Fixed chokes?
- Thread starter paul s
- Start date
knight0334
New member
I've always preferred fixed over changeable. Patterns tend to be better compared to changeable chokes.
All those changeable chokes have a sudden and abrupt constriction, where as many of the fixed chokes have a relatively long taper to the constriction.
All those changeable chokes have a sudden and abrupt constriction, where as many of the fixed chokes have a relatively long taper to the constriction.
Fixed choked guns are fine, as long as you bring the right tool for the job. I prefer choke tubes, as sometimes I decide to shoot a couple rounds of trap instead of skeet...or the ducks aren't decoying well and pass shooting becomes necessary. It's more convenient to carry a couple extra tubes, than a couple extra shotguns.
If we are trying to make one shotgun fill a variety of missions, tubes or the formerly ubiquitous Polychoke devices make sense.
However, I can make a lot of meat and memories in the uplands with a fixed choke and load selection.
In the long gone days of my youth we used cheap loads in full choked repeaters to give some spread at closer shots and better loads for followups and WOD shots.
Now, I could have lots of fun,success and food using a LM choke and a short list of loads. And in a double gun, IC and Mod are still an excellent choice for most hunting.
The first generation of choke tubes were short affairs, and patterns oft were less regulated than those made in longer fixed chokes.
Old Superposed Brownings had tapers of about 5" long and were legendary in their ability to keep most shot in the pattern.
The newer extended tubes are easier on the pellets and have more even and consistent spread than those of old.
However, I can make a lot of meat and memories in the uplands with a fixed choke and load selection.
In the long gone days of my youth we used cheap loads in full choked repeaters to give some spread at closer shots and better loads for followups and WOD shots.
Now, I could have lots of fun,success and food using a LM choke and a short list of loads. And in a double gun, IC and Mod are still an excellent choice for most hunting.
The first generation of choke tubes were short affairs, and patterns oft were less regulated than those made in longer fixed chokes.
Old Superposed Brownings had tapers of about 5" long and were legendary in their ability to keep most shot in the pattern.
The newer extended tubes are easier on the pellets and have more even and consistent spread than those of old.
I agree with Dave ...
Fixed choke guns will work - and by varying your shells - you can get them to effectively vary the pattern.
But these days / having changeable chokes - in one gun - just makes more sense. I wouldn't buy a gun with fixed chokes today ...but I'm primarily a clay target shooter and an upland bird hunter ( I don't hunt big game / or consider most of my shotguns for defense ).
Fixed choke guns will work - and by varying your shells - you can get them to effectively vary the pattern.
But these days / having changeable chokes - in one gun - just makes more sense. I wouldn't buy a gun with fixed chokes today ...but I'm primarily a clay target shooter and an upland bird hunter ( I don't hunt big game / or consider most of my shotguns for defense ).
oneounceload
Moderator
While all of my target guns have tubes, I prefer fixed chokes, even for sporting clays. That may not be ideal in all situations, but I rarely change chokes once I start shooting anyway. Any good combo of open and tight works for me where I shoot.
Guns from companies that make good barrels like Perazzi and the older Belgian Brownings are renowned for their fixed choke patterning, whether in a dedicated pigeon gun or a light upland one
Guns from companies that make good barrels like Perazzi and the older Belgian Brownings are renowned for their fixed choke patterning, whether in a dedicated pigeon gun or a light upland one
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My dedicated dove gun is a 20. ga. pump with a fixed, modified choke. I shoot that gun as well or better than anything else I've ever owned. I also have an 11-87 with tubes because it serves multiple purposes. I hunt turkeys, deer and waterfowl all with the same gun and each of those have different requirements for choke.
What's more convenient than just picking up a different gun? They make gun cases for more than one gun. None of my clay shooting acquaintances would consider a choke change for shooting trap with a Skeet gun, they all have guns specific to the job. I prefer to change to a gun appropriate to the target than to change chokes on a generic gun.krimmie said:
The original reason for screw-in chokes is still valid today: Buying a new choke tube is cheaper than buying a new barrel. And, considering convenience, I can change barrels faster than I can change choke tubes. If you're going to shoot Skeet and trap, then take you Skeet and your trap guns to the range along with your Skeet and your trap loads.
