10 Gauge Chokes/Patterns
 

I recently purchased a Parker DH 10 gauge(my first short 10) and was amazed at how well it shot given the rather tight chokes. I brought it to a sporting clays course and figured I would shoot a few stations and I after I missed given the tight chokes(that’s an acceptable excuse right?) I would take it back to the truck and get a different gun. I was amazed at how well the gun shot. I ended up shooting the whole course with it and doing better than usual for me with that gun.

The gun is choked IM/F and I was shooting RST 1 1/8 oz. shells at 1150fps. I was hitting close targets, far target and everything in between. I know the 10 has a shorter shot column which improves the pattern. It was a good lesson in learning a gun and not getting hung up what the chokes are on paper. When I bought the gun I figured I might take it turkey hunting once a year, but I plan to shoot it much more often and would consider another 10 gauge with hesitation.

No real question here, I was just really impressed with the short 10 and might not let a gun’s chokes influence my decision making so much in the future.

Jay

I have found the bigger the gauge, the better it works, and most of my big bores have full chokes.

I shoot two short 10's and a number of 12's . Find the same thing 10's break targets for me a bit better than the 12 G guns. Put it to more barrel weight improving the swing. Better shooter may not see as much difference. However I think the 10 G was outlawed for ATA Trap because it did break targets better. Trap shooters correct me if wrong.

Also load 1 1/8 oz in the 10's, mostly 7/8 oz in the 12's. While I say 7/8 is fine and have no plans to incease my 12 G load, no doubt about it more pellets will break more targets.

10's are great guns everybody needs a couple.

William

It was a pleasant surprise to say the least and as I said I will shoot this “new” 10 often.

William I also like your suggestion…I do need a couple, I think a hammer 10 will be next :)

The pattern is denser with a 10 and clays often just disappear in a cloud of smoke. That is a good feeling.

I love my big 10 gauge hammer gun. Yet another Parker in the collection that's just not for sale. :)

And with an 8 gauge, the clays just disappear in the air with no trace of anything.

Not even dust, right Mills? Even though I've settled on the 10 as my "Big Parker" the hope remains that maybe someday I'll run across one of the 8's when I have a pocket full of cash. Or...maybe Charlie Cleveland will feel sorry and leave me one of his in the will. :rotf:

Mills, you’re absolute right about the cloud of dust thing and it does feel good. So good in fact, I can’t wait to do it again…maybe this weekend.

The first time I ever "tried" to shoot doubles with my lifter 10 gauge I was getting ready to shoot a pair at skeet station two and as you may very well have guessed that SOB doubled on me . But I did hit the target with the two 1 1/4 ounce loads of #8's and like your 8 gauge the target vanished from sight !

I have had a 10 double on me and that was not too bad, but I hope the 8 never does that to me.

ouch!!!!!

could be worse- a 4 bore doubling i the "gone astray" video here
http://www.doublegunshop.com/vintage6.htm

as for the 10s- I think I shoot clays more often with a 10 than any other guage, just plain fun

If I ever get an 8 and then acquire atleast a 600JR style loader to load the darn thing I think I'd have to do a round of Sporting with it and perhaps a 50/50 skeet and trap with it 😉

My 10 Hammer is a Parker and immediately noticed as a 10. Hammerless 10 am making do with a 32 inch Ithaca until the right Parker comes along. It's a pretty impressive gun on clays courses, looks like a 12 until it sits in the rack next to one, or when it dusts targets.

I think you will find some of the loads we use are milder than Factory RSTs, to me anyhow. And a whole lot less expensive.

William

I thought my 1881 Parker lifter 10 was cylinder and cylinder until we measured the bores. Both barrels had .801 bores with .030 constriction. 1 1/8 oz loads are a delight at clays and dove while 1 1/4 oz for duck.

mighty nice gun harry....charlie