Chokes for Grouse

F

Flapjack23

New member
I'm new to having the option of 2 chokes in a shotgun for birds. Citori White Lightning under the tree this year (actually in the safe, but...). I'm thinking for the thick north Michigan woods in search of Grouse I should be looking at a skeet choke in the under barrel and an IC in the over. Most shots should be 20 yds or less. Any other combos I should think about? Other thoughts?

Andy
 
If you get shots that far (20 yards) on grouse, then your combo is perfect, otherwise Cylinder and Skeet will also work - depending on the climate and temps, make your shot larger - say 6 or 5 for your second shot
 
Choke for the kill range.../ or what choke will give you the 30" pattern and the density - at the kill range you want...

So at 20 yds - 25 yds ....Skeet / Imp Cycl will work fine ...or maybe Skeet/Skeet or even IC/IC depending on what you have for chokes.

At 25 yrds - 30 yds I'd go IC/Mod or maybe IC/Light Mod if I had it.

Because you may get some areas with longer shots...I'd usually carry a couple of Skeet, a couple of IC's, a couple of Mods and an Improved Mod ...in a plastic tackle box in my vest.
 
I bought some 20ga 1oz 8's for grouse and quail.
Been very effective inside of 10yds...not much experience out farther.
My theory is smaller shot=denser pattern given the choke.
I may be technically flawed but the birds have dropped deader than dead.
 
Bought a 20ga Red label whe first introduced...

ordered specifically for skeet and grouse, the chokes are SK1 & SK2.

Have used for Pheasant over dog (mine) and 3" mags for late birds.s

With tube you can adjust and you think.
 
When I paterned my Citori the tubes all ran tighter then specs for that particular choke, Invector screw ins, maybe the standard was set before modern one piece wads. I hunt grouse in WI without a dog and most shots were about 20yds max. I ended up cutting the fingers on the wads off half way, used 1oz of 6's with great sucess, Cylinder and Imp C. It does not take much to kill a grouse.
Bob
 
shot size

Open chokes for grouse no doubt nothing over modified but be careful with the small shot I would go 7.5 and larger, small shot kills birds up close but wounds them further out..I have finished off a lot of pheasents that were hit with under sized shot and couldn't fly but lived for days. Shotgun terminal ballistics matter just like bullets do.
 
I just got Cylinder and Skeet tubes today. Gun came with IC/Mod/F. Guess the right answer is to pattern and see what shoots best. I'm currently using #6 shot for grouse for all around shooting. Thinking I might buy some #7.5 for the cylinder tube for 10yd shots, #6 for skeet/IC tubes in 2nd barrel. What shot size does everyone else use? Thanks for the comments so far.

Andy
 
As the temps get colder and the feathers get thicker, with close shots, I think you have a winning combo in 7.5 and 6. Next to chukar hunting, grouse in the woods and rough close terrain are a real challenge
 
I hunt northern WI. I use SK/IC early season and IC/Mod later. More importantly, don't use cheap 7/8 oz. 20 ga shells, or 1 oz. 12 ga shells. Sometimes these are labeled Dove & Quail. A quality 1 oz. 20 ga will be more effective than the cheapest shells. Good trap loads are satisfactory for 12 ga. I also tend to use 7 1/2 early, then some 6's later when they flush farther away. Despite the above, I doubt you would be disadvantaged by using SK/SK the whole season.
 
I've been using an over under 12 choked skeet/skeet for the past 30 years and it is fine. You don't need much to knock a bird down. High brass in the second barrel takes care of the birds beyond 30 yards. The grouse care still winning though.
 
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