Help with Shotgun Chokes

[madmackie 11]

Hi all i have just aquired a 3 shot semi auto shotgun with a set of chokes two questions i have is which choke is which on the end there are grooves 1,2,3,4 and 5 how do the grooves equate to the choke size ie is 1 groove 1/4 choke please any advice would be great also does anyone know where i can get a set of instructions for the shotgun it is a concorde 12 g tried google but no joy just want to make sure its all ok and i familiarize myself with loading and unloading thanks in advance Pete

[SportingShooter 0]

The grooves equate to the following;

 

1 = Full

 

2 = 3/4

 

3 = 1/2

 

4 = 1/4

 

5 = Cylinder/Skeet

[madmackie 11]

Thanks for the reply what would be a good place to start as my previous were fixed choke thanks pete

Edited January 3, 2010 by madmackie

[rjimmer 4]

Don't take any notice of what is marked on a barrel or choke.

A full choke barrel is a barrel that throws a full choke pattern.

A half choke barrel is a barrel that throws a half choke pattern. etc., etc.

 

Some experiments have shown that barrels marked as being tighter than Half-ThreeQuarter choke do not throw tighter patterns.

 

Do test patterns with each choke/setting that you have and do the sums, then you will know what your gun is doing with the cartridge you use for the testing.

Plastic cup-wads should pattern tighter than fibre wads.

 

"Traditionally, the practical measure of choke has been expressed as the percentage of pellets in a given load in a 30-inch circle at a range of 40 yards. Ballisticians quibble about the exact numbers, but in general, choke can be defined by the percentages in the list below."

 

Super Full: -85 percent

Full Choke: 65-70 percent

Improved Modified: 55-65 percent

Modified: 45-55 percent

Improved Cylinder: 35-45 percent

Skeet: 30-35 percent

True cylinder (no choke): 25-35 percent

[madmackie 11]

Thanks i will try to understand this it seems very complex i will have to see if i can get my head round it thanks pete

[Shoot 0]

It depends what your after as to how you may set the barrel.

 

For example my side by side is set at 1/4 and 3/4

 

The reason...

 

Open (or cylinder /skeet) suggests that there is nor restriction from the chokes; suitable for quarry close up offering maximum spread ( which will minimise damage up close). Open is no good at further distances however because it has already spread, therefore you would require a tighter pattern for longer distances.

 

So full choke offers the tighest choke must suitable for longer distances, keeping the pattern tight, concentrating the spread for a more effective grouping at longer distances. On the other hand if you set a barrel to full choke and take your quarry up close you stand less chance of hitting it (because of a smaller spread) and when you do hit it you will obliterate it making it unfit for the table!!

 

So with this in mind you would set your barrel choke to suit your quarry, you would then compliment your choke by the appropriate choice of cartridge load.

 

If i were after rabbit for the table, I would probably gor for 1/2 choke, suitable for some close and some distance work sy with 6.5 / 32 gramme

 

If I was dispatching foxes on the lamp then say 3/4 choke, bb shot 32 gramm +

 

As you have a semi you may find that you need a minimum of 30 gram load to ensure reloading. I have a cheap fabarm I use for pigeon work and I find it won't reload under 32 gram.

 

 

Only my opinion..... hope it is of some help... apologies to others if there are flaws( if so please correct me)

[spiderpig 39]

and lats not forget that pattern testing is done on a stationary card or steel board when this is not the case when shooting moving targets,shot comes out in a cone or string shape so a target that is moving will not be hit by the full pattern. so its useless test really as the front of the pattern might be gapped to hell yet when you test it its full due to the arse end of the string filling it up.ive always been a follower of long barrels tight choke.hit or miss type thing..

 

i pal of myn has a 32inch choke that he screws onto his 32inch bennelli auto..now that throws a tight pattern as has a xtra full turkey choke screwed into the end of that too.....

[SportingShooter 0]

A 32" choke on the end of a 32" barrel Your fingers doing you injustice SP?