Anyone else find their pattern gets too tight with a full choke on 40-yard crossing shots?
Been shooting sporting clays for years, mostly with my Browning Citori 725. I've always used a full choke for the long stuff, but lately I'm noticing I'm missing more crossing targets at 40 yards. I'm using Federal Top Gun 1-1/8oz #8 shot at 1200fps. Pattern seems too dense, leaving gaps. Tried a modified choke and it felt better, but I'm second-guessing myself.
1 Answer
Yeah, I've seen that happen. A full choke at 40 yards with #8s can definitely over-concentrate the pattern, especially on a fast crosser where you need some spread. I switched to an improved modified for anything 35-45 yards and it made a noticeable difference - still enough density for the distance but better coverage. What's your lead technique on those? Sometimes a maintained lead with a slightly more open choke works better than a swing-through. Might be worth patterning both chokes at 40 yards to see the actual difference.
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