Over under choke barrel

[Countrylivinnc]

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For those that hunt with a over under what barrel do you run your tightest choke? Trying to get mine set up for this year.


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[Franklin7x57]

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 I'm guessing you want an open choke for close shots and a tight choke for longer shots? I would play around both ways to check POI and shoot it whichever way is closest.

[old3toe]

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  I shoot my tightest choke in the top barrel of my 20ga and the open close range choke in the bottom. Many say it's best to shoot the tight choke in the bottom barrel first because you get less muzzle jump and barrel rise. My theory is since my top barrel is loaded with a tight patterning hard hitting load of fed heavyweight 7's and if I need to use it then the bird is at max range or a tad closer. So if I need this barrel and miss then the bird is already to far for the open choke lighter load for the follow up to begin with and should not be fired as a second shot period. So muzzle jump doesn't matter right? Plus I want my tightest shooting barrel as close to my open sights as I can get them. My bottom barrel only shoots a tad lower than the top and is perfect on windage, it makes no difference in aiming with my open sights out to 30yrs in my gun.
   If your shooting tight chokes in the top and bottom barrel then it makes no difference either way really but I'd still shoot the top first.
   

[Tom007]

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  I shoot my tightest choke in the top barrel of my 20ga and the open close range choke in the bottom. Many say it's best to shoot the tight choke in the bottom barrel first because you get less muzzle jump and barrel rise. My theory is since my top barrel is loaded with a tight patterning hard hitting load of fed heavyweight 7's and if I need to use it then the bird is at max range or a tad closer. So if I need this barrel and miss then the bird is already to far for the open choke lighter load for the follow up to begin with and should not be fired as a second shot period. So muzzle jump doesn't matter right? Plus I want my tightest shooting barrel as close to my open sights as I can get them. My bottom barrel only shoots a tad lower than the top and is perfect on windage, it makes no difference in aiming with my open sights out to 30yrs in my gun.
   If your shooting tight chokes in the top and bottom barrel then it makes no difference either way really but I'd still shoot the top first.
 

Interesting thoughts here. In my opinion, it all depends on whether or not you use an optic on the gun. I have a red dot on my Cynergy. I checked POI on both barrels. Luckily, there was only a little less than an inch difference, the top barrel shoots a bit higher. With that said, I sighted the red dot in with the lower barrel dead on. I use a tighter .660, or depending on ammo, .640 choke on the bottom, and a more open (spreader) choke on top. When I use decoys, this is the gun I use. Gives me the upper barrel for the closer decoy shot, and the lower barrel if he hangs up a bit. I aim at the waddle on all my birds, so the upper barrel slight difference is not a factor. The whole key here is knowing your point of impact with the 2 barrels, then you set it up accordingly. Hope this helped.

[Boll Weevil]

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Top is my long barrel.

[BandedSpur]

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Been killing turkeys with stackbarrels since 2009 and doves, waterfowl, and clays for a lot longer than that. I set up the long barrel on bottom. Most O/U's POI is higher with the top barrel and lower with the bottom barrel. This tendency is exacerbated when shooting heavy loads. It is a fact that felt recoil is less when firing the under barrel because the gun recoils straight back into your shoulder with less muzzle rise (which tends to smack you in the cheek). That's why virtually ALL competitive clay target shooters set up their O/Us to shoot the lower barrel first. With less muzzle rise and felt recoil, it is easier for them to get the gun back on target for the second shot of doubles.

I shoot 1&5/8 oz TSS handloads in the long barrel and 1&1/4 TSS handloads for the short barrel. After much experimentation, POI is closer to POA with both barrels if I shoot the heavier load in the lower barrel. Set up this way, my long barrel hits about 2" below POA and the top barrel about 2" high at 40 yds. I run an FF III and put the dot on his head with the long barrel and on the waddles with the short barrel.

[Tom007]

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Been killing turkeys with stackbarrels since 2009 and doves, waterfowl, and clays for a lot longer than that. I set up the long barrel on bottom. Most O/U's POI is higher with the top barrel and lower with the bottom barrel. This tendency is exacerbated when shooting heavy loads. It is a fact that felt recoil is less when firing the under barrel because the gun recoils straight back into your shoulder with less muzzle rise (which tends to smack you in the cheek). That's why virtually ALL competitive clay target shooters set up their O/Us to shoot the lower barrel first. With less muzzle rise and felt recoil, it is easier for them to get the gun back on target for the second shot of doubles.

I shoot 1&5/8 oz TSS handloads in the long barrel and 1&1/4 TSS handloads for the short barrel. After much experimentation, POI is closer to POA with both barrels if I shoot the heavier load in the lower barrel. Set up this way, my long barrel hits about 2" below POA and the top barrel about 2" high at 40 yds. I run an FF III and put the dot on his head with the long barrel and on the waddles with the short barrel.

Great info, thank you...

