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What choke do you folks use with your 16's on pheasant over pointing dogs? If you know the exact measurements that will help. I have been trying to use my 16 grouse gun for pheasant, because it fits me better than my 12, but I find myself dropping and not killing maybe 1/3 to 1/2 of the birds. The 16 is choked .010L/.001R. I know it is probably too open, but if I look for another 16 it may be a two barrel set, one for grouse and one for pheasant.

The 16 is proofed for 1 oz loads and I have been using RST # 6's for pheasant. I don't have much interest in loading my own.

Guest

Chicago You may have better luck with Improved Cylinder (.008 choke constriction) and Modified (.018 choke constriction) but before I would change guns I would try moving up to size 5 shot for better penetration of the bony backside of big old roosters.

Joined: 15 Dec 2005 Posts: 59

I used IC/Mod don't know the meas. but they are "stock" browning tubes. I also used 1-1/8 and 1-1/4 oz # 5 and 6 shot. I think 1oz loads are abit light on wild birds they may do just fine on game farm birds but when I hit that rooster I want to anchor him on the spot. For what its worth I took 6 roosters with 7 shots with the above combo. over my Griffon a couple of weeeks ago
Scott

My 16g quail/low gun skeet 7/8 oz load LC is .002 and .010. My 16g pheasants over setter dogs (and choosing to pass up some shots) LC is .007 and .014. And as TB said, larger shot will have fewer pellets, but will (in general) pattern more tightly. I also like 1 oz. 5s in my 16.

Joined: 13 Dec 2006 Posts: 694 Location: MN

My pheasant eapon of choice is a 1932 Sauer "16" choked .004 and .012.
Shooting 1 1/16 oz of "5's", most of the birds are an easy retrieve for the dogs.

North Dakota 2007..

Neat pic Jon-but where'd you find TREES in N. Dakota Shocked

More, and similar, opinions
http://bbs.shootingsportsman.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=36423&hilit=Choke+for+pheasants

Joined: 13 Dec 2006 Posts: 694 Location: MN

This was taken on the Miller Farm just south of Harvey, ND off route 3. They were in the process of taking off a section of corn and all the pheasant had to relocate to the adjacent grasslands. We killed a couple of Sharpies this day too. Wells County has trees and hills too and some great hill ponds, although this year it was pretty dry.

Just to aggravate the purists..... Smile

What load and choke did you use on the antelope your pup is haulin' there Jon? Wink

Member Joined: 15 Jul 2007 Posts: 230 Location: SW Idaho

Yep and works good too.

IC/M, but I would prefer sk1/sk2, with golden pheasant 1 1/8 #5

Joined: 13 Dec 2006 Posts: 694 Location: MN

The "antelope" that my girl has was "anchored" with the .012 barrel and the same 1 1/16 oz number "5's". They're not very tough to kill--but don't let anybody kid you, if you filet out the backstraps and the upper thighs, you can make some great "Hasenpfeffer"!!!

Member Joined: 01 Dec 2006 Posts: 524

I agree with all who use #5's. They really do anchor and penetrate like a bullet. The back side of roosters is a tough deal. I have made a roosters backside shimmy in flight one too many times with 1oz loads of 6's and 7's to have learned my lessons, even on early season birds. I go with 1 1/16 to 1 1/8 of #5 nickel plated pushed as hard as is safe and appropriate for the gun. Been having good luck with IMR4756 and IMR7625. Pretty impressed with the BP MM wad and 20g FW and OS16 cards and a little buffer. Tried the BP wads and gas seal/buffer #5 combo's with 1 1/4 oz in the 12GA and oh my! They call it the Paradise Pheasant load I think. Well, I've benn laoding up a 16GA equivelant that is my "go to" 16GA rooster load now. I cut the MM 16 Wad differently for each bbl. I patterned tested these MM wads with various cut patterns on the wad and the differences you can achieve by doin this is amazing. Of course, no cuts at all dang near make it like a bullet, then you just go from there. In my Ithaca I cut the MM wad for the first shell with 2 slits 2/3 of the way down and 2 slits 1/2 way down. second shell is 2 slits 2/3 way down and last or 3rd shell is 2 slits 1/2 way down. This is all out of a modified bbl with each shell wad/combo holding a completely different pattern. This is the joy of handloading. With 2 bbl guns the sky's the limit depending on the chokes.

Guest

IC/M from both of by FAIRs. They've been doing the job nicely.

Guest

My best 16 gauge pheasant whacker is a 75 yrea old Remington 11 with a Mod barrel that measures .019 of choke. The Federal 1 1/8oz load of 6's just stones those birds every time. That gun and load has been a very, very positive killer. All wild birds.

Joined: 27 Nov 2007 Posts: 2

Would anyone care to give their opinion of the best all-around choice of chokes for a side x side (fixed chokes) field gun with double triggers for everything from quail to ducks? I am about to buy a new side x side and I want to make it my all-around "go to" gun, but I want to keep it simple.

I'm not sure the typical mod/full or IC/mod is the best way to go, although I might just order two sets of barrels.

Guest

Come on kwbaker one gun. Are you kidding me. You really owe it to yourself to have a bunch of 16 gauge doubles with different choke/barrel combinations are a great excuse for more guns. But if you want to be a kill joy you can. With today's modern ammunition 28 inch barrels choked Skeet 1 and Improved Modified are going to be hard to beat for an all around combination. I think with today's tight patterning ammunition full choke is just too much constriction for today's hunter/clays shooter (except you trap shooters). Of course you will need double triggers to take advantage of all this versatility.