choke questions

[omgur2]

Im new to this interchagable choke thing. I bought a Moss 835 that came with a Turkey choke. Thats the easy one. I want to be able to shoot other loads as well, IE, buckshot. What choke do i need for that? I did some research on the level of constriction and purchased a Skeet choke, the package says steel or lead. Would this be OK for the Buck shot or should i continue to look for a straight "cylinder" choke? Also the barrel on this is only 24", is skeet/trap even posible with this or should I also look for a 28" barrel? If the 24 is OK which load would you recomend? Or just get another gun for Clay birds?
Thanks

[ianb1116]

Check out the link, pretty informative:

http://www.briley.com/understandings...nbybriley.aspx


Chokes are used simply to constrict the shot pattern; the Cylinder choke matches the bore of the barrel; it is your widest standard choke as it doesn't actually "choke" anything.

For clays and hunting, I typically used a modified choke. It gives a nice balance of range and pattern constriction. For skeet, the obvious choice is the skeet choke. For trap, the distances may be a bit longer unless you jump the clay right after leaving the clay house. I'd use a modified for trap. For sporting clays, I use a modified as well.

For home defense, I'd use a cylinder choke. You want as wide of a spread as possible when you're shooting at such close ranges. Typically, that's your best choice. Now, if you have a mansion with 100 foot hallways, then maybe you'll want something tighter.

As for barrel length, 24" is on the shorter side for a "target" gun. However, I've seen a gentleman shoot trap with a Saiga 12g and not miss a single one. You will be at a natural disadvantage, but you will most likely not notice it unless you shoot a lot.

[JenniferG]

The Skeet choke will work OK with Buckshot. Just don't shoot Buckshot in anything tighter than modified. Maybe the steel has improved over the years but an older gentleman from my gun club told stories of seeing barrels bulged with full chokes using buckshot so I took his word for it. He also taught me how to reload so he wasn't just some crack pot.

For pheasant and upland bird hunting I use Improved or Skeet chokes. I usually hunt pretty tight cover and Modified tighter chokes tends to tear birds up at the close ranges on the edge of woods. The shorter barrel works out good in tight cover too because if you've ever hunted woodcock or other birds that take to the woods the long barrels are distinct disadvantage.

A longer barrel gives you better balance and follow through for trap shooting. Most of the experts use barrels that are in the 32" range but 28-30" is good for us mere mortals.

Whatever you do with your chokes make sure you keep the threads clean and use proper thread lubricant and don't over tighten them nor let them become loose.

[gummy jones]

the simple way i think of it is this

cylinder (nothing) or improved cylinder for home defense or small game at close-closeish range

modified for clays or game to ~40 yards

full for waterfowl

extra full (turkey) for turkey

as to shooting buckshot out of full chokes, i have done it with no problems in modern shotguns (which are all i own). there always seems to be an old timer at the range who has a story of "his buddy who" blew up his shotgun shooting slugs out of a choke that is modified or tighter. i have never shot a slug from a turkey choke but have from modified and full chokes without damage to my firearms(and they were brenneke super black magic magnums). as to what choke a rifled slug will be most accurate from that is another issue and most would say stick to improved or modified at most.

i am certainly not an expert but that is my experience

[omgur2]

Thanks for all the great info gentleman!

[win67]

I have never experienced or heard first-hand that shooting buckshot from a Full can damage the barrel, although I suppose it's possible. However, I do know that buckshot is very inaccurate and slow out of a Full screw-in choke, so it's usually not to your advantage to do it even if it is safe.

Older guns with fixed chokes seems to throw halfway decent patterns with buckshot, but screw chokes don't because of the more abrupt constriction.

The 835 is designed to hit small, far-away moving targets (real birds), and by all accounts is very successful in that role. I don't see any reason it wouldn't be good at hitting the clay version which, after all, is designed to be an approximation of real bird hunting. If you want to shoot clays for the sake of shooting clays, by all means buy a gun made for it. If you're doing it to become a better hunter, clay shooting will do more for you if you do it with your hunting gun.