sub gauges or full choke for practice?

[hamajun]

Does anyone here regularly practice with sub gauges (410 / 28ga) or full choke to improve their shooting skill for 12/20ga tournament (skeet, trap, sporting clays)? If so, how is it working for you?

[fecalguns]

Does anyone here regularly practice with sub gauges (410 / 28ga) or full choke to improve their shooting skill for 12/20ga tournament (skeet, trap, sporting clays)? If so, how is it working for you?

I have been using tighter chokes lately. I can't say whether it has helped me shoot any better at this moment, but I will continue to do this as it seems to help me SHOW where I hit the birds sometimes.

[Unforgiven]

Shooting a subguage won’t help unless you are shooting out of a matched weight tube set. I tend to shoot light mod all the time. Spend more time focusing on the targets and less time worrying about which choke to use. For the record, I am a master class shooter and NSCA instructor.

[hamajun]

Shooting a subguage won’t help unless you are shooting out of a matched weight tube set. I tend to shoot light mod all the time. Spend more time focusing on the targets and less time worrying about which choke to use. For the record, I am a master class shooter and NSCA instructor.

Thanks for the advice. This is for my skeet shooting with 12/20ga. My eyes (or my conscious mind) tend to lose the laser sharp focus on the target, rather soft-browse it. My subconscious mind sees the picture that appears to have enough lead, and it pulls the trigger, and I do not break the targets consistently.

My coach didn't instruct me to go with sub gauges nor use a full choke. I was just wondering if I have been breaking the targets merely by luck (bigger shot patterns by 12/20ga), and my conscious mind still hasn't acquired ability to stay laser sharp focus on the targets. I thought using sub gauges or tighter choke might help me to train my conscious mind.

I have been using tighter chokes lately. I can't say whether it has helped me shoot any better at this moment, but I will continue to do this as it seems to help me SHOW where I hit the birds sometimes.

Yep, my idea came up after I heard from you about using full choke for everything.

[W.R.Buchanan]

I personally think Skeet Competitions should only be a .410 game. No bigger gauges allowed.

There would be a lot less shoot offs with the smaller bores and would force prices of .410 ammo down.

Randy

[ceh383]

I personally think Skeet Competitions should only be a .410 game. No bigger gauges allowed.

There would be a lot less shoot offs with the smaller bores and would force prices of .410 ammo down.

Randy

Perhaps less shoot-offs, but there are not enough Skeet shooters to force prices down.

Jun, if you are talking about strictly Skeet, use a MOD, it will force you to be on target at those ranges.

At Skeet ranges 12, 20, 28 doesn't matter much, pattern size is nearly the same, it's just the holes in the pattern get bigger. Now .410, it is a smaller pattern with bigger holes in it, you can be on target and still not break it...FRUSTRATING is what it is.

Remember what I told you yesterday, hot core, if you are on target it will break.

[Thefeeder]

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Choking up on that 410 may be the answer.

Shot skeet 410 with Mod chokes in both barrels. Mod gave the best uniform patterns with what I was using. Experiment on a patterning board if you have not already

Reloading is a good way to find a good patterning load.......it will take time and can be just as frustrating, but he good side is you only have to find it once

[hamajun]

I personally think Skeet Competitions should only be a .410 game. No bigger gauges allowed.

There would be a lot less shoot offs with the smaller bores and would force prices of .410 ammo down.

Randy

Randy,

An interesting idea. Supply and demand, but also many weekend shooters would walk away from this wonderful hobby if we make it too hard, that leads to lesser demand. NSSA already has 410 bore division. I think freedom to choice is more valuable than regulation. I just need to improve myself (my conscious mind) for skeet shooting. I would rather avoid reloading if possible, and that's one of the reasons I bought Remington V3 to shoot Walmart ammo comfortably.

Perhaps less shoot-offs, but there are not enough Skeet shooters to force prices down.

Jun, if you are talking about strictly Skeet, use a MOD, it will force you to be on target at those ranges.

At Skeet ranges 12, 20, 28 doesn't matter much, pattern size is nearly the same, it's just the holes in the pattern get bigger. Now .410, it is a smaller pattern with bigger holes in it, you can be on target and still not break it...FRUSTRATING is what it is.

Remember what I told you yesterday, hot core, if you are on target it will break.

Chuck,

Thanks for your advice. I'll try a mod choke. It would be the least expensive solution.

Do you think Mod suffices for skeet practice or shall I go with even tighter choke, e.g. extra full?

[ceh383]

Chuck,

Thanks for your advice. I'll try a mod choke. It would be the least expensive solution.

Do you think Mod suffices for skeet practice or shall I go with even tighter choke, e.g. extra full?

Jun, please don't take this the wrong way.
At your level, MOD is plenty tight enough. It will force you to focus on the bird and get your mechanics down.
It's baby steps, when you are regularly running 50, 75, 100 then you can go full.
Right now a full would hurt more than it would help.

[hamajun]

Jun, please don't take this the wrong way.
At your level, MOD is plenty tight enough. It will force you to focus on the bird and get your mechanics down.
It's baby steps, when you are regularly running 50, 75, 100 then you can go full.
Right now a full would hurt more than it would help.

Good advice again. I'll start using a Mod choke. Yes, I haven't done 25 straight yet.

[whutsup40]

I practice a lot of skeet with 20 gauge, But I reload my shells both 12 and 20 around 1250 fps, so I feel it is helping somewhat.

[whutsup40]

it seems the first 25 straight is the hardest.

[shovelon]

Does anyone here regularly practice with sub gauges (410 / 28ga) or full choke to improve their shooting skill for 12/20ga tournament (skeet, trap, sporting clays)? If so, how is it working for you?

I practice skeet with light mod and 3/4oz 12 gauge loads. Or with the light mod chokes I slip in my briley 20 gauge sidekicks to spread a skeet choke like pattern. Really makes me focus. I can see why I miss if I am not right on it. Most likely because I am behind.

On skeet competition day I use skeet chokes with light 1 oz. 12 gauge loads. I always score higher because of the lucky BB.

[shovelon]

I personally think Skeet Competitions should only be a .410 game. No bigger gauges allowed.

There would be a lot less shoot offs with the smaller bores and would force prices of .410 ammo down.

Randy

I would stop attending skeet shoots then. And I live for shootoffs. Besides I can now reload .410 for a pittance.

Best skeet load ever is 1 1/8th oz #9 shot, low recoil. As pointed out to me from some old timers clays with holes and no breaks are a result of low shock fracturing due to game loads.

[ceh383]

I would stop attending skeet shoots then. And I live for shootoffs. Besides I can now reload .410 for a pittance.

Best skeet load ever is 1 1/8th oz #9 shot, low recoil. As pointed out to me from some old timers clays with holes and no breaks are a result of low shock fracturing due to game loads.

So, Terry, you want to shoot the Bonanza with .410?
I think I have enough, I'll do it if you will.