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Winchester 1300 Winchoke Selection

4K views 4 replies 4 participants last post by  doug710 
#1 ·
Hi,
I am a rookie and would really appreciate a little help understanding how to select the appropriate choke for my gun.
I have a Winchester 1300 Ranger Field with 28" barrel. I have 3 chokes: improved cylinder, modified and full. My plan is to use this for skeet/trap and target shooting.

I would like to know if the chokes do anything besides change the constriction pattern of the shot?

Is it safe to shoot slugs through any choke? Is there a "best" selection if I am shooting slugs?

The manual says to use rifeled slugs, but I do not think I have a rifled barrel? Is that correct?

Is it ok to use a 28" barrel for slugs or should I buy something shorter?

The gun has a monter kick with slugs, but very little with shot. Is there a type of slug that would decrease the recoil?

Thanks for any and all information! I read the manual and have looked online without much success in answering these questions.
 
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#2 ·
I would like to know if the chokes do anything besides change the constriction pattern of the shot?

Thats the basic purpose of a choke. in target shooting you always want the basic same pattern, just at different distances from the gun to target. Use the IC for closer shots, and Mod for longer ones. The full can be used for really long Sporing clay shoots or trap when you start to move back from the front line. For now put in the IC for skeet/SC and the MOd for trap. Not the perfect set up but will allow you to focus on targets, not the equipment. later you can get more chokes and go wild...

Is it safe to shoot slugs through any choke? Is there a "best" selection if I am shooting slugs?

Your Manual suggest IC, 28" barrel is fine. Shorter barrels are easier to lug into tree stands and have fixed open sights more like a rifle...

The gun has a monter kick with slugs, but very little with shot. Is there a type of slug that would decrease the recoil?

They make moderate recoil slugs, look around a bit...

The manual says to use rifeled slugs, but I do not think I have a rifled barrel? Is that correct?

Yes. If the barrel is smooth use a rifled slug, conversly use a non rifled slug in a rifled barrel.

I suggest reading your manual one more time. Also Most trap/skeet fields have orientation and safety classes. This will help you alot if you are new to the sports. This will help you from making embarassing mistakes your first couple of times out. More importantly, as someone new to this sport, you don't want to indanger yourself or those around you.

Before you go to the range make sure you have proper safety equipment (ear and eye protection), and appropriate ammunition to shoot. Most ranges limit shot sizes and shell size. A shell bag makes a nice accessory as well..

best of luck and welcome to the shotguning sports!
 
#4 ·
Doug, look into the Manged Recoil slugs offered by Remington, Federal, and one or two other companies. These shoot at a slower velocity but are rather pleasant to shoot in comparison to the regular slugs and performance out to 50-60 yards is about the same. You can get extra rifled barrels (for use with sabot slugs, more expensive, more reach) or smoothbore slug barrels (for use with foster or ordinary if somewhat of a misnomer "rifled slugs", less expensive but generally limted to 50-60 yards). Both types of slug barrels have open sights which are much more accurate than using a single bead.
 
#5 ·
Thanks everyone for the information, it was very helpful! I went out to the range this weekend and with the proper choke (IC), the gun was a dream to shoot, even with slugs. I was relatively accurate at 75 yds, but think I might need to add a scope for better accuracy. Any suggestions for scopes?

THANKS!
 
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