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< 16ga. General Discussion ~ Choke advice |
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Posted:
Sun Aug 26, 2018 5:55 pm
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Joined: 14 Jun 2018
Posts: 44
Location: SC
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My first SxS is arriving Tuesday. Don't know for sure, but seller thinks it's mod/full. Pretty standard for 1923 Sterlingworth. I'm definitely getting the full choke opened up. My question is, what's the combo most use. Most of my grouse hunting is done in WV, and we get some more open shooting, but will be making a trip to the Northwoods each season as well. |
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Posted:
Sun Aug 26, 2018 6:08 pm
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Joined: 14 Feb 2017
Posts: 401
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FWIW, I think most shooters use more choke than needed for everything from hunting to sporting clays. I know years back that was the mentality; full choke. Which is why lots of older guns are choked so tight with fixed chokes. I find I can shoot most sporting clays courses with an improved cylinder or less. Sometimes a lot less. Hunting the same thing. Your results may vary. |
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Posted:
Sun Aug 26, 2018 6:43 pm
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Member
Joined: 15 Apr 2007
Posts: 9464
Location: Amarillo, Texas
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IC/Mod for a hunting gun not specifically for grouse |
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USAF RET 1971-95 |
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Posted:
Sun Aug 26, 2018 8:00 pm
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Member
Joined: 12 Aug 2007
Posts: 1376
Location: Northern Illinois
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I would take it out to the pattern board before you decide to change anything and use your hunting ammo. If you don’t like that then try some spreaders. If you still don’t like the patterns it throws you can always change them later. FWIW I think a IC is only good for a clean kill out to 30 yards. Beyond that many will fly off and die later. Lots of old guns are marked X and shoot Y.
Good Hunting,
Mike |
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Posted:
Sun Aug 26, 2018 10:14 pm
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Joined: 04 Oct 2015
Posts: 280
Location: Clemson
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Chicago makes a good point. My sterly is mod/ full but patterns light mod/ imp mod. I use polywad double wides if i use the gun for quail or rabbit. This has served me well. If i need something more open i have plenty that will fit the bill. |
_________________ There is no substitute for winning! |
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Posted:
Mon Aug 27, 2018 3:12 am
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Member
Joined: 06 Oct 2007
Posts: 2350
Location: West MI
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Chicago wrote: |
I would take it out to the pattern board before you decide to change anything and use your hunting ammo. If you don’t like that then try some spreaders. If you still don’t like the patterns it throws you can always change them later. FWIW I think a IC is only good for a clean kill out to 30 yards. Beyond that many will fly off and die later. Lots of old guns are marked X and shoot Y.
Good Hunting,
Mike
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ditto...need real world reference data...for brush busting in Northern MI where I find birds (bunnys too) rarely offers an open field shot and most shots need to be taken within 30y; IC/Skt, IC/Cyl, Skt/Skt,etc.. your terrain/local and hunting style may dictate differently
Good luck with your project, |
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Posted:
Mon Aug 27, 2018 5:39 am
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Joined: 08 Dec 2016
Posts: 169
Location: Michigan
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I'd echo other comments on patterning first.
Then perhaps consider (if needed) just opening one barrel, take your mod to IC or LM, then see what you can do with the other left at full.
I always thought I'd open any fixed choke gun I got to IC/MOD or SKT/IC right away, but have changed my mind a bit, largely due to a lot of reading on this board.
Can play with different loads, spreaders, or even alter shooting style (headshots only! ha!) to get by with a fuller choke, but once you open them up you can't really go back.
