opening up chokes

[Tom Flanigan]

Originally Posted by Daryl Corona

The bottom line is the center of the pattern should be on the leading edge of whatever you are shooting at, be it a clay target or, if it's a bird, the head.

I agree in most cases, but shooting grouse at ranges of from 10 to 25 yards is instinctual and in many, maybe most, cases in tight cover, you don't see a whole bird. What you see is a flash of bits of the bird as it flies through cover. In this type of shooting, any choke at all is a handicap. Improved cylinder isn't bad but modified and full in this type of cover hunting grouse is a real handicap. I pattern my grouse guns and also shot some modified and full chokes at 20 yards and for this type of shooting its a real handicap.


Unless you are satisfied with taking just a few birds per year, open chokes and light shot is the answer. I never knew a true grouse hunter (25 or more birds per year at the low end) who shot modified or full guns in tight grouse cover.

[C.O.B.]

Over the weekend The Great Northern SXS shoot in Wisconsin had a grouse course which was set up with green targets through the trees at high speed. Just for grins I took a straight grip DHE 12 with 34 inch barrels choked .047 in each and did quite well with it. The gun handles wonderfully, isn't sluggish or barrel heavy.