Arms and Cycle Works

[Researcher]

At the time these skeet chokes, like Winchester's WS-1 and WS-2, were designed, it appears to me that tighter barrel was there to make these guns more useful as upland game guns. A selling point? That .014" to .016" of choke in the WS-2 barrel of a Model 21 or the left barrel of Ithaca NID skeet guns is not useful for NSSA Skeet. The way skeet was shot, at the time these guns were designed, one went all the way around the field shooting singles at each station loading one shell at a time --

Fox Skeeter singles.jpg

Then the squad went back to stations one, two, six & seven to shoot doubles --

Fox Skeeter doubles.jpg

and anyone who was straight normally shot their option bird at station seven.

Those folks shooting a pump or auto with WS-1 or SKEET choke or that spreader tube in a Cutts were at a distinct advantage over those saddled with that tight choke second barrel.

[Bill Murphy]

Early skeet was a much slower game than it is today. Shooters would follow the outgoing bird past the stake and shoot it at 25 to 30 yards, explaining the use of the skeet 2 choke.. Today, competitive shooters shoot the outgoer before or at the center stake, 21 yards or less, the incomer even closer.