting water fowl, using steel in imp cyclinder will be like a modify with lead. I shoot adouble gun that has the chokes skeet/skeet and I knock down birds from dove to pheasant with no problem.

 

[Sav .250]

One choke does not fit all. As you well know. Modified.

 

[bikemutt]

OK, sometimes life hands out lemonade instead of lemons.

My LGS has a plastic bin with all sorts of used chokes and wrenches. I was able to put together a complete (except cylinder) set of Browning Invector Plus chokes and a very nice wrench; $25 plus tax, sold!

Today I hit the patterning board at the trap club and ran a couple shells with each choke observing the patterns. I had the trap range to myself so I played around with every choke until a "pattern" developed. In the end, for trap, I did the best with an Improved Modified. While it's true that when I hit a target with full choke it really dissolved; when I missed, I missed clean.

I really appreciate the help all, thanks very much! Maybe see you in Aberdeen, South Dakota come October

 

[sappyg]

Having only one choke would be like having only one gun. Impossible!

If I were going to add a choke it would be IC. It hits good at longish range for my money and you still have the full choke if you feel like you need it. Unless you're at 20 yards or more IC is fine for trap IMO.

 

[Steve C]

Most new guns come with interchangeable choke tubes anymore. That said I have a couple friends that have them in their shotgun and have never shot them with anything but the modified choke.

If you are looking at getting an older gun with a fixed choke its hard to beat the modified for an all purpose choke.

 

[eastbank]

i shot a IC choke tube in my BT-100 trap shotgun at the 16yrd line on a pratice round and broke 22-25, but at 72 i,m not as fast as i once was. i think the light mod-IC choke would do for 90 percent of small game shooting. over choke is a left over from old time hunters who would not look at a scatter gun not full choked. eastbank.

 

[BigBore44]

Carlsons offers a 3 pack of extended chokes. Around $100. Or you can buy them individually. They pattern very well in my Benelli.

 

[Leanwolf]

The PolyChoke on my Rem. 1100 12 Ga. works fine and is very versatile.

L.W.