timb99

I like Carlson's tubes. I have a bunch of them. I had them put tubes in one of my guns that previously had fixed chokes. But if you call them and ask them, what they'll say is sales BS (because they get more money for their extended tubes.) They'll say something like "the longer parallel section gives you better patterns." But its just that. BS. People who have objectively tested choke tubes by actually testing pattern characteristics (there's a program called Shotgun Insight that actually counts pellet strikes from photos of patterns, and analyzes patterns) have determined what most people know intuitively. 1. You need to pattern the choke tube to see if its worth a darn (works with your combination of barrel and shotgun shells.) 2. Extended tubes do not necessarily throw better patterns than flush tubes. The bigger price for extended tubes is simple. There's more metal.

The ONLY thing extended choke tubes do any better or differently than flush choke tubes is to allow them to be more easily removed and installed. That's it. Nothing else. Plus they look cooler.

Kansas upland season starts 14 November.

Just talked to my favorite landowner in western Kansas. He says by his observation, it'll be as good or better than last year. Too bad season doesn't open for TWO MONTHS!

Forecast for Kansas isn't out yet. I expect it in a week or two. I've heard rumors it won't be good.

Changing the pitch of the recoil pad doesn't change where your cheek bone meets the comb, nor where your eye is in relationship to the barrel. Pitch is a "comfort" thing that allows the recoil pad to be fully engaged with your shoulder pocket, and not digging in to your pectoral muscle AND if done correctly can reduce face slap (which, if I read this correctly, you may have just made worse.) Let us know how it works out.

gibsonhoyt, You have it backwards. Like trapshooter1 said, if your gun is shooting too low, you need to RAISE the rear sight (a.k.a. your eye) to get it to shoot higher, not lower it! The only way to do that is to make the comb higher. The cheap way is what trapshooter1 suggested. Go to the local drug store and buy some Dr. Scholl's moleskin. The stuff you put over foot blisters. Go to the range, and add two or three thicknesses of moleskin to the comb. Shoot some patterns, and when the center of the pattern is a little higher than your bead, you'll be pretty close to where you want to be. As a reference, you might pattern your 20 gauge to see where its POI is, and if you're happy shooting that gun, try to get the M2000 to shoot to the same POI. There are also aftermarket "Cheek-Eez" pads that do the same thing. They're kind of like a mouse pad that you stick to your comb with an adhesive. Or, you could go the expensive route, and if you have a wooden stock, have someone add an adjustable comb for you.

Glad we could help....I think...

No sweat. When he posts back, we'll all find out what he really wanted.

If so, then I misunderstood. I thought he wanted the actual barrel inside diameter.

I think what you are measuring is the recessed area of the barrel that accepts the choke tube. What you need to measure is the ID of the barrel, deeper than the length of the choke tube. There is a step diameter change in the barrel at the point where the choke tube seats into the barrel.

Novaking. What is the outside diameter of the choke tube? Not the threads, but the non-muzzle end?

FYI, Carlson aftermarket chokes for Benelli guns have a "cylinder" choke nominal ID of 0.725. If that's what your Supernova uses, that's going to be within a thousandth or two of what the barrel ID is.

If the measurement you are trying to obtain is the nominal ID of the barrel, which is the same dimension from the end of the forcing cone, which is just after the chamber, to the point where the choke tube starts, then you need an inside micrometer or an inside caliper deep enough to get down to that point. The dimension will be anywhere from 0.723 to about 0.750, but unlikely to be any bigger than 0.750. Tim

"If you measure the lowest depth of your chokes threads it should give you the highest point of your barrel's threading which should be the diameter of the barrel...right?" No. Absolutely not. You can buy a "cylinder" choke tube that has the same ID as the barrel, right? Your cylinder choke tube MUST have some metal between the deepest valley of its threading and the ID of the tube. Right? So the depth of the thread cannot be the same dimension as the ID of the barrel. The barrel ID is NOT 0.783. That would be larger than the standard nominal bore ID of a 10 gauge. I think your logic is a little flawed.

