loads and chocks for clays

[pig]

what kind of loads and what kind of choke do you guys use for shooting clays

[Graybeard]

I honestly dunno what you mean by "chock". That's a term I don't recognize. 

To properly answer your question on loads you need to let us know what kinda clays you're shooting. Are you shooting a formal game like skeet, trap or sporting clays or you just using a hand thrower or such out in the back 40? That makes a real difference in the answers we'll give you.

[Questor]

I assume you meant "choke", so I'll tell you what I use.

I use principally WalMart promotional brands of Federal ammo in #8 shot and 1 1/8 ounce for 12 gauge. When I load my own ammo I load 1 ounce of shot at around 1200fps using #8 shot. 

Since my gun has interchangeable chokes I use Modified for 16 yard trap, Cylinder and IC for skeet, and IC and Mod for the rare times I shoot sporting clays.

In a single barrelled gun I would use Modified for trap and improved cylinder for skeet, and modified for sporting clays.

[pig]

yes I meant choke and for skeet I use #9 shot and modified for now and was also woundering if I should buy a interchangeble choke but thought it would wear out but not for sure yet

[Graybeard]

If your gun is set up for interchangeable choke tubes then get a more open one for skeet. Modified is really more appropriate for 16 yard trap or sporting clays than skeet. You can use it but you'll miss a lot of targets you'd be hitting with a IC or more open choke.

If your gun has fixed chokes you really have only two choices. You can pay someone to installed interchangeable choke tubes if there is enough metal or get another barrel assuming it's a gun with extra barrel options.

For skeet use Skeet, cylinder or improved cylinder.

Number 9 shot is the prefered shot for skeet but 8 or 8-1/2 also work OK. For trap #8 or #7-1/2 are the preferred shot sizes. For sporting clays most use #8 but I vary from 9s to 7-1/2 depending on the presentation.

[pig]

I have a mossberg model 835 12 gauge and only have a modified choke.  I've seen in cabelas there are two different interchangeable chokes.  Questor what brand is your interchangeable choke and what do you recommend

[mcwoodduck]

I like 1 1/8 oz 7.5 but will shoot what ever is on sale at Walley world if I need to buy shells.  Most targets in modern courses are only skeet distances so I use IC or Skeet for most targets in my screw choke guns.  When I use my fixed choke guns.  I use what they came with.  Most are Mod/ full in the side by sides I like and do not reduce my score.
I say most modern ranges as the original courses were set up to simulate hunting and some birds were way out there to simulate passing ducks or high flying dove and were on large tracts of land.  Also there were some stations that required you to walk a short distance and 10 birds came out of 10 different machines requiring you to reload as you went though the course.  New courses are more compact and limit the really long shots to 40 or 50 yards. If it looks long you may just have to make your self wait till the bird flys closer to you before you shoot.
If you were to order a british or german side by side as a sporting side by side they come with fixed sheet/ IC chokes.

[Graybeard]

Clearly you don't live around here. The folks running the courses in this area seem to have run out of ideas how to make a course tough thru target presentation and are resorting to distance. Some shots now see the target never being closer than 75 yards to the shooter or so I'm told by the folks shooting sporting clays regularly. It's gotten to where my 28 gauge won't reach so I've stopped shooting clays and only shoot skeet.

[mcwoodduck]

Hey Greybeard.
I live in southern California and most of the sporting clays courses here are close.  I have shot the western Ducks AUnlimited and Quail Unlimited shoots as well and all are not a problem with either my 20 or 410.  I shoot most of them with fixed Mod/ Ic or Full and Full out of the 410 and have not had a problem. gettin the shot to the target with factory AA loads.  Most of the way out there stations are being thrown to or crossing the stand and if you wait and make your self shoot a falling bird they are not a big problem.  It's good to see that some courses are still giving you far shots.
Again if you look in the Merkel catalog they only offer fixed chokes for their isde by side sporting clay gun in IC/ Skeet as well as the U/O guns with fixed chokes.  all the reason to carry more than one gun on the golf cart for the far shots when carrying fixed choke BB guns.
Good luck in your shooting.
Brian.
Ps.  there are a lot of stories that start " I did not see this but a friend of a friend....."

[Graybeard]

A lot of the guys I shoot with are regular competitors in the area sporting clays ranges. They practice with the full and super full choke tubes cuz of the distances ranges are throwing targets to these days. I gave up on the sporting clays ranges because of the long ranges they are throwing now. I used to do fine with my 28 but no more it just can't reach out to touch them at those kinda distances. The last time I shot it was with a 20 gauge and over half the targets thrown were out of my reach with it using 7/8 oz of #8 shot from IC and MOD chokes.

My shoulder will no longer take the heavy pounding of a full load from a 12 gauge. Some of the state's best clays shooters are in this area and shoot with me and they assure me it's only gotten worst since I gave up sporting clays.

[oneounceload]

In NV, N. CA, and now FL, I use SK/IC to start with for Sporting Clays - an IC choke will break targets out to 40-45 yards very nicely.  If I feel the need for more choke, I might use a LM or M.

To the OP - if you have fixed chokes, you will need someone to properly thread the barrel for chokes - you just can't buy some and screw them in otherwise.  Briley does a good job, or you might even be cheaper buying an aftermarket barrel for your gun already threaded for choke tubes