Shotguns

Interchangeable choke tubes have been a feature for smokepole enthusiasts since Winchester Firearms created the system in 1959. The first experiment ended in 1965 because of functioning problems, but the Winchoke system introduced in 1970 took hold and is considered the grandfather of choke development. Today, it is hard to find a shotgun that does not feature some kind of interchangeable choke system.

Perhaps a little trip back to the physics classroom is necessary at this time. For those who still remember the days of Shotgun Chokes and Ballistics 101, we request a little indulgence.

When the powder charge sends the shot column down the barrel, it reaches the choke and is forced to squeeze together before exiting the muzzle. That constriction is called radial force. As the shot column leaves the barrel, gravity and wind resistance immediately take over and attempt to force the pellets inside the column to spin and flare off. The tighter the pellets are squeezed together by radial force inside the choke, the more the pellets hold together over a longer distance and produce a tighter pattern.

Constriction of the chokes is measured in thousandths of an inch and, in general, breaks down to the following measurements that are subtracted from the bore diameter of the barrel: Cylinder, .000; Skeet, .005; Improved Cylinder, .010; Modified, .020; Improved Modified, .030; Full, .040.

For example, in our patterning and handling tests, we selected a Browning Model XS Citori 12-gauge over and under with 32-inch barrels that was reviewed in previous editions of Gun Tests. The interchangeable chokes from the various manufacturers were all designed to fit the Browning. We checked the bore measurement of the XS with a bore gauge and the reading was .740. The constriction of all the choke tubes was subtracted from that figure to determine their bore diameter.

One more part of the classroom review states that in most cases the improvement in the pattern on a target at 30 yards over the widest pellet spread with a cylinder choke is about 10-13 percent with skeet; 15-17 percent with improved cylinder; 25-27 percent with modified; 30-33 percent with improved modified; and about 35 percent with a full choke. Students can now close their books.

It should be noted in reading through our test that performance results will vary depending upon individual shotguns and some shooters make their choke selection based on tube qualities other than patterning, such as ease of use; weight; and even appearance.

All of these individual factors are a matter of personal preference and help drive the quest to find the right combination of choke tube length and constriction that produces the optimum pattern performance. As one smoke-pole veteran said: "Whatever works for you, works for you — Don't mess with something that works."

In our test, we examined the results using both an improved cylinder and modified choke. The ammunition used was Winchester AA Xtra-Lite 2.75 inch Target Loads with one ounce of No. 71/2 shot and 2.75 dram equivalent of powder producing an average 1180 fps muzzle velocity.

All of the chokes in the test were fired at a 30-inch circle on a paper target placed 30 yards downrange. We noted that there was very little deviation in the overall pattern of pellet strikes on the paper, with all the chokes tending to produce slightly more strikes on the left side of the circle rather than on the right. This result probably is a factor of gun fit for the shooters, rather than choke fit in the barrel.

We also tested all the chokes on clay target presentations on a couple of different sporting clays ranges. While target breaks can vary according to the skills of the shooter more than because of the effectiveness of the chokes, we also used the "feel-good" factor to judge how well the tubes worked on clays in our evaluation.

Gun Tests recently tested an FN Police Shotgun 12-Gauge Pump No. 17674 that came with an extra stock for $270.

(GunReports.com) -- The Winchester Repeating Arms Super X® Pump is now available in 12 gauge 3½ chambering.

These specialized shotgun parts fall prey to several common mechanical malfunctions. Here's how to correct them.

To visit a big trap match and look at the competitor’s guns can be as enthralling as attending a custom car show. But a $10K over/under is not a necessity. Nor are some of the radical modifications to the guns one might see on match day. Gun Tests magazine evaluated a trap shotgun designed to put you into the action for less money than that. In looking for a suitable trap gun, they found that pump-action models were the most economical. They came across a single-barrel break-action model from Harrington & Richardson. This was the Topper Trap shotgun SB1-30T, $360, and decided to give it a try.

Introduced by Browning Arms Company in 1973, the Citori is a direct descendant of John M. Browning's Superposed, the great gun inventor's last invention. The first Superposed models produced by Fabrique Nationale in 1930 had double triggers, one for each barrel. Browning's son, Val A. Browning, eventually redesigned the gun to have a single selective trigger, which allowed firing either barrel first by moving a thumb selector mounted in the receiver. The present day Citori and the Superposed—models of which are still available from Browning's Custom Shop—are practically identical, which is just further proof that John M. had few if any equals when it came to designing guns.

