Do you prefer flush chokes or extended chokes?

R

rhinonewshooter

New member
What do you prefer, and why?

I need to order/pick up some chokes, and have another thread looking into the advantages/disadvantages of the CDNN offering for my Beretta A390. They have a flush, which would look good, and a 3/4 extended, which would be easier to know what I had installed and theoretically would protect the end of the barrel. I"m leaning toward the extended, but would like to hear what folks think of flush vs extended?
 
I like the extended because they are easier to change (just use your fingures)

p.s. sorry spell check is down
 
For my guns that actually use changeable chokes, I prefer the extended. Simple reasoning - those guns are for targets - I shoot sporting clays and FITASC where changing chokes between stations is common as no two stations are alike - extended chokes let me see (without sticking my face over the muzzle to count notches) what chokes I have in the gun. While I do not change them often, there are a few courses where I will go from IC/IC to IC/IM or M/IM for some presentations
 
I prefer the extended ...just easier to see what's in the gun ...

Balistically - I doubt there is much of a difference.

I tend to carry 8 chokes with me for an Over Under .... 6 chokes with me and 2 in the gun. When I start out on a course - I put Mod / Mod into my gun ...but I carry a pair of Skeet, a pair of IC, an Imp Mod and a Full .../ but OneOunce is right, I will shoot Mod/Mod 90% of the time ...with 1oz of 8's in a 12 ga at 1225 fps.

for a single barrel gun like the 390 ....I would start with a Mod ...and carry a Cyclinder or Skeet, an IC and an Imp Mod and Full ...( which is what I carry for my Benelli Super Sport).

I don't want to get on a course and find the course setter --- has put a real long target out there ...or some real close pairs ...and not have the chokes I need. Yes, they're $ 50 apiece or so ...but I carry what I consider to be a full set.
 
funny...

I never shot a modified choke but one or two times over the last 20 years. My 12 gauge sporting clays combo is SK/IC extended Briley's 90% of the time. Sometimes IC/LM, but not often. I do not change during the course of a shoot, waste of time IMO. I hit over 40/50 all the time. I use a MOD for trap shooting, if I remember to change up at all...
 
Extended chokes, especially with color coding, are for shooters who change chokes so often they can't remember what they're using. They make me think of a tot's bicycle with training wheels.
 
My 12 gauge sporting clays combo is SK/IC
Click to expand...

And if that works for you where you shoot, then leave it alone. One course I shoot that combo is also the right one. Across the entrance on the other course, however, IC or LM for 10 stations and M or IM for the last 4 - the targets are that far out, up and on edge; yet another course I shoot is easily done with IC/IC for the entire place

I see the folks who change chokes every station - that is a waste of time and concentration; however, if one station is a 5 yard rabbit and a 10 yard crosser and the next station is a 45 teal coupled with a quartering getting out to 60, that SK-IC isn't going to work
 
Extended for the reasons given, but mostly at clays.

The extra weight at the muzzle works for clay targets, but in the field a lighter front means a quicker move to the target if it jinks.

In your shoes, get the extended.

At clays, I shoot around 80& also, but I rarely change chokes. Usually, it's IC in the bottom LM top. Sometimes I go up an increment and shoot LM/M.

That's with a 7/8 oz reload. For 1 1/8 oz fodder, I could ease up and go Cyl/ IC for many shots.
 
actually...

I've been using the IC/LM combo more and more. Close in targets, who cares, but a little extra reach is always welcomed for those long ass crossers. Plus, the tighter the choke combo, the more you need to concentrate.

I refuse to turn fun into work. So many shooters are infatuated with chokes, shot size, patterning, useless accessories, they forget what shooting clays is all about. The smell of hot coffee in the morning brewing in the clubhouse, comradeship with great friends, busting each other's balls, the smell of spent gun powder, then heading down the path to destroy some more orange disks. Heavens, we don't even keep score anymore! Pull.....X.....X ;)
 
Aside from the obvious benefits as outlined above, extended chokes will also protect the ends of your barrels from damage.
 
Whenever you have the option, buy extended. They either have longer/more gradual tapers or longer parallel sections, both improve patterns. Wad strippers, or certain porting designs that act like wad strippers, also improve patterns (compnchoke and the Briley ports).
 
As Dave McC stated, I sometimes prefer flush-mounted chokes for hunting. I doesn't make a lot of sense to get a shorter barreled gun for grouse hunting only to add an extra inch and weight onto the end of the gun with a big choke tube.

I suppose another example is if someone had a gun that was already too muzzle heavy. They may want to avoid adding any extra ounces at the front end of their gun.

Aside from that, I suspect extended makes the most sense.
 
Personally, I hunt upland birds with the same Browning O/U's with 30" barrels and extended chokes ...that I use for Skeet and Sporting Clays.

An extended choke doesn't add any significant weight to the front of a barrel vs the flush chokes.....

I wouldn't bother with both ..../ just go with extended.
 
Rugerismisticness said:
Whenever you have the option, buy extended. They either have longer/more gradual tapers or longer parallel sections, both improve patterns.
Click to expand...
rhinonewshooter,
Extended choke tubes will out perform flush mounted chokes for special purposes, like turkey patterns, waterfowling, long range patterning for coyotes, etc.

The longer parallel sections and gradual tapers allow the shot pellets to stop bouncing/rattling around and settle into the choke tube's restriction.

Recently, I was looking to improve some long range patterns for coyote hunting, so I called Carlsons. I talked with one of their technicians, was given some good advice and purchased the proper restriction to be used with the ammo for coyote hunting. My patterns with Dead Coyote ammo improved with the suggested choke tube, from 30% to 90%.

BTW...the "technician" that I spoke with was Scott Carlson...the owner. :) The second time I called, I spoke with Shane Carlson, Scott's son and a very knowledgable man. Carlson's has a great company with excellent customer service. :cool:

Good luck with your choices!
Good hunting, Bowhunter57
 
Unless I missed it I don't think anyone has mentioned the protection against dings that the extended chokes offer. A barrel with choke tubes is very thin at the end. It takes very little to ding it. For this reason and the myriad others mentioned I prefer extended chokes.
 
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