[wchadw]

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What gauge?
I run 562 and 585 in 20
And full/modified in 28


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[Countrylivinnc]

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I’m running a .680 turkey in the top and a modified in the bottom. Went and shot them yesterday and this combo worked great for me.


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[Bowguy]

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So guys the standard and norm for using the barrels is the open choke goes on the bottom. If you can remember the fixed barrels you had no choice. Stackbarrel is actually theorizing correctly though I’d still do things what i term “the right way” for me.  The bottom barrel does have less felt recoil. That being said if you somehow needed a second shot you’d recover quicker. I know we don’t often need a second shot but I’d want to be lined up correctly as possible, most shots are commonly close anyhow and I bet given a choice the open barrel is the one id most use. I also consider any felt recoil negligible as I’m very recoil tolerant. It drives me nuts to even talk about that. All men should be ok w it
Regarding setting a sight, either barrel could be sighted in equally. I’d personally prob split the difference or perhaps if as Tom stated the sight was limited off I’d still sight the top barrel (be my tight choke)  and just be a tiny low close up. We aim for the neck anyhow so you have lee way. Also the more open choke would be advantageous here imo. One more point about the stacked barrels, many times an extended choke may not fit in some barrels if for some reason you wanted both.
These are just considerations but I guess the old school in me sees it as simply as backwards as the guy holding a fishing rod upside down and explaining as explaining the virtues ugh. No judgement on anyone here.  When we age seems we want to change ways less I guess.
I do see guys theories to be clear. I’d just never do it and one more point. I’ve hunted w stack barrels a long time. Idk if my fingers would even pick the right barrel if I reversed things but that’s a concern only of mine. There’s something cool bout having a choice though

[BandedSpur]

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Bowguy is correct that traditionally, fixed choke O/Us (primarily designed for upland game) were set up with the more open choke on the bottom. Theory being that an outgoing bird (think quail, grouse, pheasant) will be closer on the first shot and further as it vacates the area for the second shot. That scenario doesn't necessarily apply to turkey hunting. With the advent of screw in chokes and barrel selectors, we can set the gun up however we want. I keep my barrel selector set on the open barrel (top) under the assumption that if a turkey gets the drop on me and shows up in my lap, my gun is set to fire the open barrel. If the bird hangs up well out there, I have plenty of time to slide the selector to fire the long barrel. Most of my turkeys are killed with the open choke. My comments about firing the lower barrel first for clay shooting as a means of reducing muzzle jump and felt recoil for a faster second shot do not necessarily apply to turkey hunting per se, as most turkeys are killed with the first shot. It was only to bring to light the benefits of reduced felt recoil from the lower barrel of an O/U.

The comment that "all men should be ok with it" (recoil) is interesting. People have widely varying abilities to handle recoil. A 3.5" shell in a light-weight break action exceeds that of a .458 Win Mag. Recoil that is tolerable for a 30 yo 275 pound guy is possibly a no go for a 160 pound 70 y.o. that has had shoulder reconstruction or a previous detached retina. To each his own.

[wchadw]

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I put tighter barrel on top. Mainly due to  my sight. I have a triangular green dot and I have poi for top barrel set to top of triangle. I get more accurate sight for long shots with this setup. For close, I just cover head with triangle and it does the job with more open choke


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[Bowguy]

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Bowguy is correct that traditionally, fixed choke O/Us (primarily designed for upland game) were set up with the more open choke on the bottom. Theory being that an outgoing bird (think quail, grouse, pheasant) will be closer on the first shot and further as it vacates the area for the second shot. That scenario doesn't necessarily apply to turkey hunting. With the advent of screw in chokes and barrel selectors, we can set the gun up however we want. I keep my barrel selector set on the open barrel (top) under the assumption that if a turkey gets the drop on me and shows up in my lap, my gun is set to fire the open barrel. If the bird hangs up well out there, I have plenty of time to slide the selector to fire the long barrel. Most of my turkeys are killed with the open choke. My comments about firing the lower barrel first for clay shooting as a means of reducing muzzle jump and felt recoil for a faster second shot do not necessarily apply to turkey hunting per se, as most turkeys are killed with the first shot. It was only to bring to light the benefits of reduced felt recoil from the lower barrel of an O/U.

The comment that "all men should be ok with it" (recoil) is interesting. People have widely varying abilities to handle recoil. A 3.5" shell in a light-weight break action exceeds that of a .458 Win Mag. Recoil that is tolerable for a 30 yo 275 pound guy is possibly a no go for a 160 pound 70 y.o. that has had shoulder reconstruction or a previous detached retina. To each his own.

I’m not talking about any injuries or old age, real young folks. Of course that’s a consideration. Talking about this mindset of men/boys being so soft. No grit anymore. Men still need to be men imo. My girls are tougher than most my buddies boys. That’s a problem. I’m sure anyone works construction sees today’s soft mentality in many. One guy I work w freaks out over a paper cut another can’t carry a roll of wire himself. Pretty sad how different these guys are today