As my friend, oneounceload, observed, "Guns from companies that make good barrel like Perazzi and the older Belgian Brownings are renowned for their fixed choke patterning..." A gun with screw in chokes is sort of like a universal golf club with an adjustable pitch: If it's all you've ever used, then is seems to work okay; but, once you've used the real deal, then you'll appreciate the difference.
How many golfers carry a club in their bag for those "special" shots? They use them infrequently, but they don't consider having them along to be an inconvenience. The inconvenience would be to need that special club and not have it available. Many's the time I've taken several shotguns to the range and used only one.
My priorities are a bit different zippy. I'm a waterfowl hunter first, clay shooter second. My two Beretta 390's, and a 20 gauge Remington 870 pretty much cover all my bases.
I did have a couple fixed choke guns that were stolen a couple years back...shot them well and really miss them.
I did have a couple fixed choke guns that were stolen a couple years back...shot them well and really miss them.
oneounceload
Moderator
There are certain situations where fixed or tubes doesn't matter - skeet is an example as is trap; on live things, waterfowl hunting, grouse or plantation quail, even live pigeons - all are easily done with properly-constricted fixed choke guns. It also gives you another reason when your wife asks why you NEED another gun.........
Sorry to learn of your loss. We never like to hear about stolen guns, but it's a constant reality. If the feds are really concerned about gun control, how about making gun theft a federal crime?OkieCruffler
New member
I preferred fixed until I got interested in sporting clays. I'd really like to have a set of tubes in one of my 311's. But truth be told if I was open up the choke in my F/M to a F/IC I would probably do just as well. And there is another solution, the choke on my 870 is fixed, I just have 3 different barrels I take along.
If I wasn't born with an affinity for short-barreled shotguns, I'd never have given the screw-ins a second look. The beauty in them is that you can take any shotgun, trim it back to 22" or so and with a set of screw-ins- have any choke you want.
My limited experience with these has been with an old 870 Special Purpose and it looks like, for once, I might have missed getting a lemon. It prints nice patterns, right behind the beads, with any tube in the kit.
My limited experience with these has been with an old 870 Special Purpose and it looks like, for once, I might have missed getting a lemon. It prints nice patterns, right behind the beads, with any tube in the kit.
I agree with most of what Zippy said also .... but I do use one gun primarily for Skeet, Sporting Clays and upland bird hunting ...( Browning O/U XS Skeet model ) ...and in a 12ga I will change chokes frequently on Sporting Clays courses. Even in the field, I will go with a compromise choke ---depending on where I expect the birds to be / how jumpy they are / how good the dogs are ....but having the ability to change them is a plus to me not a negative. Even though 90% of the time I'm shooing an IC or a MOD ...and I tend to stay with IC a lot.
I might change chokes too often / but why not ... It only takes 30 sec / and if it gives me the extra confidence I need to feel like it gives me a more solid chance on a target - so be it. But changing too often - can be distracting - if you let it.
I also have dedicated Trap guns ....and I rarely change chokes on those guns / but even there, in general, I will stay with a Mod choke for 16 - 20 yds / Imp Mod 21 - 24 yards / Full 25-27 yrds ....(but I have no business shooting from beyond the 20 yd line ( except for fun ...)...
I might change chokes too often / but why not ... It only takes 30 sec / and if it gives me the extra confidence I need to feel like it gives me a more solid chance on a target - so be it. But changing too often - can be distracting - if you let it.
I also have dedicated Trap guns ....and I rarely change chokes on those guns / but even there, in general, I will stay with a Mod choke for 16 - 20 yds / Imp Mod 21 - 24 yards / Full 25-27 yrds ....(but I have no business shooting from beyond the 20 yd line ( except for fun ...)...
I just sent a barrel out to Mike Orlen (who turned it around in one day!). I had an old 18" park'd barrel from an 870P that I thought would be more flexible in terms of being able to get the best pattern if I could choose between cylinder and IC tubes (small difference, I know) and while it was out for work I asked Mike to lengthen the forcing cone (which arguably will do more for pattern density than choke selection...). I've also found, with my FN SLP, that using a rifled tube dramatically improved 50 yard rifled slug performance without having any effect on 10-15 yard 00 buck patterns, so that's another version of the flexibility that tubes can provide. Mike Orlen's work on this barrel was beautiful, by the way, as well as fast and economical. Big thumbs up for him, if you're thinking about that kind of work.