How Do I Determine What to Use on Sporting Clays?

[Gulfecho]

I just received my Browning Citori 725 Sporting 12 gauge with 30" barrels. Which chokes do I use for sporting clays? I am sure one needs to take into account the specific range he's shooting at, but generally speaking.

Thanks for your input.

Sid

P.S.

 

[younggun22]

I typically start with Improved Modified and go on from there

 

[Breakaway500]

With todays modern shotshells and shotguns (backbored,lengthened forcing cones etc), Improved Cylinder choke will give clay busting patterns out to 60 yards and destroy anything under that. Pattern your gun if you need confirmation. I've shot tens of thousands of clays rounds and made it to Masters class..and stopped changing chokes a long time ago. IC-IC will get it done..the rest is up to you. Nice choice in a Clays gun,by the way. We do like pictures..

 

[OKFC05]

To deal with the variety of sporting clays setups on various ranges, I use the extended chokes with knurling that allow me to quickly change chokes without tools, keeping a pouch of the various chokes in my pocket. That way, I can customize my double gun for the setup at hand, if needed. For most clubs, you won't be changing all that often.


I shot a sporting clays setup in KY that was designed to simulate waterfowl hunting, and at some stations high passing shots were paired with incoming shots that practically dropped in my lap, so I used the odd combination of full and skeet for them.


One of the fun but challenging things about field sporting clays ranges is that anything goes, and the shots can be anything they want.


Added: As noted above, many sporting clays ranges have most shots at near to medium ranges and an IC is good enough for 90% of the shots.

 

[old&slow]

In my 725 I'm using a Improved Cylinder & a Light Mod. for local sporting clays.
Most of the guys I shoot with are using IC.. A couple of them are using LM to Mod.

 

[arjay]

I use a skeet 1 and a skeet 2. (either side of IC)

 

[StakeOut]

I shot a lot of American skeet in the 80s and early 90s and then tried my hand at the new game called Sporting Clays and administered by the NSSA.

I used my Perazzi Mirage skeet gun with Federal Champion Paper Shotshells loaded with #7-1/2 Extra Hard Shot for Sporting Clays

I imagine the game has changed a lot since then.

I used the same Perazzi Mirage with a modified choke barrel for live pigeon shooting in Pennsylvania and Mexico

 

[Rpg]

Folks love to fiddle with screw in chokes, often just because they can.

Fairly open chokes work best for sporting clays (IC).

Don't over think this stuff.

 

[H Richard]

I'll usually start out with my Browning Lightening Sporting Clays IC & Mod, and occasionally change to a tighter choke if our range puts one of those 60-70 yard crossing shots in. I have an older SKB 500 20 Ga. with fixed IC & Mod and it is fun to shoot the whole course with it, it's so light, get ready for bird season.

 

[DWalt]

Back in the day, for sporting clays I used IC/IC invector tubes in my Browning Citori with #8 shot. Worked fine for me. But then I also used #8 for both 15 yard trap and skeet.

 

[chief38]

I originally bought all of my Shotguns for Pheasant, Quail and grouse Hunting and not for Sporting Clays so they are mostly geared towards that. Over the last 10 - 12 years I have grown to like Sporting Clays, Trap & Skeet quite a bit and mostly use my Browning O/U Superposed in 12 Ga. It has a 26" Barrel with Mod. and Imp Cyl. chokes which is not ideal for Sporting Clays, but I actually shoot pretty good with it. My feeling is that if I can hit most of the Clays with that, the Birds are in trouble. If I were to specifically buy a S/C's gun I'd get a 28" Browning Citori with interchangeable chokes.

While I also own a bunch of other Shotguns, I do not like using Auto's or Pumps for S/C's.

 

[JH1951]

I used to fiddle with chokes, but settled on IC / IC...... No more second guessing. If I do my part, so will my tubes.....

 

[Collo Rosso]

Prefer semi-auto. My old Rem 1100 and new Benelli montefltro have IC chokes and I have no reason to change.

 

[tops]

IC and IC are hard to beat. For the last 5 years I have shot IM and IM. If you are on the bird the choke doesn't matter as much as some people think. Instead of fiddling and piddling and changing and worrying about chokes just concentrate on hitting the bird. Larry

 

[Nighthawk0083]

I have always used rhino skeet and improved cylinder chokes in my 425 citori. Very rarely did I change to a tighter pattern. Those chokes are ported and stick out so they are easy to change with your hands and don't require the choke tool. Just be sure to check them after every station that they are tight. Just my opinion.

 

[Nighthawk0083]

By the way nice looking citori! I have a 425 30" citori and I love it. They might have to bury me with it. Haha

Also get you a nice set of snap caps for it to relax the springs.

 

[lrb1200]

Been shooting at clay clubs since nine years old.
Lots of good input on the thread, but something omitted,
how fast do you "see" the target and shoot.
Becomes your style. Sporting Clay courses with the
variations of presentations will have a profound effect
on the choke selection, as to how far away is the target
when you are able to "see" it and shoot.
20 feet off the thrower, or 20 feet off the ground.
Especially on true pairs.
Evaluate your style, and select chokes accordingly.
Browning is a great choice, but I shoot a modified
Beretta 682 Gold E.

 

[Wee Hooker]

Too many variables to answer but , generally speaking:

The chokes will be determined by each course. Long shots require tighter chokes and close shots, more open. (The advantage of the double barrel is you can select two barrel and choke combinations.)

Chokes will also be determined by your abilities and speed on target.

Watch the people in your squad. You will learn from their experience on choke selection, target sequence and a whole lot more. There is NO substitute for experience in this game.

All that said, I often would stick a LM in my Beretta Semi Auto and shoot near the entire course with that set-up. Seems to work OK for my (somewhat redundant) local course.

hth

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

My brother and have both been shooting Sporting Clays since 1994. His average finally passed mine last season. He's been shooting 500+birds a week for 2 years, so he is getting better! (I'm doing good to get in 500 a month!)

In his 725/12 gauge/32" he uses sk/ic in warm weather and ic/ic in cold. with an occasional change for long shots in any weather. 1255fps for 1 oz or 1 1/8 oz!

In my Feather XS/410/30" I only use ic/mod! 1300fps 1/2 oz! I am most often just a few birds behind in score.

In my 1965 Superpose Lightning/12/30" it is fixed at Full/Full!. I use 1290 one ounce for far shots and 1300 fps one ounce spreaders for close. He has never beaten me when I use this gun! But my shoulders won't take many rounds a month with that much recoil, so I stick to my 410 & 28 and know most 12 gauge shooters will beat me, but they are surprised by how few birds they beat me by!.

Ivan

 

[model70hunter]

I too used IC/IC.

I often read that modern shot cups actually make an IC perform with a tighter pattern. Go to a Mod choke it will be closer to Full choke.

One has to pattern the chokes for the range one will most encounter when shooting.

I always felt IC was the best choice for me.