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...have 1 Double Gun (16 bore), how would you choke it.
The most versatile choke combination would be...

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Fill in the blank

RB--IC; LB--M

GLS +1

Although my doubles are choked ic/mod, I would have to say skt/mod. I think it would be more useful to have a 2 choke separation between the barrels, possibly increasing the range and versatility of the gun. I just can't bring myself to go tearing into my right barrels to do so, and perhaps by chosing loads carefully those results could still be obtained.
Karl

IC/M for me too

Light mod and improved mod. If I wanted more open patterns I'd use a spreader load of some kind and a buffered load to tighten the patterns if needed.

Cylinder and improved modified. Bobby

Bobby,
That's a pretty good spread, should cover quite a bit.
Karl

Most birds are shot at less than 30 yards. I've opted for IC (light) and Light Mod and would probably be better off with cylinder in the right.

IC right, F left. I could open the IC to skeet or nearly cylinder patterns with spreaders, and I could get the F barrel opened to at least LM the same way.

I could hunt anything with that.

SRH

I had a Sterlingworth 16 with 30" barrels that the previous owner had altered the choke to .015 and .025 which was light modified and improved modified and was an absolute delight to shoot. Been trying to get that gun back from the friend I loaned it to several years ago. If I needed it I would but I figure that it's in good hands and is better off being used than sitting in my gun room. In a dove field it is certain death both near or far.

I agree with Stan, r-IC and l-full.
My go to gun when I hunted pen raised birds was a 16 ga. FN with 30" Krupp barrels and had .016 constriction in right and .024 in left. I liked that combination also.

Cylinder/mod

Would help to know what the primary use of the gun, and favored loads would be. "Versatile" for early season upland might be a bit different than versatile for upland with some clays or waterfowl thrown in.

Glad I have more than one gun.


Best,
Ted

Why make a simple question hard, Ted? Don't you have some idea what your primary use of a 16 ga. shotgun would be?

SRH

Cyl/Full or IC/Full covers the gamut and I suppose gives the gun the most versatility, but the 16 gauge doubles I've owned that have been the most reliable with an ounce of shot and in keeping with the inbetweener nature of a 16 gauge double have been in the .007/.013 range for the respective right/left barrels. A 16 is best when it's not trying to be a 12.

Stan, are you coming to the Fall Southern?

DDA

+1 Stan


+1 Dave.

.017/.007
"A 16 is best when it's not trying to be a 12".

I know exactly what my use of a 16 gauge shotgun is. Problem is, it is likely different than your use of same.
Not a hard question, but, short of choke tubing it, more information would make for a better decision with fixed chokes.

My use, make it cyl and mod.

Best,
Ted

I have my room reserved, Don. But, as always this time of year it depends on peanut harvest and the weather. Won't know for certain until about the Wednesday before. Really want to if any way possible, even if only for one day.

SRH

I agree with Ted. I have a number of 16 ga. doubles with several different choke configurations ranging from imp. cylinder to extra full. If I was going to choose one for turkey hunting, it would be a 30" barreled gun choked full and fuller. Full and modified would be my choice for pheasant, and imp.cyl./light modified would be my choice for grouse. It would be full and modified if I was actually limited to the hellish and unacceptable choice of only one double. I could always use spreaders for shorter range use.

I'd guess that Jagermeister's choice in this question would be either an A-5 or a Rem. 870 Police Magnum with screw in choke tubes... since he still doesn't have even one lousy double... and probably never will.

I suppose we could split the hairs even further, and limit ourselves to but one size of shot, with our two choke choices, Keith. I have, occasionaly, hunter ruffed grouse with either 8 or 6 shot, I guess I can't say I'd want a gun choked identicle for that use with those two sizes of shot.

I still think it would be hard to own but a single gun, for the uses I have.


Best,
Ted

Sure. All of that is true, keith and Ted. But none of it answers the o.p.'s question, which was:

If You Could Only...have 1 Double Gun (16 bore), how would you choke it.
The most versatile choke combination would be...

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Fill in the blank

The point of the exercise, as I understand Mr. Cash, is to consider all the types of hunting you do and try to determine what choke combination would be the best (sure, it may be a tradeoff). You may not like the question, or the premise, but that is the question. The question is not whether one 16 ga. gun is the best route to go.

SRH

Awww Stan, you are taking the fun out of it.

I was enjoying reading Ted and Keith squirming out from under the confines of the original question!

