Choke question

[opossum]

I am new to shooting trap and I am using a Winchester x2 28" barrel.I have tried a full choke tube not sure of brand and a Hastings improved modified.I have tried AA's 7.5 1 1/8 ounce loads and remington 7.5 1 1/8 ounce loads at 30 and 40 yards .The patterns are not good and even leaving holes that a clay pigeon could easily get through.Any ideas on a good choke without buying a bunch and trying them.Thanks for any input.

[chalmitch]

opossum,

 I presume that you pattern the barrel/chokes using a paper record.  Try a shot without chokes at 30 and at 40 yards.  Use that as your reference.  For Trap generally a choke towards full is best but all barrels and chokes are different.  If the gun came with chokes try the most constrictive or tightest first and move to the more open version.  You may find a modified or improved will pattern well and increase your scores.

 For ammo I would pick the brand that you find easiest to buy or that could be reloaded later in your career, most likely the AA.

Best regards,
chalmitch

[Graybeard]

My policy is NEVER EVER put a gun on paper unless paper is what I plan to shoot with it. The pattern you see on paper will almost always discourage you and is really not even remotely representative of what it will be in the real world on a moving target so don't discourage yourself by looking at it.

I do my patterning on the range on moving targets only. If I'm centering the targets well and not fringing them then that tells me all I need to know about the load and it's patterning ability. If I'm fringing them consistently that tells me my gun and I are not looking at the same place and I need to either made adjustments or get rid of it. I usually get rid of it and get one that fits rather than mess with it.

For 16 yard trap I prefer a modified choke and see no need for more than an ounce of shot. From the 16 yard line they are not that far away and you'll miss more with a tighter choke that you could/would have hit with the more open one. Heck even a 20 gauge is adequate for 16 yard shooting in trap.

If you back up to handicap distances you need more shot and more choke but not from the 16 yard line. I prefer 8s at that distance and only go to 7-1/2s as distance increases. Even 8-1/2s are plenty at that distance and really is the reason that shot size was begun.

Give modified a try using an ounce of #8 and watch your scores improve.

[rbwillnj]

Opossum,

You never did mention which game you are shooting.   I was watching the guy who won Olympic trap on Shooting USA the other night, and he was talking about chokes.  He said that Full was good out to 40 yards, IM to 35 yards, Modified to 30 yards etc, in five yard steps for each change in choke.   

I'm with Greybeard, I use modified from the 16 yard line.  In fact, I use modified from the 21 yard line....but it kind of depends on how quick you hit the targets.  I tend to hit them pretty quick, but not as quick as some guys I know.   I also know guys who don't get them until they are almost on the ground.  They need a full choke.....maybe even a turkey choke.   

It also depends on the gun.   I'm shooting a Krieghoff now, and it tends to require less choke than my Browning did.

[Questor]

It might be the ammo. I've done quite a bit of tinkering with patterning and I find that the ammo has a big effect on the quality of the patterns. Try something like a box of high quality AA or Remington trap loads and see what the patterns look like. The Federal promo ammo from Walmart patterns poorly in all my guns, but it does get the job done.

[mcwoodduck]

I agree with Grey beard.  The only time I shoot paper is when I try Deer or turkey loads and chokes.
For getting started in trap. For singles ( 16yard) I shoot either improved cylinder or modified.  If you want extended chokes I like the heavy shot choke tubes from...... Crap I can't think of the name.  It's not Briely but the other outfit.  If I think of it I will get back to you.   For handicap back to the 27 yard line I have a fixed full in the Beretta 301A I have all decked out for trap.
But I have them in Modifed for my 1100 and the Nova and I have picked up a bird or two to my score when using them.
Heck I had a cut down barrel on my 1100 for a while and was able to breat birds easily on the 27 yard line.  personally I do not think choke has as much to do with your shooting as does your thinking that that choke or tube is a really good one and will do what you want.  Yes I know I just said that the extended Mod heavy shot tube added to my score and it did but I wonder how much of it is mental and how much better is the choke.

[jgalar]

I haven't shot trap in years, but for what its worth I used #8 shot, modified choke, and 1oz loads from 16.

[Mule]

I will start by saying I am not a league shooter and do not shoot competitively.

In an effort to conserve costly shot, I moved to 7/8 oz and then to 3/4 oz 12 gauge handloads for trap.  If the wind isn't blowing too hard, light modified is my preferred choke.  I shoot mostly from the 16.  The reduced shot weight did not hurt my scores.

On the skeet field, my scores improved with the light loads.   The reduced recoil with 3/4 oz loads improved my doubles shooting significantly.  I am using 8 1/2 size shot for all my target handloads.

Admittedly, I don't see many sootballs on the trap field.  But a break is a break.