One of the most popular over-and-under shotguns offered by Browning, the Citori line, has undergone numerous updates and upgrades over the years as thousands of target and field shooters look for something to improve their clay-busting and game bag-filling skills. A tweak here, a new twist there, and each new model is promoted as the key to shooting success. The practice must work pretty well, as very few of the major firearm manufacturers refrain from cranking out new and upgraded models on a regular basis.One of the most recent entries to the new-and-improved market is the Browning Citori Model 725, released to the public last year as the latest in a long line of innovative over-and-under shotguns produced by the company founded by legendary firearms inventor John M. Browning. The Model 725 is an update of the models such as the 625, 525, 425 and XS over-and-unders that are considered among of the most popular stack-barrel shotguns in the country.Lighter and trimmer than its predecessors, the 725 is billed as allowing the shooter to become one with the gun, with a new mechanical FireLite trigger for quicker second shots and new Invector-DS extended choke system for improved patterning and easier removal during choke changes. Several other minor changes are advertised as helping reduce recoil and provide better shooter comfort when touching off a round or two in the field or on the range.To fulfill the requirements of the Bargain Hunter story angle, we revisited a Citori Model XS Sporting that was part of a Gun Tests review in 2007. The XS fell between the Models 425 and 525 in the Citori line and as noted in the earlier review, it is among the solid, dependable over and under shotguns made in Japan for Browning. In Bargain Hunter reviews, we not only will flyspeck the performance of the guns involved, but we will delve deeply into questions of value, perhaps saving you hundreds or even thousands of dollars in tightly-matched comparisons.In this case, both the 725 and its XS predecessor feature the same rugged full-width hinge pin and tapered locking bolt design with locking lugs in the bottom of the receiver that have become a Browning trademark. In addition, both models come with three-stage triggers allowing for an adjustable length of pull, palm swells (for right-handed shooters), ported barrels, and screw-in chokes. Rather than use the internal Invector Plus chokes that came as a standard feature with Model XS, we upgraded to Diana Grade extended chokes for this match-up. Our reasoning was to pit extended chokes versus extended chokes as a fair test of performance.Although the Model XS featured 32-inch barrels while the Model 725 sported 30-inch barrels, we did not think the slight difference in handling ability hindered a proper match-up of the two shotguns.Our ammunition selection for this test included Winchester AA Xtra-Lite Target 2.75-inch loads that were 2.75-dram equivalent shells with one ounce of No. 71/2 and No. 8 shot traveling at 1180 fps for the sporting clays testing; and Federal Game Load 2.75-inch loads that were 3.25-dram equivalent shells with one ounce of No. 71/2 shot travelling at 1290 fps for field tests.Since only the Model 725 would handle 3-inch shells, we limited our comparison to 2.75-inch loads. Anyone who has fired many 3-inch loads and suffered from the resulting shoulder shock can appreciate our decision.Both shotguns handled the two types of shells with exceptional performance both in the field and on the sporting clays range with no malfunctions of any kind. Our team was particularly pleased with the solid hits using Modified chokes with both shotguns on high-flying mourning doves as far as 50 yards away. Heres our test report:

Checkering a stock is an art unto itself, and it requires hands-on experience to learn it. But we can show you some tools to use.

For many turkey hunters, getting their hands on the right gear is almost as important as getting into the game of gotcha with a big tom. If the hunters think a new camouflage pattern, a different style of call, or an updated version of their favorite smoke pole will give them the edge over a wary tom turkey, they are all for adding the new piece of gear to their hunting ensemble.

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One of the recent innovations catching the eye of more than a few hunters are shotguns featuring thumbhole stocks. This stock design lets the shooter place his or her thumb through the stock rather than wrap it over the grip, as rifle shooters have found. For scattergun enthusiasts, the concept is fairly recent and has received a relatively modest reaction.

We decided to check out two models of O.F. Mossberg and Sons Inc. turkey shotguns, one with a standard stock and one with a thumbhole stock, to see if there was a difference in performance and handling between the two popular turkey tools.

The two shotguns in our test were the Mossberg Model 500 No. 55216 Turkey THUG 12 Gauge with a suggested retail price of $409 and the Mossberg Model 500 Mossy Oak Break Up Synthetic Thumbhole Turkey pump-action 12 gauge with a suggested retail price of $493. According to Linda Powell, director of media relations for Mossberg, the thumbhole stocks are popular with steady sales, but make up a relatively small percentage of the many thousands of shotguns the company sells each year.

The various versions of standard, black synthetic, camouflage and other models of Mossberg pump-action shotguns are among the most popular firearms found in the hands of hunters across the country. It came as no surprise that the two models we put to the test lived up to the pump's reputation as a dependable and easily handling shooting tool.

As part of our handling and performance examination of the standard versus thumbhole stock, we selected several different types of popular shotgun ammunition. On the patterning board range, we used three different sizes of shot — Nos. 4, 5, and 6 — in 3-inch 1.75-ounce Winchester High Velocity Turkey Loads, all with an average muzzle velocity of 1300 fps. For overall handling and to test second- and third-shot capabilities, we switched to 2.75-inch Federal Game and Target shells loaded with 1 ounce of No. 7 1/2 shot, averaging 1290 fps at the muzzle. As noted in the comments below, recoil from the 3-inch shells in both shotguns was not particularly pleasing during the patterning tests. To reduce shoulder shock, lighter loads were brought into play for the multiple-shot review. Anyone who has spent much time touching off 3-inch shells at a patterning board can appreciate our decision. Here is our report:

While the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team for shotgun will be decided in the coming months, the future of the program continues to unfold each year with the naming of the Junior Olympic Shotgun Team. This year, 22 shooters were selected for the team for which they will receive the support, assistance and coaching needed to advance through the ranks of competitive shotgun shooting.

(GunReports.com) -– Mossberg has introduced three new guns in response to the latest craze in the realm of shooting competitions -- zombie-themed fun shoots.

Of all the clay-shooting sports, the game of trap is perhaps the least understood. But the concept is simple. Target presentation is based on the taking of a bird as if it were flushed from the ground. The name trap was taken from the original mechanism, which was as simple as releasing a live bird from a box or trap placed on the ground. The practice of using live birds then gave way to tossing glass balls as targets. (We pity the persons who were charged with cleaning up the broken glass.) According to the Krause publication, “The Gun Digest Book of Trap and Skeet Shooting,” by Christian and Sapp, the glass targets were replaced with clay 'birds' some time in the 1880s. Today, the clay birds are thrown by machine. A voice-operated release system that responds to the shooter’s verbal command is the latest innovation.