choke help
 

Hello. I'm going to hunt RG this year for my first time ever. I hunted pheasant when I was younger, but it's been probably 15 years or so. The only shotguns I have at the moment are two rems with full barrels, and a 12 g. Rem 1100 Tac (22" barrel) with adjustable chokes.

Can I use my shorter barrel with either an M or IM choke? I was planning on running some home loads with 7.5 shot. I have used this gun pretty successfully shooting trap, even at the 10 yard handicap. I imagine most of the areas I'll be in will be relatively dense with brush and trees. My thought is if I keep my shots to within 30 yards I should be ok, but I'd rather ask for some opinion as I want to make sure I'm making as ethical shots as possible.

My other thought was that if I find a spot that's a bit more open, I can try my 12 gauge full and let the bird out a bit so the pattern can open up.

Ultimately, I'm going to pickup a 20 gauge, but that's not going to happen for awhile.

All help is appreciated.

It s obvious you have never hunted grouse. The odds of flushing a grouse in a spot where you can let if fly some distance before you shoot it are extremely low. They tend to flush where they can put something between you and them very quickly. If you have the chioce of IM and M, I would take the IM and the short barreled gun. Grouse shooting tends to be very quick and in the thick and close.

Pretty much everything was already said.......................

Except, Good luck !


Ok - They often flush on your first step, after you have stopped.

Our season opens Sept 15th for Partridge. Leaves are real thick till near the end of Oct. I use Skeet and Skeet in my 20 OU with 7 1/2 shot till the leaves are nearly gone. I then switch to IMP and Mod till the end of the season.

:D Al

It sure is amusing to see all the different opinions regarding chokes and loads for grouse. For what it is worth, here is what I subscribe to in my .20 side by side:

Early in the season I use extremely open chokes...usually Skeet/IC
After the leaves fall, I go with IC/Mod.

For loads, I always use 3" copper plated #7.5's. For some reason, I am partial to Fiocchi loads (I use their #5's in the pheasant fields with Mod/Full).

One thing I should note is that I rarely get a shot at a grouse going straight away. Most of my shots are crossing or at an angle and usually not all that close...25-30 yards or so. The reason is I hunt with a Labrador Retriever and it is pretty much a run and gun proposition when she gets birdy!

I saw someone mention that often a grouse will flush after you have stopped walking for a few seconds. This is also true for the second grouse....after you shoot at one, always reload before you take a step to look for signs of a hit. That 2nd bird is ready to jump. Good Luck!

Three inch coppers for grouse!! Never saw a grouse that required that much killing.

Here I thought I had just plain and simple missed the shot. I now need to go by a new 20ga. shot gun cause none of mine or the wife's will take 3 inch shells.
Wonder where I can buy copper solid shot for my reloader?

:D Al

I appreciate the help gentlemen. I will give an open choke a try with my shorter barrel. I hope to get out this weekend, so wish me luck.

I'm on the fence about what to get for a future bird gun. I would really like an O/U but am seeing much varying opinion about gauge difference between pheasant and smaller. I think I'm going to get my feet wet first, and probably buy a Rem Choke replacement barrel for my 1100 and go from there. I'm used to hoofing a rifle and weight for miles, so I'm not worried right now about the heavier shotgun. I'm sure I'll change that tune in 10 years.

Hey Oldtimr....like I said, the dog (Lab) I hunt with is an all-together different proposition than the one in your avatar. Our flushes tend to be farther out than what I would normally have if I was hunting without a dog. A little extra pop doesn't hurt in that scenario. I am curious, where do you do most of your grouse hunting? Ever hunt northcentral PA (Lycoming County)? That is my stomping grounds now, but I cut my teeth on grouse in western PA.

I hunt the NC and Sc part of the state for grouse. I also use a .28 ga. double gun. A flushing dog should be taught to hup, then he won't be flushing long birds.

I found that I also had a skeet choke laying around. Would that be too open? Leaves are still pretty thick where I'm going to be.

A skeet field is 21 yards before the bird is "lost".

So if you expect your shots to be within that distance (which I would); I think you are good to go.

Thanks. That's what I was thinking also. Everytime I'm on a trail hiking and they scare the crap out of me, it's usually within 15' or so :)

I like a 28 inch barrel with a modified choke the best.. Grouse like to weave between the trees when they can. Some will fly a longer distance then others do.. It all vaires on the type of ground and area you are hunting in.. They are very fast fliers and will only give a bout a second to get up and shoot. So you will need to be quick at it.. Good Luck..

Over pointing dogs I use Cyl and Improved Cyl or skeet. Wider is better for me.

JW

A skeet field is 21 yards from the front of each of the first 7 stations to the center target crossing point. From stations 1 & 7 it is another 22 yards from the center point to the Field Boundary Stakes.

It is true that most skeet targets are broken (or should be broken) within 21 yards, but they are not "lost" out of bounds until they pass over the Field Boundary Stakes. On stations 1 & 7 those boundary stakes are 43 yards from the shooter.

I must strongly disagree with post #2 of this thread recommending IM choke. IM = Imp. Modified, which is between Modified & full, much to tight. I suspect Oldtimr was thinking of Imp. Cyl. choke, which would be better than Mod.

I would strongly suggest a Dispersion choke tube. A Dispersion tube is rifled, in other words it's more open than a true Cylinder tube would be, though a true cylinder is another good choice. (Dispersion tubes are a specialty tube used by sporting clays shooters) For shot I use handloaded nickel plated #7 shot, 1 1/8 oz at 1370 fps. This is very deadly between 12 - 20 yds. If you find yourself shooting often out to 25-30 yds, then a Skeet 1 or Imp. Cylinder would be my choice.

(I"ve often wondered just how different, if any, the twist rate is between a Dispersion tube & a Rifled tube for slug shooting. But as I don't know & have not used a rifled slug tube that way I can't offer suggestions on that........though if you have such a slug tube I'd sure give it a try prior to paying for a Dispersion tube.)

If the OP handloads, then use of special spreader loads offer some other ways to open things up. Once upon a time spreader loads could be bought in stores from the ammo factories.......they still should be, but I know I never see such in stores in my area of the country.