# A Question About Shotgun Chokes



## rhymn001

I just bought a 12ga Stoeger Condor over and under and am unfamiliar with having a choice of chokes. My previous shotgun was a Stevens 12ga sxs with fixed cylinders. The right cylinder was for close up shooting and the left was for those birds almost out of range.
What would be comparable chokes for this same set up in the Stoeger?

Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks,


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## Bob Aronsohn

Improved cylender in the bottom barrel and modified in the top barrel. Or Modified and full choke in the same order, Mod in the bottom, full in the top barrel.

Bob A.


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## rhymn001

Thank you Bob. I'm tempted to use my old Stevens on opening day and practice with the Stoeger after that.

The Stoeger has a 30" barrel and the Stevens a 28". I'm sure that this increase will have a bearing on the shot dispersal and pattern. I'll try some patterning with the Stoeger until I get the feel of it.

I've read that some dove hunters use an 8 shot for their close up shots (within 30yds) and the 7 1/2 for the longer shots. What's your take on this?

Thanks again,

Sim


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## Bob Aronsohn

If it were me I would shoot the 8's and I will tell you why. In your standard trap or skeet load in 12 gauge you have 1 1/8th ounces of shot in each shell. 1 1/8th ounces of 8's has 460 pellets in each shell. In 7 1/2's you have 388 pellets in each shell. With 72 extra pellets in the number 8's you have a better chance of hitting a small dove in the air. The 8's will kill them just as far as the 7 1/2's will, infact even better because you have more shot to hit them with. A dove does not take lead like a duck or a goose, they are thin skinned birds like a quail or crow. The point is to hit them to begin with so your odds are higher with the 8's. Up to 30 yards number 9's work very well on doves too.

Bob Aronsohn


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## rhymn001

I just found a chart that should help bird hunters figure out their shot size which bears out your previous post:

*Pellet count for various shot sizes *
Shot Size 9 8½ 8 7½ 6 5 4 2 
Pellet count - 28gm load 585 485 410 350 225 170 135 90 
Pellet weight grains 0.75 1.07 1.10 1.25 1.94 2.57 3.24 4.87 
Pellet diameter (mm) 2.30 2.16 2.29 2.41 2.79 3.08 3.30 3.81

I do have one question about the name of this board. Why are dove and crow lumped together in this forum?

Dove season starts here on the 5th of September. I'm ready, how about you?

Sim


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## alleyyooper

I also have wondered about crows and doves being lumped together.
I also wonder about trap and skeet shooting only with no sporting clays. Around here you shoot skeet 5 stand or sporting clays. Not much trap shooting to be had any longer in this area.

 Al


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