Colerain Turkey Choke vs. Jug Choking

[Ky-Flinter]

The following post was originally a reply by Mauser06, in a thread about building Bucks County guns.  There were several replies about chokes and loads, and since this was off the topic of the original thread, but seemed to be a useful discussion, I split it out and moved this discussion to Black Powder Shooting.
-Ron
ALR Moderator

That was a Tip Curtis Dubb's built by "bowkill". I really like the gun. It makes a heck a nice smooth rifle. 62cal Colerain smooth bore.  It started as a Colerain turkey choke which I had reamed out and jug choked so I can shoot shot or round balls. Couple deer and a couple spring gobblers and a mess of squirrels have fallen to it.   


I don't see what'd make it any more difficult than anything else...aside from the long return on the buttplate. Those are known to be slightly more difficult..


I have NO idea what it looked like before it was finished.  But the finished product makes a nice smooth rifle setup.

-Mauser06

[Ky-Flinter]

Why didn't you like the Colerain turkey choke?

Only because you could not shoot round balls?

[Ky-Flinter]

That was one factor...the other was cleaning it wasn't fun.   I got a mouth full of black water when it "burbed" one day and after I was done I put it right in a shipping tube.   

Regretted it enough I just finished a gun with another turkey choke barrel...the pattern is impressive.  I was doing 100-130 pellets in a 10" circle at 30yds with nickle plated #6 shot.  Awesome for turkey and squirrel.   I've heard jug chokes can shoot well...but I haven't gotten mine to do better than 80 or so hits in a 10" circle at 20yds and I've run out of ideas.  I think having the choke reamed out maybe made the jug less effective.  Shooting roundballs and decent shot patterns from the same gun is pretty handy though.  If I was a guy that'd only have one longrifle, it'd be that one.   I've shot roundballs to 50yds and confident in taking deer at that range.  Haven't shot further or tried to tweak the load yet.

[Ky-Flinter]

Mauser06,
      If you haven't tried the Skychief load you may want to check it out. Essentially it is powder followed by a couple or three thin overshot cards, then shot, followed by an olive oil soaked thick cushion wad. It increased my pellet count in a straight cylinder barrel.