Is a .700 12 gauge choke a "Full" Choke?

L

Lavid2002

New member
Hi guys, I recently went goose hunting and used size 2 shot 3" kents out fo my H&R, I only got one bird (I smoked him today and ate him in tacos he was DELISH!) Anyways....I was surprised at how many geese I shot just kind of twirled and studdled a bit then kept on goin! This one that we took down, we shot THREE TIMES before he dropped. And the final conclusion was, one load to the chest, and one broken wing. I NAIL the clays pretty good...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DrHVF4QorcM...But these geese just weren't going down. Problem number one, is the shot. I need larger shot. Size 2 works good for ducks, but I think I need BB for these geese.

Problem number two...My choke tube? I took a look at my choke tube, and hitting clays and birds seems harder at longer distances...I think I need a tighter pattern. Online posts say .700" Is a "Full' Choke...My Choke says "IM on it. Is it a improved IM or modified MO or is it improved modified? IM It says it is .705 however when I measure the end it says it is .701...that seems really close to full. I want a tighter pattern, but I cant seem to find a choke tube that offers anything tighter than that. .700 seems to be the "Full' Standard...if it is....How the heck isnt my gun throwing tight patterns? I patterned it the other day and it seems pretty loose...I can post a vid if needed. Thanks-Dave
 
First, geese are super tough and #2 is more then sufficient to drop them...

Just because they were 3" shells doesn't make them more powerful, what was the dram powder weight--you might have been shooting field and not magnum loads?

.75 is an Improved Modified choke and will pattern around 68% into a 30" circle at 40 yds... A 1 is considered full choke and will pattern around 70%...

You can get Xtra full 75% and Super full 80%...

If you're over decoys IM should be OK if the shells and you do your parts...

Go to any of the goose camps and you'll find BB and 2s and both work fine...

Clay shooting is superb practice for game birds but clays aren't birds and I've seen championship clay shooters miss ducks and geese and especially doves...
 
Steel throws a pattern in lead chokes 1 size tighter. That is, a Modified choke for lead throws a full pattern with steel. Depending on the bore size of your gun, a .700 based on a standard .729 bore would be a full designation, typically.

One sure way to ascertain is to pattern your gun on the patterning board.
 
You need to pattern your gun at 30 yds. The problem with steel shot and tight chokes is that you get a "rebound" affect as it goes through the tube. A tube that is too tight will cause the shot to squeeze together, rebound off of one another, and then open up leaving big holes. Get some brown kraft paper and make a big target - mark a center dot to aim at. Hit it with one shot then draw a 30" circle attempting to get as many holes in the circle as you can. You'll see both how good it is patterning and how your pattern is hitting in relation to your point of aim.
 
Ill pattern this gun soon and say how it works.
what was the dram powder weight
Click to expand...
Kent didn't note the dram equivalent on the box...here is all the information
12 gauge
3"
1 1/4 oz. load
shot size #2
1425 FPS
Steel Shot
 
1,425 FPS is a fairly stout load IMO...
My remington express long range are 1,220 but my 2 3/4 20 ga slugs are 1,600 el cheapo...
Brent
 
Choke Constrictions

12 Gauge

Skeet .005”
Improved Cylinder .009”
Skeet 2 .012”
Modified .019”
Improved Modified .025”
Full .035”
 
What does this mean?
Choke Constrictions

12 Gauge

Skeet .005”
Improved Cylinder .009”
Skeet 2 .012”
Modified .019”
Improved Modified .025”
Full .035”
Click to expand...

Are these measurements of how tight it gets in relation to a cylinder bore? Wouldnt it just be easier just to post the actual measurements of the choke? I.E. Mine is 7.01"
 
Geese are tough, probably just me but I use BB's as a minimum (BBB's and T's if I can get 'em cheap) for geese using steel shot. I use 2's and 4's for ducks. Tungsten 2's may work better as its denser. An improved modified choke should be sufficient. I cannot confirm, but I don't believe there is a standard measurement for choke size (the old adage that a dime doesn't fit in a full choke is only partially true).

And dove's are a much better way to determine hitting then clays. If you can redaily hit a dove darting everywhere geese shouldn't be a problem. Unfortunately I didn't get out for dove this year. I'll have to wait for quail.

Happy hunting.
 
What does this mean?

Quote:
Choke Constrictions

12 Gauge

Skeet .005”
Improved Cylinder .009”
Skeet 2 .012”
Modified .019”
Improved Modified .025”
Full .035”

Are these measurements of how tight it gets in relation to a cylinder bore? Wouldnt it just be easier just to post the actual measurements of the choke? I.E. Mine is 7.01"
Click to expand...

Yes in relation to bore. Most 12 Gauge guns are .729" bore, but not all are. Thus, the constriction rather than the actual measurment.

DC
 
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