Trap Shooting

[Joseywales]

OK. So I have a diamond grade browning semi auto that I have retired for now. I am going pheasant, chuckar, woodcock, and quail hunting. So I bought a CZ SXS in 12 gage. It has 26" bbls.

My question is what chokes do you use for trap shooting and what chokes do you use for the various type of birds?

We will hunt with German Wirehair pointers.

[Spinone]

Typically, with a good pointing dog on wild birds all you should need is IC/M. Depending on the situation and bird you might find yourself needing a little more or less choke. For instance, on wild pheasant in the Midwest, we usually have a lot of wind. I might prefer a choke of IC/IM. For tight holding quail in the heavy mesquite brush of Texas I prefer CYL/IC. For prairie grouse, which often times present really long shots I like IC/IM.

For a preserve hunt use open chokes as almost all shots will be under 20 yards. I don't have any experience hunting ruffed grouse or woodcock but I would think that the more open of a choke the better. In fact, I believe that when hunting with pointing dogs always use the most open choce you feel confortable with.

Here is a photo of one of my boys (He is a Spinone Italiano) on point on a prairie grouse hunt last year:D The bird was about 5 yards in front of his nose. I was using a 16ga SxS with fixed chokes IC/M. More choke than I needed!

http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w178/Spinoni/SpinoneNE.jpg

[toddackerman]

Full choke for trap shooting. The target is approximately 40 yds. away when it is hit. You need a fairly tight pattern to be suuceefl at this game.


I shot this game for several years befor I got caught up in AR's and Precision tactical Rifle shooting. It;s great fun when I show up at the counter to pay to shoot a round of Trap with my 18" Remington 870 that of course is "All Black". Oh the looks I get from the "Senior" members of the shotgun fraternity.

You should se there faces when I hir ~22 or 23 birds. One thimg about this...you have to be "Lightening fast" with an 18" Improved Cylinder barrel to break the clays. This pattern is about 2/3rds less dense than a 30" Full Choke gun would be.

Tack