Who makes good quality skeet choke tubes?

[Hank15]

I shot my first game of skeet today and I am afraid I am already addicted .

I was fortunate to receive instructions from one of the more experienced shooters.

He told me that besides the fundamentals, proper equipment, including something as simple as a skeet choke, can also make a world of difference.

That being said, I'd like to know who makes good quality skeet choke tubes.

Also, is there any specific brand you would recommend over another brand? Why?

As always, thanks in advance.

[NoSecondBest]

Briley. They are very well made, come in any size you can think of, don't cost an arm and a leg, and are readily available in most larger gun shops or can be ordered on line and delivery is quick. There are a lot of companies making tubes but Briley lead the pack in developing aftermarket choke tubes and no one will say there is anything wrong with Briley chokes. I did get one once that seemed to me to put the pattern low left. I called them and they sent another one out the next day, no charge. It's rare to get a bad one, I've owned at least three dozen Briley tubes for various guns and they have functioned flawlessly.

[Wishoot]

Briley is very good but I've had very good luck with Carlson too. Carlsons do everything Briley do, but for less $$$$.

[oneounceload]

What gun are you using?

Cylinder, (.000), Skeet, (.005), and IC, (.010) will all work well for skeet.

What does your gun have now?

[zippy13]

I shot my first game of skeet today and I am afraid I am already addicted.

Rest assured, you're not the first so afflicted.
Briley tubes and chokes work for me.

[RoscoeC]

I am fond of AnglePort, but any of the major manufacturers are good. Trulock, Angleport, Briley, Carlson, Colonial, etc. etc.

It ain't the chokes. Buy some good quality ones from whomever, and practice, practice, practice.

If you have a reliable gun that fits pretty well, the rest is up to you.

[slammedsi]

Briley all the way. Been shooting there tubes for many years and thats all i will recomend to anyone. Start with a Skeet. But i will tell ya to get you a cyl, And improved cyl also see what you like best. I started with a cyl. I now shoot Skeet with a Full. Averaging a 97.

[Hank15]

Thanks for all the suggestions .

Oneounce, I am currently using an 870 with a Imp. Cylinder choke. For both skeet and trap, I use the generic $4 Walmart birdshots. I was initially interested in shooting trap, so I bought a Wingmaster and ordered a monte carlo stock for it. I was actually comfortable with this setup for skeet, especially since the gentleman insisted that I start with my cheek "welded" onto the stock before I call the bird.

The transition from trap to skeet is truly difficult. I believe it's due to the fact that in trap, I don't mount the gun until I call the bird and because of the difference in the flight path of the birds. I found skeet to be much more difficult than trap, but maybe that'll change after I get used to the game.

The funny thing is, I hit all the doubles but missed almost all of the singles, ESPECIALLY the ones on station 7 and 8. Station 8 is probably understandable for the majority of you that shoot skeet, especially since it was my first time. But I should really explain myself for my poor performance on station 1 and 7.

On station 1 and 7, the high house was an easy shot for me, I was told "you can shoot it like a rifle, just wait for the bird above the white post". But for some reason I was always off by about half a foot. I felt like a wider pattern could have helped me there.

I hope I didn't digress too much, I just wanted to share my experience with you guys.

Now back to choke tubes...do you guys use extended and/or ported choke tubes? Why or why not?

[zippy13]

Is your 870 a Wingmaster or an Express? If you get into the Skeet game, you'll soon want an auto loader or O/U -- even sooner if you're using an 870 Ex.

No extended or ported choke tubes for me. My dedicated Skeet guns have fixed chokes and the barrels are already ported. You don't need a lot of choke options to shoot Skeet. My trap and SC guns have screw-ins.

Past threads have discussed the merits of flush vs. extended choke tubes -- you can check the archives. IIRC, Skeet and trap shooters seem to favor flush screw-ins. Sporting clays shooters like them extended.

It's not like you're wed to your decision. If you opt for a Skeet gun with screw-in chokes you typically have the option of flush or extended. Later, you can always get new chokes if you don't like the originals.

[krimmie]

He told me that besides the fundamentals, proper equipment, including something as simple as a skeet choke, can also make a world of difference.

I think he was referring to using an IC choke. Your 870 uses RemChokes, they are reasonably priced and available everywhere...even Walmart sells RemChokes...you just need one in "skeet".

I don't shoot much trap, but an IC tube is a little open for that. If you don't have one, buy a Modified choke too.

[oneounceload]

Your IC choke should do just fine - the difference between it (0.010), and Skeet, (0.005), isn't that much.

I am surprised to see you're shooting trap with a low gun - typically that is a premount game.

While I agree with Zippy about wanting a semi or O/U down the road, if you can CONSISTENTLY break doubles with the pump, then it will work for you for now.

My target guns all have extended chokes - but then, unlike Zippy, I am not a "skeeter" - I shoot sporting clays and while I try to limit my choke changing, sometimes you just need to for the presentation. Do not waste your money on ported chokes, unless you just like the look, (and you'll soon tire of that look as you spend a lot of time cleaning those ports).

While my guns came ported, if I had a choice, I would have opted for no porting. There have been many discussions back and forth. IMO, since I shoot light loads to begin with I find them obnoxious and noisy- but that's another story.

Glad you like both trap and skeet. After you quickly master those games, slide on down to the 5-stand or sporting clays course for even more fun.....

