[dhip]

Just wondering.Have heard a Theory that if you practice with a tighter choke,then open it up a little for competition your scores could be better.Right now I use a Carlson full in my Browning.I have a Midas full,a tad tighter than Carlson restriction,and a Midas X-tra full,even tighter.I'm sure it's been discussed before.Also is there any thoughts on choking different size shot with same oz. load.

I.E. --7 1/2 1oz.--IM choke same yardage
8 1oz.-- L.Full

Just wondering

Doug H.

 

[Shawn]

Doug
I have heard that theory for years (Practice with a tighter choke)and I am not a beliver.
I wouldn't change anything when going from practice to competition.

JMHO YMMV

Shawn

 

[grntitan]

Practice with what you are going to compete with from shells, choke to gun. Your routine should be repetitive so that when you are shooting its second nature.

 

[hmb]

Sometimes changing chokes can change your guns POI. HMB

 

[dhip]

OK,thanks,More practice seems to be the answer.Always looking for an edge here or there in what ever I do.So,I'll just practice more with what I've got.Just enjoy shooting,at my age(59) it's too late to think of doing anything but shooting for enjoument.

Doug H.

 

[bubba68]

Same as above - practice with same choke you will compete with.

But, with that said, on occasion I have tightened up the choke to extra full when trying to dial in during practice rounds and changing the settings on my stock to change POI. This allows you to better see if you are hitting the left, right, top or bottom of the target. If you shoot modified choke, it is sometimes difficult to tell sometimes. Then, after all settings are made, I put the modified back in.

 

[ColtM1911A1]

I use an XFull choke for all training (practice), and switch to a Full choke for scoring. I do not use any other chokes - no LFull, IMod, etc. IMO, it requires me to concentrate more during training, and gives me confidence during scoring.

I also use my reloads during training, but use factory Federal Gold Medal for scoring. My reloads are 7 1/2 @1 1/8 oz. at 3 drams (1200 fps); the factory loads are #8, 1 1/8 oz @ 1200 fps. These are what I use for singles (16yds). For HDCP, I use all 7 1/2 shot at 1200 fps and 1 1/8 weight, both reloads and factory.

This gets me the scoring I want, from singles to HDCP distances. My gun's POI is approximately 12 inches above POA at 35 yards with a density circle of about 22" using the Full choke; with the XFull choke I get a POI 12", and a density circle of approx. 17".

I never shoot at singles distance when I train, and I always try different concepts, gun holds, eye holds, quick shots, leads, and look points. I train to improve my shooting, not just doing the same thing from the 16 yd line all the time. I personally believe you cannot improve if you don't challenge yourself each time you hit the line...

I don't post often, but this thread got to me for a comment. Again, as always, this is what I do, and it most likely will not fit your game plan at all.

Good luck @ the line, and smokem' all.

 

[gailmk67]

Practice the same way with the same gun, chokes and shells that you would shoot in competition. Your confidence level wil increase.

Regards, Joe

 

[wolfram]

Choke for smoke and leave it there. The caveat here is that the smoke choke might be labled something other than full or x-full. My smoke choke is marked Imod and has 0.033" of constriction. This is one of those things you need to prove out for yourself, but bottom line is you need to be smoking the targets such that you know when you have a centered hit and you know when you don't. Practice or registered doesn't matter - you need that feedback in both cases.

Now the other thing that you need to do is change your outlook from being stuck and not able to improve to being confident that you are improving. That mindset alone will do more for your shooting than all the gadgetry and techno- tricks combined.

 

[jdsfarms]

I agree with Shawn Mcneil put a choke in that works for you and leave it alone.Jerry

 

[Hoosier Daddy]

My theory is when I get up to 90 straight or more I begin to choke. The higher the straight run gets the more I choke...

 

[1oldtimer]

What did they do before choke tubes when fixed chokes were the norm? Are we making this game too complicated? Clyde

 

[recurvyarcher]

I put a full choke in and leave it. I agree with wolfram.

 

[BILL GRILL]

Should put them all on paper to check wich one is best. jmho

 

[Hap MecTweaks]

Most trap tourneys are won using the 24 to 26 inch inner pattern core. Leo Harrison uses a .045 Xtra full choke on handicap targets and does pretty fair with that set up? Trap shooting is a game of inches, not feet as a lot of shooters assume. Relying on fringe hits from a larger pattern won't cut the mustard for the average shooter either, too sparse! Some modified marked chokes will shoot full choke patterns just as some imp mod chokes will.

Hap

 

[Hap MecTweaks]

Jim, all the stars must be aligned just right for me to even walk through a mustard patch!! Cutting the cheese is something else though and I know the cheese process, so does the Hauxter of Iowa Harkeye fame!!

I feel a lot of the newer shooters "hear" about a magical theory and waste a ton of time and money chasing that extra target er four. Shooters would be better off thinking in terms of smaller size patterns when shooting clays rather than larger?

Hap

 

[dhip]

Thanks again all.I've been shooting 1 1/2 yr. @5 straight last year was my best.Like trying to go through a wall just to repeat that.24's are coming easier.Fussing over getting a new gun,(shooting a 28" sporting clay browning) but I have a quirk that tells me A more expensive gun won't make me shoot better.Love to hear it when people say,beware of the guy who owns one gun.I'd like that to become me.Show up with my little browning,smoke the targets and calmly walk away smiling.I hit them hard as they tell me,but I want more smoke,so starting to day,I tightened up the choke a tad and put the Midas Full in.I'll see tommorrow how it works.As Bill G. said bove,I ought to quit being so cheap and pattern all my chokes and see which is the best.Maybe I'll set something up down at the cabin in W.V. and do that.Ten take in what Hap said about the 24-26" pattern.My quirk though leads me to Coltm's line of thinking.Maybe after I pattern chokes.Worst case scenario is same as Hosser,,,,Maybe when I see th top guns I squad with,unknowingly I choke...LOL,,

Thanks again,warming up for an ATA shoot in W.V.,,Don't want to embarress myself down there.

Doug H.

 

[Hap MecTweaks]

Doug, regardless of your guns barrel lengths, with the right full choke, shoot trap targets and not miss till it's the load or guns fault? Shoot in inches instead of feet when making your moves on a trap target!

Hap

 

[dbart1948]

Interesting thread! In shooting my Browning Special Trap, I have ran the gambit from full to an improved cyclinder at the 16 yard line. Despite my efforts, my scores are not very good.

My current solution to the problem is stick with an improved modified choke. If I learn to slow down and focus on the target while keeping my head down on the stock, I believe that my scores will improve.

Any other ideas out there?

Dave

 

[Hap MecTweaks]

Yukon Jackson, ya gotta remember not all these guys attack poor lil clays with the same blindin speeds as U due!!

Good shootin buddy!!

Hap