Choked Barrel?

[Sam squanch]

My old boss years ago told me his grandfather would heat a shotgun barrel and drive a buggy wheel hub over it to choke it. Said it worked ok if not overdone.

 

[Timmit]

I had Lowell Tennyson jug choke the Colerain barrel on my NWT gun and am extremely satisfied with it. I use it for turkey hunting and he jug choked it to a full choke and it sure made a difference. At 25 yards my pattern with 1 1/8 oz #6 lead shot, using 70gr 2f Swiss powder with standard wad combo of .125 over powder wad, lubed cushion wad and an over shot wad, is inside a 20 inch circle. Prior to jug choking I was lucky if my pattern was inside a 40 inch circle.

 

[rpatmuck]

Mr.Star who passed years ago shot muzzle loading shotguns and jugged choked his guns. I read where he was challenged by another to see who could shoot more crows at a huge crow roosting site. He won!

 

[rpatmuck]

I purchased several choked rifle barrels from Judge Resley before he passed. He rifled his barrels on a homemade rifling device copied from old original rifling machines. He lapped by hand and the last 6 or 8 inches on the muzzle end was a little tighter than the rest of the barrel. All those barrels were turned into rifles and the shot as good as any other barrels I ever had.

 

[Eterry]

May I ask a question, please? No criticism intended, I promise, I've just been curious about this for a long time.

If you are going to use every modern technique in building the guns and choking the guns and loading the guns, what's the point of doing it with muzzleloaders? Why not just go full modern?

Spence

Spence10, no offense taken, I've been working and away from this site.

You are right some take existing breach-loading over/unders and breach them to shoot using musket caps or 209 primers and load from the barrel. They do this to increase lock time I'm guessing, I haven't asked. I also think some DO compete in regular trap, with cartridge arms, and they just want to be competitive in both fields.

My friend uses modern single shotgun barrels mainly because of price, a choked barrel is needed to be competitive in trap and due to availability. He used to get them for little or nothing on Numerich Arms. He said when he started shooting Trap there were few makers of single barrel smoothbore's, and even fewer with a choked barrel.

He had built mostly side-hammer percussion guns, but does install a rubber pad because of the amount of shooting done. In his search of faster ignition time he has built underhammer guns and a few mule-ear guns. But his bread and butter was side lock guns. He didn't install a ramrod because it was a comp gun, not really intended for field use. He said he carried a multi-piece rod if hunting with a gun he built. He doesnt usually install a barrel rib unless the customer insist. He refuses to use a front bead, something I cant deal with.

I have a underhammer 10 bore he made, and a mule ear gun with ribbed barrel and screw in chokes. Both of these were built to shoot at Friendship.

 

[Eterry]

I thought we were talking about hunting...

If you can break a clay bird flying 40 mph crossing in front of you from the 16 yard line then not much in the way of game will escape you either.
Most shotgun coaches suggest shooting trap or skeet before the season opens to improve your hit ratio.

 

[Britsmoothy]

Sometimes things are done 'because I can' and that is fine ofcourse as long as no one is hurt.

The error is when peers start to assume that what ever was done was a necessary improvement and thus also assume that what was before is worthless!

If we all thought thus this forum wouldn't exist!

 

[GREENSWLDE]

This talk of Choke barrels at Trap shoots. Unless the Rules have changed since I last shot International in 1997, CHOKE OR RESTRCTED BARRELS are not allowed in MLAIC Shoots and were not used at 18 century Pigeon shoots. With a number of World and Inter medals, I have Never used other than Cylinder tubes nor have I ever suspected Anyone I know of "Bending" the Rules.
A cylinder tube loaded with care is easily capable of bagging Pheasant sized game (and Clays) out to at least 45 yards. If you want to be a Traditionalist let's stick to Traditional !! If you want Choke Go to the sister site !! I have shot a lot of Baltrap in the past with an Unmentionable using Skeet tubes. Just learn to shoot quicker and straighter.. OLD DOG..

