Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters imp cyl choke question

Id been searching for a 16 ga for a whileand picked one up today. A older remington 1100 with 26" imp cyl choke. I just had to jump onit then got to thinking after the fact ive never shot. Imp cyl. What can it be used to hunt effectivly? My main uses would be dove and squirel. How limited would i be with that choke?

Improved cylinder would be a looser choke. One step looser than Modified. Basically means that the pattern will open up faster than a Modified and less than a Cylinder choke. Best bet is to pattern the shotgun with the load you intend to use and see what happens. It would be considered more of a close pattern say 25 to 40 yards depending on the shot and powder charge. Only way to really know is to pattern the shotgun with the load in hand.

It'll be just fine. No need to do anything except load/buy 1 oz #8's for doves and some 6's for the tree rats.

Most people run to tight of a choke anyways. I use imp cyl and modified about equally, and should use imp cyl more.

It will be a great rabbit, grouse and woodcock gun with 1 ounce loads and a 35+ yard gun for doves and squirrels with 1 1/8 ounce loads.

I don't have a 16, so I was not really sure what the differences would be vice a 20 or 12. My upland shotgun is a Ithaca Model 37 and has an improved cylinder choke and for me is a grouse killer. Have to limit the range on Pheasants a bit unless I go up on shot size.

IC is my go to choke for most field conditions, most guys are way over choked IC in a 1100 is PERFECT IMO

Lately, I've been using cylinder and Improved cylinder in my Citori 16 gauge and have noticed much better connect rates.

I have shot 20 gauge double barrels almost entirely for the last 20 years of small game hunting. An IC first barrel has been entirely satisfactory on grouse, rabbits and squirrels.

I agree with this 100%

JUST ABOUT PERFECT for bird hunting behind a dog and the uses you have for it. 1 1/8 oz 6's and 5's that are buffered might give you a little tighter patterns when you need to reach farther.

Pattern the thing at 40 yards at a 30" circle, you'll be surprised what I/C does. Shoot several loads, different brands and see WTF. Different weights, 1oz. vs. 1 1/4oz etc, will show you different results.

Guys would be blown away if they actually "sighted in" their shotguns. I know my Citori is 60/40 70% with .727 choke and 7/8oz 7.5's.

Yeah, many "improved cylinder" chokes will pattern 60% or more with hard shot, especially larger shot.

A lot depends on the exact constriction. I've measured supposed IC chokes on 16's that ran anywhere from .008 to .014, and have seen modified chokes measuring .010 to .020.

My Invector chokes measure:
Cyl: -0.002"
Skeet: 0.006"
Imp. Cyl.: 0.006"
Mod. : 0.012"

The mod patterns as a full with the lead loads I'm using for pheasant and completely blows any factory steel load I've tried (which is all of them for the 16 gauge).

Want to start messing with subgauge loads, 7/8 & 3/4 oz to see what the deal is there. Lots of talk that you don't give up much in performance and many benefits from less recoil.

My Invector full measures 0.041" and with testing is damn near worthless for anything short of turkeys.

Thinking a brake hone and some extra time (which is short now with a basement remodel and 3 kids under the age of 6) is in order for making some custom bored Invector chokes. Buy a couple full chokes and make them the constrictions that I want and can test in my gun.

I shoot Skeet No. 1 and improved cylinder in both my shotguns, 12 and 28 ga, for pheasant. Hits fine to 50 yds plus.

I would not change a thing. IC is perfect for about 95% of what we do for non-waterfowl shotgunning.

I used Mod for years, but tried Imp one year and found that with few exceptions, that is the choke to use. Late season pheasant, long range geese are about it for my mod and full choke tubes anymore. Improved patterns stretch further than you would think.

Listen to Mule Deer. I have a 870 that has not had the IC choke out of itother than to clean it every now and then for probably 20 years. I have shot every thing including water fowl with it in that time. Depending on the brand even the Wally World discount loads will pattern 45-50 % at 40 yds. With good hard trap loads you can add about 10% to that average. I have found it even works fine for trap to probably 22yds giving good solid breaks. With today's wads IC is the best all around choke for most hunting conditions.

I agree with the IC being great for most shotgunning.. It or an mod. are about as tight as I want in a shotgun except for gobblers.. As for shooting squirrel, I had friends in W. Va. that used to do a lot of tree squirrel hunting before their country was developed for big city interests.. They felt squirrel shotguns should be full choke due to the small size of the animal and tough hide.. They felt a squirrel could soak up more shot for its size than a rabbit or grouse..

All the good things everyone else said. Never owned a 16 but IMO in a 12, IC is the most useful, all around, choke. I could be wrong but I'd think it would be in a 16 too.

Passport,
Why is my statement that a Improved Cylinder is a looser choke? My thought was the choke constriction lineup IE Turkey, Full, Mod, IMP CLY, CLY etc. Going along the range of chokes it is normally considered to be "looser" choke. I did not mean that in a bad way. Ducks and Geese are the only time I see the need for a "tight" choke. I have yet to hunt Turkey.