Drilling 12ga 3" what are the best fixed chokes per barrel?

[IvW]

For a 12ga 3" drilling what would be the best fixed choke for each barrel? Barrels will be 24 inches. This will be for a field gun also shooting buckshot and slugs. Not going to be used for waterfowl or geese. Africa, game birds while hunting pg.

Standerd chikes are 1/2 and 3/4.

Is it worth fitting changeable multi chokes?remember barrels are only 24 inches long.
Thanks.

 

[HWL]

Lead shotshell or lead free?

HWL

 

[Ontario Hunter]

For a 12ga 3" drilling what would be the best fixed choke for each barrel? Barrels will be 24 inches. This will be for a field gun also shooting buckshot and slugs. Not going to be used for waterfowl or geese. Africa, game birds while hunting pg.

Standerd chikes are 1/2 and 3/4.

Is it worth fitting changeable multi chokes?remember barrels are only 24 inches long.
Thanks.

If this is a new shotgun you are ordering, definitely get choke tubes (changeable). It will make the gun more sellable as well as more versatile. If it all possible order a generic brand of tubes. The most readily available chokes off the shelf would be Winchester "Winchoke" which is the same as Mossberg chokes (forget the model name), and Browning "Invector" (NOT Browning Invector Plus which is a longer choke tube). Next choice would be Remington "Remchoke" followed by Berretta. Try to avoid Briley thin wall chokes, though the gun maker may require it if barrels are thin wall. Their choke tubes are pricey and special order. As far as effectiveness, any of the above will work fine. You can shoot buckshot and slugs through any of the above and any size choke. Just be careful to not shoot steel shot through full choke, whether tubes or fixed. I would think improved cylinder choke should give a good pattern with 00 buckshot (I don't use buckshot). Also would be a good choke if shooting 3" shells at birds. There's a lot of shot in those shells so you'll want the pattern spread out a bit to avoid chewing on lead. If shooting 2.75" shells, modified choke would be okay. Someday you might decide to shoot waterfowl. Then you'd want to use full choke with lead shot (which I think is legal in RSA?). Barrel length really is immaterial for shooting shot or slugs. Longer barrel might give you longer range but doesn't sound like that is a factor if shooting buckshot so it shouldn't be factor for selecting chokes. The biggest advantage to choke tubes is you can change chokes to adjust for best pattern with different types/brands of shotgun ammo. Hope that helps.

PS: Get stainless choke tubes if at all possible. Blued steel chokes are more easily corroded and stuck in the barrel.

 

[BeeMaa]

I wouldn't bother with the added expense of having threads added to the barrel. 1/2 (LT MOD) and 3/4 (IMP MOD) will sort you out for upland game and still be very useful following up on leopard if necessary.

The only possible upside would be using extended chokes to squeeze and extra inch out of the barrels. Although that extra inch isn't necessarily a good thing when following up on leopard.

What rifle cartridge are you planning on?

 

[IvW]

Lead shotshell or lead free?

HWL

Either or including TSS.

There will be an insert barrel 7x57R in the left 12ga barrel.

 

[IvW]

If this is a new shotgun you are ordering, definitely get choke tubes (changeable). It will make the gun more sellable. If it all possible order a generic brand of tubes. The most readily available chokes would be Winchester "Winchoke" which is the same as Mossberg chokes (forget the model name), and Browning "Invector" (NOT Invector Plus which is a longer choke). Next for popularity would be Remington "Remchoke" followed by Berretta. Try to avoid Briley thin wall chokes, though maker may require it if barrels are thin wall. Their choke tubes are pricey and special order. As far as effectiveness, any of the above will work fine. You can shoot buckshot and slugs through any of the above and any choke. Just be careful shooting steel shot through full ch

This not a shotgun......

They fit Briley chokes if wanted.

 

[IvW]

I wouldn't bother with the added expense of having threads added to the barrel. 1/2 (LT MOD) and 3/4 (IMP MOD) will sort you out for upland game and still be very useful following up on leopard if necessary.

The only possible upside would be using extended chokes to squeeze and extra inch out of the barrels. Although that extra inch isn't necessarily a good thing when following up on leopard.

What rifle cartridge are you planning on?

I was thinking the same it also simplifies matters in the field.

 

[KJE81]

1/4 and 1/2 would be my choice.

 

[IvW]

I wouldn't bother with the added expense of having threads added to the barrel. 1/2 (LT MOD) and 3/4 (IMP MOD) will sort you out for upland game and still be very useful following up on leopard if necessary.

The only possible upside would be using extended chokes to squeeze and extra inch out of the barrels. Although that extra inch isn't necessarily a good thing when following up on leopard.

What rifle cartridge are you planning on?

9.3x74R and then a 7x57R barrel insert in the left 12ga barrel.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

This not a shotgun......

They fit Briley chokes if wanted.

I thought a drilling was SxS shotgun with rifle barrel slung underneath.

 

[IvW]

FFS if I wanted your input I would have sent you a PM......

 

[rookhawk]

For a 12ga 3" drilling what would be the best fixed choke for each barrel? Barrels will be 24 inches. This will be for a field gun also shooting buckshot and slugs. Not going to be used for waterfowl or geese. Africa, game birds while hunting pg.

Standerd chikes are 1/2 and 3/4.

Is it worth fitting changeable multi chokes?remember barrels are only 24 inches long.
Thanks.

1/2 and 3/4 sounds perfect to me.

If you want to bird shoot with it, buy yourself some paper shells with cork/fiber wads and it will have a more open pattern. Those chokes will be great for buckshot, slugs, etc.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

FFS if I wanted your input I would have sent you a PM......

You asked for advice on shotgun chokes and I gave you some very good advice. You're welcome. Grow up a little.