 

[Feltwad]

This talk of Choke barrels at Trap shoots. Unless the Rules have changed since I last shot International in 1997, CHOKE OR RESTRCTED BARRELS are not allowed in MLAIC Shoots and were not used at 18 century Pigeon shoots. With a number of World and Inter medals, I have Never used other than Cylinder tubes nor have I ever suspected Anyone I know of "Bending" the Rules.
A cylinder tube loaded with care is easily capable of bagging Pheasant sized game (and Clays) out to at least 45 yards. If you want to be a Traditionalist let's stick to Traditional !! If you want Choke Go to the sister site !! I have shot a lot of Baltrap in the past with an Unmentionable using Skeet tubes. Just learn to shoot quicker and straighter.. OLD DOG..

Well absolutely correct lets keep it traditional It seems that are more shooters that believe in keeping it that way
Feltwad

 

[Sam squanch]

What’s a baltrap? Sounds ominous.....

 

[GREENSWLDE]

Spence10, no offense taken, I've been working and away from this site.

You are right some take existing breach-loading over/unders and breach them to shoot using musket caps or 209 primers and load from the barrel. They do this to increase lock time I'm guessing, I haven't asked. I also think some DO compete in regular trap, with cartridge arms, and they just want to be competitive in both fields.

My friend uses modern single shotgun barrels mainly because of price, a choked barrel is needed to be competitive in trap and due to availability. He used to get them for little or nothing on Numerich Arms. He said when he started shooting Trap there were few makers of single barrel smoothbore's, and even fewer with a choked barrel.

He had built mostly side-hammer percussion guns, but does install a rubber pad because of the amount of shooting done. In his search of faster ignition time he has built underhammer guns and a few mule-ear guns. But his bread and butter was side lock guns. He didn't install a ramrod because it was a comp gun, not really intended for field use. He said he carried a multi-piece rod if hunting with a gun he built. He doesnt usually install a barrel rib unless the customer insist. He refuses to use a front bead, something I cant deal with.

I have a underhammer 10 bore he made, and a mule ear gun with ribbed barrel and screw in chokes. Both of these were built to shoot at Friendship.

Not all M/L built without under ribs and ramrods were completion guns unless we are talking about competion in a line of guns at driven bird shoots. Some pairs and trios were built without as the shooter would have one or two loaders as with modern Driven bird shoots when loading rods were included in the guncase. These guns turn up occasionally at Game Fairs or at MLA Clay shoots were they are usually druled over by me and others who can't afford them..
As to Baltrap it is what you may know as Automatic Ball Trap (ABT). Sorry I miss an "L" of a lot these days. A trap that oscillates and elevates randomly so that the next clay's direction is unknown. OLD DOG.

 

[Sam squanch]

Ok, thanks. Although “automatic ball trap” makes me cringe.....

 

[griffiga]

I use an old original 11 gauge double cylinder bore and I'm constantly hitting rabbits out to 30 yards. Easier and faster to reload due to no constriction at the muzzle. I do have a Pedersoli 12 that is choked full and mod, and I have to use 16 gauge felt wads in order to keep up the reloading speed.

 

[Eterry]

This talk of Choke barrels at Trap shoots. Unless the Rules have changed since I last shot International in 1997, CHOKE OR RESTRCTED BARRELS are not allowed in MLAIC Shoots and were not used at 18 century Pigeon shoots. With a number of World and Inter medals, I have Never used other than Cylinder tubes nor have I ever suspected Anyone I know of "Bending" the Rules.
A cylinder tube loaded with care is easily capable of bagging Pheasant sized game (and Clays) out to at least 45 yards. If you want to be a Traditionalist let's stick to Traditional !! If you want Choke Go to the sister site !! I have shot a lot of Baltrap in the past with an Unmentionable using Skeet tubes. Just learn to shoot quicker and straighter.. OLD DOG..

Sir, I have never competed other than locally. My friend shot at Brady, Tx, and Friendship for years, and went to Phoenix a few times. I have no idea what the rules and regs are for any matchess other than the small local matches I have attended.

We shot lots of "Wolf chase" matches when I was young, putting some money on it a few times, but that was with cartridge guns. I know most if not all cartridge shooters of trap use a full or extra full choke.

My point in my initial post was to show a card wad CAN EASILY be used in ANY constriction or choke that I'm aware of...but some adjustments must be made to the card, which are easy and not a hinderance to shooting. As I've said, no one I know uses the fiber wads for anything, the Skychief load not included. A proper fitting rod end must be used or the card will turn in the bore and can ruin a fun time.