A question of choke

B

Brutus

New member
Through out 45 my years of bird hunting only two chokes have ever been used.
For Ducks and Geese I've always gone with a full in my 870 pump switching to modified or improved modified for trap and pheasant. When I bought my first O/U I set it up with a modified for the first shot and full for the second.
Same O/U setup has been used in 20ga. when Grouse hunting.
I don't think I have ever tried improved cylinder or cylinder, am I missing something? Always thought of cylinder as a choke for slugs. What are your choices for close in shots and when do you opt for a cylinder choke?
 
Speaking of Briley, my life improved considerably when I put some Briley thin-wall chokes in my Beretta. Was blowing up birds with improved modified/full in my OU

Now I shoot improved cylinder/modified and life is good.

Yes....you could be...quite literally....missing something.
 
I will second Briley's recommendations.../ I've shot quite a bit of quail with a Skeet choke and sometimes an Imp Cyclinder....

Pick your choke - so you have a 30" pattern at the expected kill range ( so if I'm hunting over very good pointers and birds are holding ...you don't need much choke ).....if I'm hunting Pheasant and we're using flushing dogs and birds are running...maybe a Mod of Improved Mod because the range is typically further out for the kill. If I'm hunting Pheasant and they're holding with good pointing dogs ...then sometimes a Skeet or Imp Cylinder is enough choke there too.

Range of the kill - will also dictate the size of shot - in the shell - I will select for a good clean kill because bigger pellets hold their energy over longer ranges.

Sometimes for Quail - with an O/U which I would typically hunt with / I'd go Skeet and Skeet or maybe Skeet and Imp Cyc.../ and I'll carry chokes in my vest to change, if I wanted to.

If I'm in an area where I have to shoot Steel shot...then nothing tighter than a Modified. Shooting waterfowl with a Full ...can seriously damage your barrel when shooting steel because it doesn't compress as much as lead going thru the choke constriction and may bulge the barrels....
 
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Improved

I used my first double last year on upland birds.. Set it up for Improved over Modified and was very satisfied with the results. I am an old guy and have used pumps all my life with Modified chock on upland game but I am leaving Friday for SD opening on Saturday and have this set up on the double but you can bet the old pump is going for the ride as well! Enjoy
 
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