[slammedsi]

Dont give in to all the hype about having a high end auto or over under. It can be done just fine with a pump seen it many times and my instructor/ coach consistently shoots a 100 with a Winchester pump. Alltho i shoot a beretta 391 gold.

You also might want to try and Cylinder choke. its as "Open" as it gets. Slow your swing down and watch your lead. I ended up having to put extra weight on my 391 to slow my swing because i kept swinging past the bird.

[Hank15]

Zippy, I am currently using a Wingmaster with a monte carlo stock.

I noticed that you are in Southern California as well, where do you usually shoot? I usually shoot at http://www.shootprado.com/shotgun_page.htm and http://burrocanyon.com/ .

Krimmie, thanks for the advice. I do use a modified choke tube for trap. Although my friend and I will sometimes shoot with an IC choke to see if we can hit the bird the moment it's released. It's a lot of fun .

slammedsi, you pinpointed my major handicap - the swing. I am currently trying different techniques right now. If you don't mind, could you show me what type of weights you use?

oneounce, I don't know if I can consistently hit the doubles. But even if I can, I am still going to take an O/U home with me when my wallet permits .

I've never shot or even heard of 5-stand before, would you mind explaining the game to me?

[zippy13]

See PM

[oneounceload]

I've never shot or even heard of 5-stand before, would you mind explaining the game to me?

5-stand came around as a compact version of sporting clays because a lot of older clubs do not have the property for a full layout.

In some respects, the participants are aligned and move like trap shooters - there are 5 cages, each one occupied, shooters shoot and the next person and so on. That's where the similarity ends and the fun begins. Most 5-stands will have at least 8 machines (the one I shoot at has 12, including an overhead wobble trap machine). These machines will throw crossers, rabbits, teals, chondelles, battues, minis, incomers, outgoers, L2R quartering away, R2L quartering away, etc.

Your first target is a single that you can use two shots as necessary. Then will come two pairs, sometimes they might be report pairs, sometimes true pairs. After 5 targets have been shot in rotation, the shooters move to the next stand where a different sequence awaits.

The result is a lot of fun. Bring 30 cartridges with you.

[Dave McC]

One note....

Remington does things a little different when it comes to skeet choking. Their skeet tube has NEGATIVE constriction, it's about .002 wider than the bore. A straight Cylinder bore tube thus is tighter, not more open.

Good extended tubes have a little longer taper than one sees on flush mounted ones. That can,in theory, lead to less deformed shot and a slight improvement in pattern density.

At skeet ranges, not terribly crucial,IMO.

Porting, whether barrels or tubes, is,IMO, a waste.

As an old 870 fan, I see little disadvantage to using your WM. DO pattern it and make sure it shoots where you look. Some tubes ,rarely these days, are non concentric.

There's tubes here from Angle Port, Remington, Carlson's, Colonial, Hastings, etc. All work well.

[Hank15]

Oneounce, I will try 5-stand this weekend and let you know how it goes.

Be prepared to take the blame for my addiction .

Dave, I am glad you mentioned patterning as I have yet to do so since my purchase last summer .

I am not familiar with the distance of skeet and trap, as I've always just enjoyed the games for what they are. Could you recommend how far I should set the pattern boards?

[BigJimP]

For what its worth -- I shoot extended chokes in all of my guns - for Skeet, Trap, Sporting Clays and bird hunting ... Extended or flush mounted make no difference in performance, in my opinion, it just makes it easier to see what chokes are in your gun / makes changing them a little easier.

Shooting a pre-mounted high gun at Trap and Skeet / and more and more in Sporting Clays ...is very common.

Welcome to our collective addiction ..../ before long you'll need a good 20ga / a 28ga / and a .410 ......and 4 reloaders .....and a ton of shot...and a few more shotguns .....

[slammedsi]

Here is the weight i used there are others out there.

http://www.briley.com/berettamagcapw...korsilver.aspx

[oneounceload]

Speaking of weights, I added one from Jim's Eye and Ear to my 1100 in 28 gauge to help curb the whippiness of the barrel - something that many pumps and semis seem to suffer.

http://www.jimsearneye.com/barrelweight.html

Of course, one you get that O/U, it becomes moot.........

[Hank15]

Thanks for the suggestions everyone.

I will be heading to the skeet range this weekend, I will let you know how I do.

If possible, I may also record a video.

Expect a post on Sunday evening or Monday morning .

[Dave McC]

The longest shot in skeet is about 21 yards. Typically, trap singles are shot at around 33-36 yards. Pattern at those ranges.....

[Hank15]

Thanks Dave.

I'll try that the next time I go to an open range.

[zippy13]

The longest shot in skeet is about 21 yards.

Not quite. I'm intimate enough with the field design that when I Googled "Skeet field layout" one of my old drawings came up. Dave, the optimum Skeet shot (breaking the target over the center stake) is right on 21-yards. However, if you're not so fortunate, and have to chase the target to the out-of-bounds marker, then you can be looking at a 40+ yard shot at most stations.

[oneounceload]

and have to chase the target to the out-of-bounds marker, then you can be looking at a 40+ yard shot at most stations.

And yet, that .005 constriction and number 8s or 9s seem to work just fine......(which is why a lot of folks use an IC for sporting - some shots get a little longer)