What choke and shotgun shells (not slugs) do we like for 3gun?

[Mondo Garcia]

What choke and shotgun shells (not slugs) do we like for 3gun???

At the last 3 gun match I was using the IC choke with 12guage, 2 3/4, 7. I noticed a lot of guys using 6 and having real nice hits with it.
What do you all recommend?

Thnx
mondo

 

[Wall]

12ga. 2-3/4 #7

Light Mod. Choke for 90% of all targets, diffusion for up close hoser stuff.

 

[brandt9913]

Choke depends on stage design and target distance.

Light modified is a popular choice for most stages. Improved should be fine also. On close hoser shotgun targets, a lot of people throw in a diffusion choke to spread the pattern and increase margin of error. Diffusion also helps double on plates close together. There's not much difference between the improved and light mod.. As far as shells, whatever patterns well and functions reliably in your gun. Most 7-1/2 or 8 shot. 6 shot prairie storm works great for spinners.

The biggest variable in all this is how your club tends to set up 3 gun matches. You may be switching between improved and diffusion chokes stage to stage.

 

[MiniUzi]

I ran a light mod for 100% of my matches last year in my versamax and never had a need to change it out as it seems to be perfect middle ground. Knocks down plates at 25+ yards from a plate rack and still does wonders on birds up close. I ran the Federal bulk pack from wally world 2 3/4, 7. all year as well.

 

[jtischauser]

I keep every choke in my bag. DIF, CYC, SK, IC, LM, M, IM, F.

I run IC most of the time especially in my 26" gun. If a small plate is far or small popper is heavy I switch to LM or even M. I'll run LM, M, IM or F for no shoot or difficult circus targets like stars at distance or spinners. Diffusion is great for any target 10 yards and in. Clays, big poppers and big plates can be hosed with a diffusion choke.

Shot I run 1145fps 1 1/8 oz 9 shot Winchester AA's or Remington STS for hoser targets. I run 1300 fps 1 1/8 oz 7.5 shot Winchester AA's or Remington STS for tougher targets. You vs make up for having less choke with heavier shot and/or more velocity. So having some high brass 6's or even the bunker busting 2 3/4", 3", or even the banned by NATO 3 1/2" federal Prairie Storm 4-6 shot load with the flight control wad in the bag can be handy if you ever want to disintegrate a spinner or take a piece of steel from 35-40 yards.

The best way to know what your barrel length, choke, ammo combo will do is to setup every possible target and shoot it at distance with every possible choke/load combo to see if it falls. The hardest target I've found is the mini popper. It takes quite a bit of pattern to knock that little guy down at distance.

 

[gondo]

12ga. 2-3/4 #7

Light Mod. Choke for 90% of all targets, diffusion for up close hoser stuff.

x2

 

[mike cyrwus]

fyi, IC will kill you if your form sucks and you go too fast. Jesse is a trained professional.

 

[jtischauser]

fyi, IC will kill you if your form sucks and you go too fast. Jesse is a trained professional.

Mike is correct. Running loose chokes often leads to shooting loosely or not aiming hard enough. Sometimes I'll run a tighter choke simply because it forces me mentally to worry about having a tight pattern and subsequently aiming harder.

 

[Robaire Pullicar]

Good info for new shotgun shooters (me) here thanks guys!

 

[The Antichrome]

Be sure to spend some time and a box of shells at the patterning board.
Its an eye opener. You'll learn a ton in an hour.

 

[racnsoonr]

Do we have a patterning board at OKCGC?

I got a new barrel to try and it came with a Modified choke...

LT modified seems to be the majority winner by choice... Is the Modified a tighter pattern compared to a LT modified?

 

[RigPig]

I run a "M" most of the time. I've been running the 1145fps 2 3/4", 1 1/8oz Winchester AAs all season for local and major matches, I carry the 1250fps loads in my range bag for 15+yd steel and prairie storm 6shot for spinners and stars.

 

[jtischauser]

I believe there is one at the shotgun area at OKC Gun Club.

 

[TheRealKoop]

I run a light mod most of the time, and always during practice. I dont want to get used to running a loose choke and then do horribad when I switch to a mod.

Ive been running a diffuser more and more often however. 6" plates are still dropped decently at 15 yards, cutting it close sometimes. Local matches run a lot of targets real close.

 

[bullittmcqueen]

I run probably 50% LM and 50% IC. I bring them all to matches but these are the main two. The IC only comes out if its all close steel or clays, 20 yards or less. Anything that requires aiming or distance its LM all the way.

 

[KY19111]

LM 90% of the time; WalMart bulk packs 1 1/8oz 7 1/2 or 8. 24" M2

 

[sergio10]

I like to use a LM choke and actually thats all i use. lol

 

[phidelt208]

I'm a fan of the IC or LM. They seem to be a popular choice, must be a reason.

 

[maka]

Any recommendations as far as brand of chokes, for an M2?

 

[Chris Rhines]

The factory Crio chokes are as good as any.

I use an IC choke 90% of the time. For day-to-day shells I like the Winchester AA Sporting Clays load - #8, 1-1/8 oz., 3 dram eq. For all-clays stages I usually run Fiocchi Interceptor spreaders. I also keep a box of Prairie Storm #6 magnum shells for really heavy steel.