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BigJimP · October 1, 2008, 12:37 PM

Most of the books that teach shotgunning will talk about the idea of putting a 30" pattern - dense enough to kill the target (clay, fir or feathers) at the kill range - without any holes in it for the target to slip thru. Density is affected by all kinds of things including pellet size, velocity, etc so picking your loads with your chokes is important too - but sticking with just choke for this discussion.

Tighter patterns at the kill range don't make you a better shotgunner / they just give you a tighter and more dense pattern - which really defeats the concept of a shotgun. Tightening up the pattern a little - might be ok for practice - but going too tight isn't good shotgunning funamentals. By tightening up a little - I mean going from a Skeet to an Imp Cyclinder might be ok at 21 yards - but going to a Mod or Full choke at 21 yards makes no sense to me.

In general a kill range of 21 yards means a Skeet choke / a kill range of about 35 Yards ( like on singles trap from the 16 yard line - where the bird travels to about 35 yards before it is hit ) means a Modified choke / a kill range of 45 yards ( like single trap from the 27 yard line ) means a Full choke ( assuming we're talking lead shot of course ).

Changing the choke in your gun - to fit the expected kill range - allows you to use all your fundamentals of executing a good shot. In my view, screw in chokes were a great innovation - and its allowed more shotgunners to be able to enjoy a variety of games and hunting with just one gun vs 3 or 4 guns like when I was a kid when we had grouse guns, quail guns, pheasant guns, duck guns, etc - all with different fixed chokes / different length barrels, etc.

In shotguns the number one issue is gun fit - with your eye being the rear sight - its critical for the point of impact on the gun to be exactly where you are looking / not 12" high at 21 yards, etc ..... The days of picking up any old shotgun, using a pump gun as an example, with an angled comb on it and expect it to fit everyone - and to somehow imply they just need to practice if they can't hit anything is ridiculous. The "standard" field comb on a pump-gun doesn't fit very many people at all - and it doesn't make us better shooters if we have to somehow allow for a gun that shoots 12" high for us as 21 yards. Picking the right Choke to do the job - at the kill range - is just as important to good shotgunning fundamentals. Screw in chokes are not just a crutch ...

October 1, 2008, 12:37 PM	#5
BigJimP Senior Member Join Date: February 23, 2005 Posts: 13,195	Most of the books that teach shotgunning will talk about the idea of putting a 30" pattern - dense enough to kill the target (clay, fir or feathers) at the kill range - without any holes in it for the target to slip thru. Density is affected by all kinds of things including pellet size, velocity, etc so picking your loads with your chokes is important too - but sticking with just choke for this discussion. Tighter patterns at the kill range don't make you a better shotgunner / they just give you a tighter and more dense pattern - which really defeats the concept of a shotgun. Tightening up the pattern a little - might be ok for practice - but going too tight isn't good shotgunning funamentals. By tightening up a little - I mean going from a Skeet to an Imp Cyclinder might be ok at 21 yards - but going to a Mod or Full choke at 21 yards makes no sense to me. In general a kill range of 21 yards means a Skeet choke / a kill range of about 35 Yards ( like on singles trap from the 16 yard line - where the bird travels to about 35 yards before it is hit ) means a Modified choke / a kill range of 45 yards ( like single trap from the 27 yard line ) means a Full choke ( assuming we're talking lead shot of course ). Changing the choke in your gun - to fit the expected kill range - allows you to use all your fundamentals of executing a good shot. In my view, screw in chokes were a great innovation - and its allowed more shotgunners to be able to enjoy a variety of games and hunting with just one gun vs 3 or 4 guns like when I was a kid when we had grouse guns, quail guns, pheasant guns, duck guns, etc - all with different fixed chokes / different length barrels, etc. In shotguns the number one issue is gun fit - with your eye being the rear sight - its critical for the point of impact on the gun to be exactly where you are looking / not 12" high at 21 yards, etc ..... The days of picking up any old shotgun, using a pump gun as an example, with an angled comb on it and expect it to fit everyone - and to somehow imply they just need to practice if they can't hit anything is ridiculous. The "standard" field comb on a pump-gun doesn't fit very many people at all - and it doesn't make us better shooters if we have to somehow allow for a gun that shoots 12" high for us as 21 yards. Picking the right Choke to do the job - at the kill range - is just as important to good shotgunning fundamentals. Screw in chokes are not just a crutch ...