Home Forums Birds & Dogs Shotguns Set up my O/U please with chokes,

For trap from the 16yd line,

what Choke in what tube?

Choices available are Full, Improved Modified, Modified, Improved cylinder and then Skeet chokes.

Sporting clays,

Same choice of chokes, in which barrel and why?

I'll pattern the gun with certain shells, but for Trap and then Sporting clays,
What load would you grab?
8's? 1oz?

Modified will do you fine at 16 yard trap.

Sporting clays, depends on the course and station setup, but I/C works works for me most of the time. With an O/U I think I'd go with I/C under and mod over for 90% of target presentations. if the "A" target is further away, use the barrel selector to fire the tighter choked barrel first.

1 oz of #8's at around 1200 fps is an excellent choice. I personally shoot Fiocchi 1oz #8's for all clay target games.

Pattern each barrel for point of impact and pattern distribution. You might find, for instance, that one brand of shotshell patterns better than another in your particular gun.

I have Mod/Imp Mod in my clays gun and have them in for a good decade. My league guns have Mod/Full as that is how they came from the factory. Near, far, or in between those are what I shoot. The center of the pattern is the same size no matter the choke and if you center the target it doesn't matter what you use.

I shoot the same gun and chokes for trap most of the time. I shot LT Mod for 16 yard singles for a bit as that was my choice for the first target of doubles when I started out. Now, it is Mod/Imp Mod for that too. Full does make better ink balls but that would mean finding and changing chokes. Imp Mod does well enough for me, even out to the back fence. I would probably do better with Full and a full ounce and an eighth of shot but I am shooting recreationally now and prefer to keep my loadings simple.

In the 12 ga I shoot either 7/8 oz of 8s or 1 oz of 7.5s for all clay games. I try to use 7.5 on long, edge on targets and rabbits but don't obsess on it. From the 16 yard line I would have no issues using 9s if that is all I had. If buying off the shelf, buy whatever is cheap in 8, 7.5, or 9 and have fun. You are going to handicap your equipment much more than your equipment will handicap you.

Any choke you want as long as it’s full

You have no idea....................

(grin).

Mod or IM for trap, IC to IM for most sporting clays though going to skeet or full is not unheard of. If it is a soft sporting course or 5 stand IC and mod will cover most situations. I prefer to shoot the bottom barrel first as the recoil is more in line with the stock, but it is more of a psychological thing. On a gun built like a 12ga Citori it can make a slight difference. Most O/Us now days are being made with shallower receivers.

Light Mod in both barrels and be done with it. When you get better you can tighten up to Imod and Imod.

1-1/8ox #7-1/2's will break any target you will see.

Don't complicate it. Don't get your mind into the game.

Take off the bead on your rib. Look hard at the target. It's the only thing you should be looking at!

Kenneth,
I shot competitive Trap for years, with a Remington 3200 Trap grade O/U, which had 30" barrels choked IM bottom, and F on top. The IM choking was perfect at the 16 yard line, with the Full barrel coming into use beyond the 20 yard line.

I also shot league Sporting Clays with a Browning Gold Label Sporting Clays semiauto, also with 30" barrel. Most of the time the Briley Skeet choke was in, otherwise the IC choke was used. Although I carried a Mod. choke, I can only remember a few times on a few different courses where it was ever needed.

For both trap and sporting clays, I used AA trap loads, 1 1/8 oz., #7.5 shot. Occasionally, on league shoots, someone would provide AA loads in 1 oz., which seemed to work just fine, as well.

Good stuff, appreciate it.

thinking out-loud here,

shells, anyone really think the name itself matters?

not the load, but the manufacturer.

for example thinking about a 25 case order,

Aquila 1 oz 7.5 shot 1225 fps.......1,322 dollars

Bornaghi 1 oz 7.5 1250 fps ......1900 $

Winchester AA same same.......2 grand..........

?

As I said before, at this point you are the weakest link in this equation. Buy the cheapest shells you can and spend the difference on quality lessons. By the time you become proficient enough you outshine the ammo you will find most of the time the ammo does not matter all that much. I personally would look at Federal's Top Gun line as they are on sale for ~$5.50 with a 50 cent/box rebate though I don't know what/if the maximum is.