Choke selection for 20 gauge

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Charlie Martinez

Charlie Martinez

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I only have 20 gauge shotshells so I plan on shooting a trap round this weekend with my barely used Mossberg 20 gauge bolt action with an adjustable choke selector. I'm sure someone here has experience with these guns and perhaps can tell me which choke setting would be best. My usual trap gun is a plain Remington Model 870 12 gauge with a 28-inch barrel & modified choke.
 
Typical choke for Trap is FULL
Though, MOD is popular. I like MOD for 12ga.

How adj is your choke? Continuous thread? Markings? IMP MOD is halfway between MOD and FULL. If not marked on the choke as a set point.

7/8 or 1 oz 20 Ga loads will be a thin pattern using MOD. I would tighten that choke down.
 
Seedy Character said:
Typical choke for Trap is FULL
Though, MOD is popular. I like MOD for 12ga.

How adj is your choke? Continuous thread? Markings? IMP MOD is halfway between MOD and FULL. If not marked on the choke as a set point.

7/8 or 1 oz 20 Ga loads will be a thin pattern using MOD. I would tighten that choke down.
Click to expand...
It has markings for IC, MOD and FULL but it is continuous thread so it has infinite adjustment capability in between each marked choke. Will different chokes significantly impact my score one way or the other? I have never shot the gun at moving targets so I have no idea as to how it will perform compared to my modified, 12 gauge Rem 870 which works very well for me.
 
Shooting a larger pattern (MOD vs FULL) can affect your score, because the pattern is so spread out, even though target was " in the pattern", a hole exists, large enough for the target to be missed.

Start on MOD.
If your HITS are clays being broken into 2-3 pieces, tighten your choke down.

Start on FULL
If your HITS are "smoked" or missed, open the choke up.

Lock at MOD and Full, guess at 1/4, 1/2, 3/4

You will not know how they gun(+you) will respond, until you start shooting.

What is your avg score with the 12ga?
First time out, I would expect a score 2-3 lower, but not surprised, if it was avg.

How they gun fits you is as important to hits as your ability
 
I don't know what my average score is but I usually break 21 or better (16 yard trap). Ive done 25 twice and 23-24 is not all that rare for me. I don't expect to score my usual this weekend because I haven't shot in at least a year and I am totally unfamiliar with 20 gauge and the Mossberg. I intend to have a good time regardless but it's always a lot more fun when they are busting before they hit the ground. If 20 gauge shells are available & 12 gauge shells continue to be difficult to find I have no problem staying with the Mossberg. I see it as a challenge.
I'll update everyone after my shoot this weekend.
 
Charlie Martinez said:
I don't know what my average score is but I usually break 21 or better (16 yard trap). Ive done 25 twice and 23-24 is not all that rare for me. I don't expect to score my usual this weekend because I haven't shot in at least a year and I am totally unfamiliar with 20 gauge and the Mossberg. I intend to have a good time regardless but it's always a lot more fun when they are busting before they hit the ground. If 20 gauge shells are available & 12 gauge shells continue to be difficult to find I have no problem staying with the Mossberg. I see it as a challenge.
I'll update everyone after my shoot this weekend.
Click to expand...
It's the opposite near here. 12 is usually available, 20 is only occasionally on the shelf.
 
Fit is important more than choke in my humble opinion. The latest addition to my safe is a 20 side by side (finally, a side by side ). In no way am I a good clay shot, but recent experience showed me improved modified and full were good for trap. I use modified on the 12. I underlined the fit because I find the beautiful gun to be short for my taste and it kicks me quite harder than the 12. A slip on recoil pad shall be bought before next summer. Any suggestions guys ? Something good looking, likely leather please.
 
Frostbite said:
Fit is important more than choke in my humble opinion. The latest addition to my safe is a 20 side by side (finally, a side by side ). In no way am I a good clay shot, but recent experience showed me improved modified and full were good for trap. I use modified on the 12. I underlined the fit because I find the beautiful gun to be short for my taste and it kicks me quite harder than the 12. A slip on recoil pad shall be bought before next summer. Any suggestions guys ? Something good looking, likely leather please.
Click to expand...


20 Ga, kicks hard, LoP is short.

Too much drop in the buttstock will cause more felt recoil. Magnified because of the short stock.

Fit is very important and few pay any attention to it.
 
As promised I am posting the results of my trap shoot yesterday and try to add a little comedy to what has been a pretty sad weekend.
After much deliberation I decided to set the choke on Full and boldly walked where I had never walked before. I broke 11 out of 25 which is the worst score I have ever shot including the first time I shot trap. I should have opened the choke during the shoot but I wasn't 100% sure choke was the issue so I kept it on Full throughout the round. I now think I would have done better with a more open setting.
The positive part is that whenever I hit one I smoked it into oblivion which is always fun to watch and found the 20 gauge is really pleasant to shoot.
If or when shells become more affordable I will try again with a modified choke and report my results here on THR.
Thanks to all for your input.
 
The last few years when I shoot the occasional rounds of trap I use 7/8oz 12 gauge shells which is the same payload as a 20 gauge. Generally run a few straights and I don't think I have done worse than 21 with it shooting from 16 yards to 22 yards. I bump up to 1 oz loads when going back to 27 yard line. All these loads are light, running about 1150-1175 fps out of a full choke M12 12 gauge. I have shot a few rounds with a .410 at the 16 yard line and best I did was a 20 using a modified 870.
 
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