Here comes dove season! Which choke?


Jeramie

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So my wife has suddenly decided to hunt with me... Im SOOOO happy. This took years but she is in to some degree. Last year she hit the dove field with me and had a lot of fun. She is going with me again this year.

The only problem I have is I bought her a Mossberg 500, 20ga for hunting. Great little shotguns, especially for the price. It currently has a modified choke. Last year she couldn’t hit squat with hit. We stepped it off and she shot again. The pattern was incredibly too tight for dove hunting. I’m picking up a new choke for it this week and then shooting some skeet to see how she does.

I’m thinking of picking up a skeet choke. Is this too open? I don’t want to kill her effective range but she isn’t hitting anything with the modified. Improved was another option but as tight as that gun is shooting I’m afraid it won’t make enough of a difference.

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have you tried using different shells ?? my mossberg 500 12 Ga . loves shooting fiocchi shells the best . i tried Remington , Federal , winchester and Fiocchi shells , i use the IC for almost ALL my shooting and hunting . my sister ( ladybird) uses a Mossberg 500 20 Ga. Mod choke and i think the gun is shooting a very tight pattern and I'm leaning towards an IC choke , but 1st i need to get a different barrel , because the choke is a fixed choke in the gun now .

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I'd try and pattern an IC with different loads. I know my Benelli works best with 6's or 7.5's. I'll go to 8's if the wind is calm. I think, more than anything, you have to be disciplined with a 20 gauge. If I can't see the black of the eye, I don't shoot. I always have to sit away from all my buddies because they shoot 12 gauges. Get yourself a mojo. We have great success with them, and it draws them in close.

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Here is the update.... Sorry, ive been WAY too busy.

I looked everywhere local for a choke but with no luck. Dove season is too close. She has a high end Franchi, 12ga that was left to her by another family member. I have hunted with it a little, she hasn’t. I took her out over the weekend and sent up 8 clays. She hit 7 of the 8. The only one she missed was a left to right shot. 5 of the 7 were dust after the shot. The other two were solid hits. Target acquisition was great too. Most of her shots were right after the clay hit the air...

She actually loved the Franchi and even though it is an ultra light it didn’t kick too much different than a pump 20ga. All set. :cool2:

Now I just have to make it to Sun-up Sunday morning! :D

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