mauser06

as some of you may seen, i am a new owner to a winchester m50 12ga.


the 30" full choked bore got me thinking...especially after i seen the pattern it threw. honestly ive seen some new turkey guns throw worse patterns than the m50 did...it threw atleast probably 90-95% in a 10-12" pattern at 20-25yds...i know its not exact...and was only 1 shot of 1 1/8oz of a gray hulled AA shell in 7.5 or 8 shot...but it was a nice center, dense pattern.

got me thinking....what was the intended use when it was made?? turkey hunting was kinda rare...atleast i know in PA i dont think there was hardly any turkey hunting...bird hunting i cant think of many forms of hunting that require full chokes other than long ranger duck and goose hunting...but being a 2 3/4" gun, i dont think it was a duck or goose gun...and really not sure how much of a load that gun can actually take...

what am i missing?? the 30" full choked bores show up on 870's and older shotguns of the era...is there a clay shooting game they used them for?? do some guys bird hunt with that much choke??

just got me curious...im planning on buying a few more barrels for it just so i can hunt with it....no way i'll hit a grouse or dove with it now...and if i did, theres not going to be much left...pheasants over a dog, no way! i dont know much about any of the clay games other than skeet and know you want a pretty open pattern for that being close and fast...

any ideas on what a 30" full choked bore could/would have been used for?? just curious...

i got a turkey gun so i wont need or really be using it for turkeys...i dont even wanna risk a turkey load in the gun...1 1/4 is probably the heaviest load id run through it...

i know i could probably have the bore tapped to take screw in chokes instead of buying new barrels, but its an original 1958 m50 winchester (looks original to me..even the finish) so i'll spend the money for another barrel or 2 or 3 for my own hunting purposes..though i know i could buy new shotguns for the price i'll pay for barrels...the gun means a ton to me and im keeping it original and its my all time favorite shotgun ive ever handled...it was bought for me as a gift and meant to be used...i will use it...not abuse it..but it wont be a safe queen....

just got to thinkin about the full choked bore...maybe im missing its intended use....

Wingbone

Chances are, that it was intended forgeneral hunting; ducks, pheasants, whatever.It seems to me that "30in. with a full choke" was an industry standard for shotguns at the time. Most folks didn't order a choke or barrel length for a specific purpose, they just bought a shotgun.
Also you've got to remember that the shells back then didn't have shot cups, just paper wads. That choke was intended to shoot a tight pattern with the ammo technology at the time. I suspect if you mic'ed the diameter, it would be pretty close to some of the turkey tubes used today. I've got a Win. Mod. 97 that has a full choke i.d. of .685. I think full choke these days i.d. about .720 or so.

Stiofan

I have a Remington Wingmaster with a 30" full choke barrel made in 1975. They were primarily for waterfowl hunting. In the 70s there were no 3 1/2" chambers or shells, those came later. Your choices were 2 3/4" or 3" Mags. The 2 3/4 were probably more popular then, unlike now. This was the day of lead shot for waterfowl, so 2 3/4 did fine. I've shot hundreds of ducks with mine, no problem.



I still use my Wingmaster, but I've bought a 28" barrel with screw in chokes to use with steel shot. I also have an older Browning Auto-5 with a 28" barrel which also shoot 2 3/4 shells. I use it for pheasant hunting and it too has a full fixed choke. I have 4 other shotguns, two of which are doubles and have 26" barrels with IC and Mod chokes. Use those for upland game. All my shotguns are 12 gauge with 2 3/4" shells. I've never needed anything else.

stalkingbear

The actual reasons are 3fold-1st: what the previous poster stated about shotgun owners of yesteryear being less informed & less picky, they was tickled about being able to buy a new shotgun in the 1st place. 2nd: they was still under the impressions left by blackpowder that longer barrels "shoot harder", and full choke was more powerful somehow. 3rd: a lot of the hardwood timber was higher from not being logged as extensively, thus full choked shotguns put more shot on the target at longer (or higher) ranges.

Pawildman

....#4.....A lot more people hunted SQUIRRELS back then, too..you may have missed that one, Mauser06..........

mauser06

thanx guys....

just didnt know what i might have overlooked about the full choked shotguns from a good while back...

PAwildman, when thinking about it as i was typing the question, i was thinking of when ive ever screwed a full choke in.....squirrel hunting was the only time other than turkey. i started squirrel hunting when i was 12. absolutely love shootin tree rats....but with bow season and fall turkey season, and rabbits and pheasants and such, i dont make it squirrel hunting all too often anymore...bow season takes priority...if its an absolutely horrible day (real windy, storming etc) i will take the shotgun out and try to find me a fall turkey or small game...other than that if i got time to hunt in the fall im in my stand with my bow...


did a little reading...seems true trap i may use the full choked barrel...

cheaper shells will likely open the pattern slightly as well...the gray hulled AA i patterned with was dang tight but im pretty sure they are handicap loads which i think are made to keep a tighter pattern..or made for farther shots..