ID of the barrel is not the same as the OD of the choke or the choke tube threads. Make sure you are clear what you are asking for. Can't say for Benelli, but my other Italian-made gun has the barrel inside diameter stamped, in millimeters, on the barrel. It'll be approximately 18.4 mm or 18.5 mm. Thereabouts. Direct measurement requires the use of an inside micrometer or inside calipers long enough to get past the point where the choke starts. Nominal 12 gauge diameter in inches is 0.729. That will vary if the barrel is backbored.

Could still be the gun. I won an "off-brand" semi-auto at a Pheasants Forever banquet. Took it to the pattern board and off a bench rest, the center of the pattern was 6 inches low and 2 inches left at 30 yards. Put an adjustable comb on it, and now it shoots where I want it to.

Pattern with a tight pattern. It will tell you better where you point of impact is centered. Use a bench rest, or kneeleing if a bench rest is not available. That way you don't introduce any flinch or movement that might occur shooting off-hand. If you want to establish ONLY point of impact, shoot at about 13 to 15 yards. That will tell you where your gun is shooting, but not what your pattern looks like.

To lower your POI, you can either lower your rear sight (a.k.a. your eye) by lowering the comb, or raise your front sight. I don't know much about Benelli's, but assuming it has shims that go between the receiver and the stock, if it has a shim that is thick at the top and thin at the bottom, that'd be a good one to try.

Cathy, Coat all the areas of the gas path of your Remington with a thin coating of Break-Free CLP. That makes cleaning a snap. Old trick from a trap shooter who used to shoot an 1100 for trap. Shooting it wet with CLP, I could go 500 shots without cleaning, and when I did clean, it took very little time.

"is a patternmaster worth twice the money of a Briley or Trulock" Briley and Trulock make excellent chokes. I can't imagine a Patternmaster is twice as good. "and do you go ported or not?" For shotguns, porting is virtually ineffective at reducing recoil, regardless of claims to the contrary. I think I calculated that for a shotgun, porting is theoretically capable of reducing recoil by about 2%. Ported chokes, since the holes are all around the tube's circumference, also can't do anything about muzzle jump. Ported barrels, where all the ports are on the top of the barrel, can reduce muzzle jump.

Don't know of one for that model, but you can make a makeshift one out of a heavy rubber band (like the ones they use to bundle broccoli in the grocery store) and place it around your receiver, partially blocking the ejection port at the front. Not kidding. Place it so the bolt will completely close, but when the bolt opens, the front of the ejection port is blocked. Looks goofy, but it works. T&S makes shell catchers for Remington 1100's and Beretta 390/391's. But I don't know of anyone who makes a catcher or deflector for a M2.

I know a guy who has one of those cleaning kits.

"What choke should I be using for Sporting clays?" Depends on the course. Were you shooting 5-stand or true sporting clays? Most lost targets are a result of operator error, and not because you had the wrong choke in the gun. Keep your head on the stock, and both eyes on the target.

Mark, Tapping on my own experience with my daughter (now 20, and a pretty good trap shooter) here's what I offer (though my daughter was 11 when I started. at 17, you'll have different challenges to overcome.) Remember, this gun is for her, not you. Make sure she is in on the deal. You may think you're getting her the best gun for her, but if you buy her something she hates, it'll never see the light of day. Second, recoil is a fun-killer. Light weight pump or break-action guns are great for carrying in the field, but they will knock the snot out of a small person. I know you probably don't want to spend a lot of money on something, especially if you're not sure they'll stay in the game, but a good gun is worth the extra cost. If she decides its not her thing, and you decide to sell it later, you'll get back most of your investment. Gun fit is important. If you're not sure what that means, seek out a professional gun fitter in your area. Gun fit is probably the most underrated, but potentially the most important factor in whether you break targets or bag game. I strongly recommend you get her a soft-recoiling 20 gauge gas semi-auto like a Remington 1187 Sportsman Youth, or a Beretta 391 RL (reduced length.) These are quality guns, and great for small framed people. Missing targets is also a fun-killer. When you start her out, set it up so she can break some easy incoming targets that kind of float out in front of her. I help teach a hunter education wingshooting class, and that's where we start. Good luck, Tim