Fox Collectors

I use my Sterlingworth 16ga primary for pheasants, walk up or occasionally over flushing dogs. The chokes measure Full and IM on my Galazan drop-in gauge. I seem to do OK with it, but it's MAYBE a bit tight?

Last weekend I used my 12 which is M/IC which I rather liked. The 16 is a shooter and not a pristine gun so I'd have no compunction about opening the chokes if I so choose.

So what chokes do you folks like in similar situations, or do you have other recommendations (loads, spreaders, etc. Off the shelf, though; I don't reload)? Or should I just leave well enough alone (which is what I'm likely to do anyway)? Thanks...

Fin

I wouldn't hesitate to open chokes to what I need. One of my favorite Quail guns is a 1913-vintage A-Grade 20-gauge that left North 18th Street & Windrim Avenue full and full. A previous owner, an old Annapolis, Maryland, Quail hunter, had it opened to .004" right and .016" left.

All that drop-in chunk of brass tells you is the size of the hole at the end of the barrel. If all 16-gauge bores were a true .662" that might be worth something. However, they are not. Only a bore mic will give you any meaningful information. Even then the only REAL answer is the painful process of shooting and counting patterns.

I wouldn't worry to much about opening the chokes on your sterlingworth. If you shoot the gun well and like it, Make it work for you.

I will give some food for thought though. If it is a 26" barreled gun and you may want to sell it in the future, I would be carefull of how far I open them. Real open chokes on 26" barrels send's up the red flag of the possibility of them being cut from a longer length. For the type of hunting your doing I would imagine IC/Mod would be a good choice.

The other thing to be watchful of is if your barrels are the thin #4 tubes extra care must be taken to not remove to much material. I have a CE-12ga that had really nice Krupp tubes, that a well known double gunsmith screwed-up on when he opened the chokes. The first time I shot the gun the barrels bulged at the choke lead taper after one shot in each. I ended up sleeveing them just to save the gun. I now have more in the barrels than the gun is worth. I learned a hard expensive lesson about opening chokes!

Frbrit, thanks for the tips. The gun has 28" barrels but they are #4's so that is good to know. As I said, I probably will leave it alone, but you know, an idle mind and all that...

Fin

PS: Researcher, did you get my PM?

Fin,

I've used Polywads spreader loads to good effect in my tightly choked 16 Sterlingworth.
www.polywad-shotgun-shells.com

You can also buy the spreader inserts if you decide to reload.

Jeff

Jeff

What do you think about using spreader loads in my mod/full choked
12ga with 1908 Krupp Steel on the skeet field. Do you think this will open the pattern up enough.
I don't compete, just do it for fun
Regerds, Roy

birdhunter,

I would anticipate you would get IC/mod equivalent with spreader loads in your Mod/full barrels but only checking patterns at distances you expect to shoot will tell the real answer.

Jeff