Shotgun choke recommendation

Amps 13

Amps 13

Well-Known Member
Benefactor
Supporting Member
Joined
Jun 10, 2017
Messages
5,959
Location
Jamestown
Rating - 100%
173   0   0
So I just bought a new to me Browning Citori 12 ga over/under shotgun. Prob be here next week. I am gonna try to knock a few clays out of the air but I need a recommendation on what kind of choke I should get. I am a novice for sure but have gone a few times so not totally raw But would appreciate a little help.
Thanks
 
For sporting clays I shoot LM & M on most ranges. If it's a short\beginners course I'll go with Improved in both barrels. For trap I use full. For skeet I use Improved or skeet. Don't over think it. If you have a mod. It will work for everything. My browning 725 chokes run about one size larger than my other guns, so sometimes it just depends on the gun\choke.
 
50% off chokes..
www.midwestgunworks.com

Choke Tubes

Buy Choke Tubes Factory replacement gun parts, accessories and gunsmithing service on most manufacturers including Browning, Winchester, FN America, Beretta, Benelli Franchi, Stoeger, Remington, Bushmaster, Marlin, Sig Sauer, HK and many more.
www.midwestgunworks.com www.midwestgunworks.com
 
DrScaryGuy said:
50% off chokes..
www.midwestgunworks.com

Choke Tubes

Buy Choke Tubes Factory replacement gun parts, accessories and gunsmithing service on most manufacturers including Browning, Winchester, FN America, Beretta, Benelli Franchi, Stoeger, Remington, Bushmaster, Marlin, Sig Sauer, HK and many more.
www.midwestgunworks.com www.midwestgunworks.com
Click to expand...
Extended or flush? Any difference?
 
no idea. i just saw that on /r/gundeals earlier in the day and posted it here for you kind gents to review
 
Amps 13 said:
Extended or flush? Any difference?
Click to expand...
For a clays gun I would go extended every time. Makes it easy to make sure they’re staying snug. Technically it can protect the end of the barrels a little and allows you to swap chokes between stages if you start taking it super seriously.

2slows advice is spot on, unless you know you’re going to a super tough sporting clays course set up for pros, improved cylinder and light modified is plenty of choke.
 
I use extended for everything. Not needing a choke wrench and being able to tell at a touch when something is loose is a great benefit.

Choke for the task at hand. In the long run, having the right choke isn’t all that expensive.

SK/SK for skeet.

IC/M works great for general purposes, especially hunting dove or upland birds. A decent killing pattern for when a bird gets up close (that won’t obliterate it), and a tighter choke for quartering/fleeing second shots.

IC/M, LM/LM, or M/M will handle sporting clays at 99% of courses. The difference in patterns at 40 yards is something like six or ten inches at the extreme edges—if you’re going to miss, you’re going to miss by feet. I run M/M to ensure harder breaks with lighter 1 oz loads. Run F/F if you’re George Digweed. On easier courses, you can run SK/SK with 7.5 shot… you won’t get smoked breaks, but you’ll break or solidly chip every target in your pattern from 10 to 45 yards.

M/IM or IM/F for trap, depending on trap distance and how quickly you shoot.
 
Last edited:
I shoot IC/LM for sporting clays and for quail. But, if you don't have a LM, just run with IC/M.
For 20g and 28g - I typically run LM/M.
 
Go with 2slow's advice on the chokes, at least until you get enough experience to tell you more about possibly subtle differences.
If you're going to buy new chokes (which I wouldn't until you get some more experience under your belt), then go with the extended ones. They're just easier to pull in and out and have other advantages. Several good makers available. I happen to be using Carlson's. In case you're interested, you can sometimes get great deals on Ebay for used choke tubes in excellent condition. That might allow you to experiment a lot without breaking the bank.

I only shoot 28 ga. nowadays and tend to use LM/M for most everything, except will sometimes go more open for 5-stand or something similar. But with a 12? Well, that throws a lot of lead out there. So not quite so critical. Shooting trap with a 28 is a real hoot. I shot trap for a long time with a 12, but it got boring. I miss quite a few with the 28. But it's fun, and I have a great excuse. 😂 :rolleyes:
 
If you get an extended set, get Sk, IC, M, IM and Full and you'll have it covered. In fact, Cylinder, IC, M and Full will cover most clays games. If you shoot skeet a lot, get a couple of skeet chokes.

I have used IC/M for sporting clays in my Brownings for 10 years, and I doubt I missed a bird because of choke. I have put in Full on occasion, and I have taken the choke out and shot threads on some really close birds.
 
Thanks all. Ordered invector skeet and IC for now. Will look on eBay for the rest.
 
Last edited:
I’ve been using Carlson’s Cremator extended chokes with all of my shotguns recently and have been very impressed, I bought the two packs for all mine.
 
I like using the IC and IM chokes for clays, as well and doves and ducks. They hold good patterns but also depends on brand of your shells as well. But it’s also down to person preference as well too.
 
Amps 13 said:
So I just bought a new to me Browning Citori 12 ga over/under shotgun. Prob be here next week. I am gonna try to knock a few clays out of the air but I need a recommendation on what kind of choke I should get. I am a novice for sure but have gone a few times so not totally raw But would appreciate a little help.
Thanks
Click to expand...
Since you are asking about getting a choke and not new barrels, I will assume that your Browning Cetori is threaded for choke sleeves. For trap, if you acquire the target and shoot fast, go with modified. If you "ride" the bird and shoot late, go with full. In skeet, go with the skeet choke. Improved cylinder will work; but, the best pattern for breaking birds cleanly over the center stake is the skeet choke which was designed for that optimum distance to give you the best shot string and pellet density at the perfect distance which is when the bird crosses the center stake. I prefer improved cylinder on sporting clays; but, again, as in trap, that depends on your shooting style. If you are fast, you will jump on the clay early and skeet is better. If you are average speed, IC. Some people shoot sporting clays with modified chokes and do quite
well. Your Cetori should have the full range of chokes. The huge advantage of an over and under is that you can have two instant choke selections in the field when hunting. When I walk up to a pheasant with my dog on point, the selector goes to IC. Otherwise, the selector is on the modified barrel.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom