What size of shot can be fired out of a shotgun that has a full choke?
September 1st, 2010 by eranio
I have an old 12 gauge high standard supermatic shotgun with a 30 inch barrel and a full choke? I was wondering if you can shoot size 7 1/2 or 8 shot out of it with good patterning. Any other size of shot would be very helpful for future shotshell selection. thank you.
Posted in used shotguns
September 1st, 2010 at 5:15 pm
Well, it sounds like you’ve got yourself a pretty good goose, turkey, and duck gun. You can shoot any size of shot you want out of it. The higher the number such as 8 or 9, just means the shot is smaller and there’s more of it, but due to the small size it isn’t going to have much range. When you get to the other end of the spectrum with #2 shot, BB etc. they are much larger pellets but less of them and will have a much longer range. A 30" barrel with a full choke is pretty much made for long range shooting(in shotgun terms) . The full choke is meant to try to keep your pattern together as far as possible before it starts spreading out too much to be affective. Your shot selection is more dependent on what you’re hunting, such as quail and dove you want #7 1/2 to #9 shot. Pheasants, and close shots at ducks #4-#6 and Geese or bigger birds #2 or bigger. You would have a pretty hard time hunting anything smaller than pheasants with that gun but it would be great for pheasants on up.
September 1st, 2010 at 5:15 pm
any size can be shot from a full choke, but I wouldn’t advise bigger then 2, since bigger shot will deform.
September 1st, 2010 at 5:15 pm
Any size shot can be fired from a full choke. As for patterning, its going to vary depending on the gun and load. Different mfgs loads pattern differently, so get some pieces of cardboard and have a blast!
September 1st, 2010 at 5:15 pm
Any size shot can be fired.
Higher the shot number = smaller bb’s = high quantity of bb’s = greater spread, less knock down power
Low shot number = larger bb’s = low quantity of bb’s = less spread, greater knock down power
More info about shot size:
http://www.chuckhawks.com/shot_info.htm
http://www.learnaboutguns.com/2008/06/07/shotgun-shot-size-information/
Info about chokes:
http://www.briley.com/understandingshotgunchokesabriefexplanationbybriley.aspx