Just my $.02 |
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Posted:
Mon Aug 27, 2018 6:10 am
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Member
Joined: 30 Nov 2011
Posts: 1698
Location: Minnesota
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WVbirdman, Do you have a local gunsmith that has the equipment to measures chokes? Having the measurements in thousandths is the best way to make your decision. Also have him measure the chamber length too. Having both things measured is the only way to know if its already been altered. If you reload, spreaders are easy to make with the inserts available from Polywad. If not, the ones from polywad and RST are quite effective at opening up patterns. |
_________________ Great dog, Great friends,Great guns |
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Posted:
Mon Aug 27, 2018 6:49 am
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Member
Joined: 22 Aug 2011
Posts: 1498
Location: the Moosehorn
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The advantage of two barrels is having chokes that give two different patterns. I like the difference to be at least one choke denomination. If The right barrel is "mod" then the left should be "full" if the right Barrel is "ic" Than the left should be "im" other wise the difference is really not significant. I also can increase the difference by using a different load in each barrel. I often use chilled shot in the right barrel and hard shot in the left because the softer shot usually makes a more open pattern. |
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Posted:
Mon Aug 27, 2018 7:12 am
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Member
Joined: 14 Jan 2006
Posts: 1007
Location: Lancaster county, Pa
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.007 and .015 is what I have my grouse gun Sterlingworth bored. I use 1 oz of #7 early and late. Close birds don't get torn up to bad and the longer birds seem to get hit plenty hard. All 3 of my Sterlingworths were choked way to tight for Sporting clays, skeet, Grouse and Woodcock. |
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Posted:
Mon Aug 27, 2018 9:14 am
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Joined: 14 Jun 2018
Posts: 44
Location: SC
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pudelpointer wrote: |
.007 and .015 is what I have my grouse gun Sterlingworth bored. I use 1 oz of #7 early and late. Close birds don't get torn up to bad and the longer birds seem to get hit plenty hard. All 3 of my Sterlingworths were choked way to tight for Sporting clays, skeet, Grouse and Woodcock.
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This is what I THINK as well, but all of the above advice is very useful (thanks everyone). Need to pattern it at 30 yrds and then if I'm not happy with it, take it to my local Smith and have everything measured... make a decision from there. |
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Posted:
Mon Aug 27, 2018 10:28 am
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Member
Joined: 04 Mar 2008
Posts: 1620
Location: Williamsburg, VA
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pudelpointer wrote: |
.007 and .015 is what I have my grouse gun Sterlingworth bored. I use 1 oz of #7 early and late. Close birds don't get torn up to bad and the longer birds seem to get hit plenty hard. All 3 of my Sterlingworths were choked way to tight for Sporting clays, skeet, Grouse and Woodcock.
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My Sterlingworth is .006" and .015". (Approx. IC/Mod?)
I still run into folks who do not understand the importance of measuring choke constriction (bore diameter minus choke diameter). They will use a simple muzzle plug gage to determine how a gun is choked. |
_________________ BarkeyVA |
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Posted:
Wed Aug 29, 2018 8:16 am
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Joined: 17 Mar 2017
Posts: 2802
Location: Endless Mountains of Pa
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WVBirdman,
Before you open your chokes, pick up a couple boxes of SpredR shells and give them a try. You may not need to open your chokes at all! I use them a lot, especially for Grouse and Woodcock hunting. Great low pressure loads for the old Classic American double guns.
Pine Creek/Dave
L.C. Smith Man |
_________________ "L.C. Smith America's Best" - John Houchins
Pine Creek Grouse Dog Trainers |
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Posted:
Wed Aug 29, 2018 8:59 am
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Joined: 16 Jul 2015
Posts: 2126
Location: Hudson,Wy
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I would ask myself how often I will use the gun and will I use it for anything other than grouse in timber? If this is a woodland gun only, open is good. If it is to be used sporadically and spreader loads give the desired result, that is a good solution.
However, it it were me and I knew the gun would see frequent tight cover use, I would lean toward opening the chokes. Double that sentiment if you are buying the spreaders rather than making your own since you may not always be able to get them.
My favorite blue/ruffed grouse setup is a 16 Lefever choked Sk 1 & I/M. The I/M is a little tight for the heaviest cover, but in those scenarios I seldom see a bird long enough to fire the 2nd shot. It comes in handy for other situations though. |
_________________ Only catch snowflakes on your tongue AFTER the birds fly south for the winter... |
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Posted:
Wed Aug 29, 2018 9:12 am
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Joined: 14 Jun 2018
Posts: 44
Location: SC
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Savage16 wrote: |
WVbirdman, Do you have a local gunsmith that has the equipment to measures chokes? Having the measurements in thousandths is the best way to make your decision. Also have him measure the chamber length too. Having both things measured is the only way to know if its already been altered. If you reload, spreaders are easy to make with the inserts available from Polywad. If not, the ones from polywad and RST are quite effective at opening up patterns.
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There are several gunsmiths around here and I have messages out to all of them on whether they do fixed choke work, how they measure it and if they pilot from the breach....we'll see what I get back. I'm already in love with this gun so I don't want to send it to just anyone.
I'm going to pattern it today and see exactly what's going on with it and then I'll figure out the next step. Spreaders are expensive, 2 1/2" especially. I'm going to start loading my own, so maybe it's an option that route. |
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