If you have a collectable, don't touch it. Slugs and buckshot will work no matter what fixed chokes are in it. Just don't shoot steel through full choke. If it's got fixed full you could have it opened to fixed modified easily and safely but that might change collector value. Modified would be best for non waterfowl birds. If not a collectable, go with choke tubes but I would avoid Briley if possible. Can actually hurt the value of the gun because the chokes are expensive and not readily available. There. Some more good advice from a guy who's probably been shooting shotguns a lot longer than you've been alive.

 

[IvW]

You asked for advice on shotgun chokes and I gave you some very good advice. You're welcome. Grow up a little.

If you have a collectable, don't touch it. Slugs and buckshot will work no matter what fixed chokes are in it. Just don't shoot steel through full choke. If it's got fixed full you could have it opened to fixed modified easily and safely but that might change collector value. Modified would be best for non waterfowl birds. If not a collectable, go with choke tubes but I would avoid Briley if possible. Can actually hurt the value of the gun because the chokes are expensive and not readily available. There. Some more good advice from a guy who's probably been shooting shotguns a lot longer than you've been alive.

Once again you have verbal diarrhea on a subject you know nothing about.....
I asked what the best fixed chokes were for a drilling with 24 " barrels that will be fitted with a 7x57R insert barrel......do me a favour and dont post anything further on this thread.....

Rather start one on shotgun chokes and you can educate everybody on what chokes they need to use......

You are a very irretating individual......

 

[rookhawk]

Is it worth fitting changeable multi chokes?

Second part of your question: Don't do it. I don't like the idea of putting a drilling barrel into a fixture and threading chokes. You have multiple ribs and regulating wedges. You may get marks on the barrel from the hold downs too since its asymmetric.

You don't need anything beyond what you have and a variety of shells that will give you different patterns based on their wad type.

 

[IvW]

Second part of your question: Don't do it. I don't like the idea of putting a drilling barrel into a fixture and threading chokes. You have multiple ribs and regulating wedges. You may get marks on the barrel from the hold downs too since its asymmetric.

You don't need anything beyond what you have and a variety of shells that will give you different patterns based on their wad type.

Thanks.

So even with 24 inch barrels the standard 1/2 and 3/4(how it comes) will be fine for occasional game bird hunting. Sand grouse, francolin, spurfowl, guineafowl etc. It will obviously not be a dedicated bird gun but rather a one gun hunt all with the ability to do some occasional bird hunting. Yet still be capible of shooting buckshot as well as slugs as needed.

Thanks again for your inputs.

 

[HankBuck]

I wouldn't bother with the added expense of having threads added to the barrel. 1/2 (LT MOD) and 3/4 (IMP MOD) will sort you out for upland game and still be very useful following up on leopard if necessary.

The only possible upside would be using extended chokes to squeeze and extra inch out of the barrels. Although that extra inch isn't necessarily a good thing when following up on leopard.

What rifle cartridge are you planning on?

@BeeMaa I agree with You —- there’s No need for choke tubes, just select a fixed choke of IC & Mod or something similar. The best shooters in the World never change choke tubes with most using Mod & full and breaking targets from 15 to 60 yrds.

 

[rookhawk]

Thanks.

So even with 24 inch barrels the standard 1/2 and 3/4(how it comes) will be fine for occasional game bird hunting. Sand grouse, francolin, spurfowl, guineafowl etc. It will obviously not be a dedicated bird gun but rather a one gun hunt all with the ability to do some occasional bird hunting. Yet still be capible of shooting buckshot as well as slugs as needed.

Thanks again for your inputs.

I realize you are South African and I'm an American, both of us suffer from limited shell choices for fine guns. The Brits have a lot of choices from Gamebore, Eley-Hawk, and Kent. A traditional cork or fiber wad opens the pattern up quite a bit. A modern wad cup tightens the pattern. It would be worth buying some british shells for your gun (2.5" is excellent and wholly sufficient, 2.75" is fine if you can find them with fibre / cork wads) I think you'd have great fun shooting sand grouse from your gun with a fibre wad, 1 oz, 2.5" load of say #8 shot.

We spend years accumulating a variety of shells over here so we have the ability to get the patterns we want without altering our nicer shotguns and drillings.

Another wonderful shell you'll want to find and will take some work: The brenneke slug is designed to pass through chokes without damage, up to full choke. They have fins on the slug and a cork wad attached to the back of the slug to seal the bore. They are shockingly accurate to 100 meters. Expensive and sold in packs of 5, made in Germany, you want to accumulate some of those for your wonderful gun too.

If you really want to kill things with authority, a couple very expensive boxes of Kent Tungsten shells do horrific destruction. #5s and #6s would kill things as large as the tiny-ten.

 

[WAB]

For a 12ga 3" drilling what would be the best fixed choke for each barrel? Barrels will be 24 inches. This will be for a field gun also shooting buckshot and slugs. Not going to be used for waterfowl or geese. Africa, game birds while hunting pg.

Standerd chikes are 1/2 and 3/4.

Is it worth fitting changeable multi chokes?remember barrels are only 24 inches long.
Thanks.

Personally, I would probably go either quarter and half or quarter and quarter and forget about it. The utility of choke tubes is highly questionable with the quality of modern shot shells. None of the bird shooting I have done in Southern Africa would have required anything tighter than quarter choke with a quality shotshell.

 

[Denvir Tire]

Once again you have verbal diarrhea on a subject you know nothing about.....
I asked what the best fixed chokes were for a drilling with 24 " barrels that will be fitted with a 7x57R insert barrel......do me a favour and dont post anything further on this thread.....

Rather start one on shotgun chokes and you can educate everybody on what chokes they need to use......

You are a very irretating individual......

Ouch! That's gonna leave a mark...