chokes for block shoots

**duane1** · February 14th, 2008, 06:22 PM

I go to a few block shoots in my area and I'm wondering if a choke purchased of the internet with a 630 diameter would be ok to use. Anybody up on rules for the Lancaster area. I know it varies from club to club. I don"t want to piss anybody off.

**BUCKMARK** · February 14th, 2008, 08:14 PM

Block shoots, turkey shoots, X-card shoots all have different rules depending on the club. The object of the game is the same...put maximum amount of pellets on the target to increase your chances of winning.

Many newer shooters think that a tighter choke tube is always better. This is not the case. IMHO a .630 tube is too tight. Many shooters will go to a .640 tube at rangers around 16 yards. Anything farther usually requires a .660 but you wont know until you pattern the gun with the loads you will be using.

I have been shooting and building X card guns for a while now, and here is my opinion...

Go to your local club and shoot a few shoots with the gun you own using a full or extra full factory tube. See how the gun shoots while you learn the rules AND see what type of load they are using.

Take that info and buy the tube allowed per the rules. Also buy a few boxes of ammo that the club is using and shoot your gun at that same distance from a bench. Try different tubes and see which one patterns best with your gun.

Sometimes you will tighten the pattern up to the point that it goes to hell. You might have a crazy pattern on the right of the target....with almost nothing on the left. A consistant pattern with maximum pellets on the card is what we're going for.

It also never hurts to keep that factory tube in your pocket just incase your card tube is found to be too tight....just swap tubes and stay at the shoot rather than be sent home.

Also....use the tight card tubes for low base #7.5 or #8 shot. Don't forget and try to launch a full house turkey load through those tubes...it could damage the gun.

A few of our local shoots have NO RULES...and thats where I can have fun in the shop. 40" barrels with 3 stage chokes and a wad cutter chamber is very normal at these shoots. Barrels for a 870 or 1100 Rem can cost up to $400 to have one put together.

For the new shooter the #1 rule to win is to pattern the gun and know what works BEFORE you spend money every week only to lose and lose again.

Feel free to email me about card shooting. I have been doing it for at least 10 years and have been building guns for 8.

**DCChris** · February 14th, 2008, 08:30 PM

I've taken alot of turkeys off of the Factoryville Sportsmen's club with my Winchester Ranger 120 with a full choke. "That old rabbit gun" as one of the members called it.