I would choose Imp cyl. and mod. Why? Because my pattern board tells me that the shot coming out of those chokes are perfect for the distances that I shoot upland birds behind a pointing dog.

My inclination would be sk/IC, since 90% of my hunting is ruffed grouse in tight, mountainous cover. However, my normal one week per annum on the prairies would likely force me to compromise to IC/MOD.

OK James... just for you... if I could only have one 16 ga. double... it would be choked full and modified as a compromise for all of the small game hunting I do. Such a dismal scenario would also indicate that the filthy rotten lying Liberal Left Democrats finally succeeded in restricting us to one shotgun, and were gleefully moving toward the total ban they really want. In other words, the OP is a nightmare scenario that should make us all think about who we support and vote for.

Hahaha! Perfect Keith. I knew you had it in you.

For the record, despite the difficulty I have removing steel from barrels, I'd have IC and Mod.

Dear keith. Take a deep breath.
As Stan so precisely stated, this was only an exercise, I repeat, only an exercise.

I'm wanting a CSMC Fox in 16 gauge but don't want to spend the cash on a second set of barrels.
I was looking for affirmation of my choice of chokes, .017/.007.
Dave Erickson said it best, "A 16 is best when it's not trying to be a 12". Thanks Dave.
The peoples have spoken. If I read it right, many would hover around Mod/IC.

So keith, You managed to make a fun little information gathering "exercise" into your personal soapbox
allowing you to hysterically (and not the funny kind) taint yet another thread and to also take more shots at your arch enemy Jagermeister.
Remember what Aaron Burr said in Hamilton,"Talk less, smile more".

Bob, a one-shot try for two birds: chokes and gauges. One size can't fit all but what suits me for upland and in the blind is IC/M, shot 3 and 5, 20 o/u SKB model 500, no disadvantage from snipe to geese. Kent TM makes up for a lot.

And a good dog.

I think the new info makes a difference in the one gun restriction exercise. There seems to be an implication that a twelve gauge is available, and that it has some greater capability than the 16. In that case, I'd tend toward more open chokes on the sixteen. If it was framed in terms of wanting a super twenty, then in my mind, I'd lean towards more choke. A one gun restriction is truly a nightmare scenario, and then some.

Ain't that the truth!!!

While I hate the thought of only one gun, I'd probably shoot better by focusing on one.
Yesterday was not so good at the range going from my AyA 16 to a Benelli goose getter.
As to chokes, one open and one tighter, IC/Mod or lt.Mod/IM would do. I find choke is less important than I thought, just not too tight in the first barrel.

Light IC and IM.

This should make you smile more Bob... this is what you said back in 2016 when someone started a thread criticizing your precious anti-gun Democrats when they didn't display the American Flag at their Convention- Post #451503 - 07/27/16:



Snopes said there were flags too, and discredited that story. But the DNC discredited Snopes... and you as well... when they apologized and explained that the reason they didn't display the Flag was because they didn't want to offend anyone. Jagermeister is certainly not my "arch-enemy". He is simply another disingenuous Liberal Democrat Fudd (without a single double gun) who posts a lot more often than you.

I thought taking a shot at your precious Democrats would flush you and make you take a return shot at me. I'm smiling a little bit now. Let me know when you're grinding the enamel off your teeth at night, so I can really smile, OK?

P.S.- If I was ordering a new 16 gauge double, I'd know enough about my typical uses for it to decide for myself what chokes would be best.

Write less, smile more.

Bob, you sound so reasonable and level-headed... to those that don't know about your true nature:









Flintfan's well thought reply made you throw in the towel and slip out the back door.

The entire exchange of manners and civility can be read by clicking on this link. But you were probably just having a bad day Bob. One of many. It made me smile:

https://www.doublegunshop.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=443723&page=1

Whine less, smile more.

Yet another thread professionally CRAPPED on by keith

Taking thread back to the subject

If only one gun, fixed chokes, and prewar, left .015 right .005.

If current manufacture, then choke tubes, with tubes .000 to .030 in .05 increments.

If limited to one gun as hard a choice as it would be, I might break and go modern with a newer SXS. I do note none of my SXS guns are newer than the 1920's.

Fortunately, I do not live in fear of a one gun SxS limit as other than a fictional construct for discussion purposes.

If you really believe you will have only one gun, a 16 gauge double, there are worse things than choke tubes and a wrench to put them in. Like, having only one gun.

Let us know what you decide to do. If you get that far, at any rate.


Best,
Ted