What is the best choke for rabbit hunting

[Dave]

Guys will be rabbit hunting on Nov, 1st. In Mattituck hunting a private nursery that is bordered by a winery. Last year saw two fox, thought they were German shepards . What is the best choke to use on rabbits?

[Doewhacker]

Modified for me.

[Dave]

Modified for me.

That size shells do you use?

[Doewhacker]

Well 3 inch mags of course..haha 2 3/4 6's High Velocity Remingtons.

[Dave]

Well 3 inch mags of course..haha 2 3/4 6's High Velocity Remingtons.

Doe, I have a Mossberg 835 pump, I had been using 2 3/4 & 7/8 shot in 7 1/2 & 8. Would 6's be the better choice?

[Doewhacker]

Yes, IMO of course. I use the same load for birds too, works for me.

[Culvercreek hunt club]

I would choose 6's as well in high brass. if you are walking an jump shooting so the shots are closer you could probably get low brass. If you are behind a dog I would grab what Doe suggests....he is spot on. If running whites i go to 4's but cottontails get 6's

[firehunter48]

#6's out of a modified choke normally. have even used 7 1/2's on occasion but generally six's. pretty good all around load IMO for any small game animal like rabbits and birds pheasant size and smaller

[pistolp71]

Been rabbit hunting long island my whole life. Definetly improved cylinder choke. Anything tighter really destroys them. A lot of close shots, they often hold tight. Doesn't take much to kill a rabbit. I reload, so my rabbit loads are a mix of 6x7 1/2. Either will do.

[Pygmy]

Improved cylinder..Cylinder...Skeet...

Modified is absolutely over choked for most cottontail hunting, unless you are shooting a .410, which carries a lighter shot load.

At the ranges that most cottontails are shot, modified makes it tougher to hit them and will make a mess of the eatin' meat.

It only takes a few pellets to kill a bunny rabbit. My SERIOUS rabbit gun is a 20 gauge SxS choked IC and Mod. I shoot 7/8 oz. of 6's and 90 % of my rabbits are killed with the IC barrel..

7 1/2 shot kills 'em OK also, but puts too many pellets in the meat for me.

Most small game hunters use guns that are choked too tight.

[pistolp71]

Improved cylinder..Cylinder...Skeet...

Modified is absolutely over choked for most cottontail hunting, unless you are shooting a .410, which carries a lighter shot load.

At the ranges that most cottontails are shot, modified makes it tougher to hit them and will make a mess of the eatin' meat.

It only takes a few pellets to kill a bunny rabbit. My SERIOUS rabbit gun is a 20 gauge SxS choked IC and Mod. I shoot 7/8 oz. of 6's and 90 % of my rabbits are killed with the IC barrel..

7 1/2 shot kills 'em OK also, but puts too many pellets in the meat for me.

Most small game hunters use guns that are choked too tight.

Right on the money. I often use a skeet choke as well.

[Dave]

Right on the money. I often use a skeet choke as well.

So you can use a skeet choke for rabbit hunting, what is the benefit of using the skeet choke? Just want to have my shotgun set up for the best possible results. So far I have learned that #6 shot with either Improved cylinder/skeet cylinder first and next choice would be modified . Do I have that right. Thanks

[jim335]

I like modified choke and I use #5's. The heavier shot passes all the way through the rabbit.

[Doewhacker]

Now that you guys mentioned it, I used to use Improved for rabbits until I started doing more bird hunting. I like to let them get out there a ways before I shoot them 30-40 yards so the pattern is nice and big. We don't rabbit hunt much anymore, especially since I have two bird dogs.

[bellmorekennels]

20 guage Improved cylinder #6 low brass, is plenty for cottontail, and high brass for hare. Especially in long island , never use high brass, I prefer winchester or fiocchi.

410 in modified #6 high brass, but I usually waite until january for the 410, especially on long island.

www.bellmorekennels.com

[Dom]

The best choke i have found is pick rabbit up by the throat and start choking.

[Dave]

The best choke i have found is pick rabbit up by the throat and start choking.

lol

[Pygmy]

20 guage Improved cylinder #6 low brass, is plenty for cottontail, and high brass for hare. Especially in long island , never use high brass, I prefer winchester or fiocchi.

410 in modified #6 high brass, but I usually waite until january for the 410, especially on long island.

www.bellmorekennels.com

Bellmore specializes in rabbits, and he knows of what he speaks. 20 gauge IC and low brass #6 shot shells will kill any cottontail alive at the ranges we normally shoot them, and it will also handle hares quite handily at normal ranges, without shooting them up too much. I like to eat my rabbits and I don't like them full of shot or drawn hair. It ain't necessary. Heavy shot such as 4s or 5s kills bunnies just fine, but each pellet carries too much hair into the shot wound for my taste. # 6 shot is perfect. Of course that is only my opinion, and I admit I am opinionated old fart.

A 12 or 16 gauge with open choke and low brass 6s would work fine too..

Edited October 27, 2011 by Pygmy

[Doewhacker]

Any of you ever used the shot that is shaped differently? It is supposed to not drag hair and feathers through with it.

[pistolp71]

So you can use a skeet choke for rabbit hunting, what is the benefit of using the skeet choke? Just want to have my shotgun set up for the best possible results. So far I have learned that #6 shot with either Improved cylinder/skeet cylinder first and next choice would be modified . Do I have that right. Thanks

The benefit of using the skeet choke is that it is slightly more open than improved. A lot of these rabbits will let you just about step on them before they run. The more open pattern lets you hit them a little easier and doesn't destroy them as much. I use one of my 20 gauges with either skeet or improved.

[Culvercreek hunt club]

Never had much luck with improved cylinder unless I was walking and jump shooting them or jumping brush piles. We mainly ran them with beagles....modified seemed to be beat because they always seemed to be around 30me yards..sometimes further

[biggamefish]

I would definatly go improved or modified. A mod is the best all around for the far short. If ou use a ful you will cut some of them in half and that doesn't do much for the creamy baked rabbit dished.

[bellmorekennels]

Bellmore specializes in rabbits, and he knows of what he speaks. 20 gauge IC and low brass #6 shot shells will kill any cottontail alive at the ranges we normally shoot them, and it will also handle hares quite handily at normal ranges, without shooting them up too much. I like to eat my rabbits and I don't like them full of shot or drawn hair. It ain't necessary. Heavy shot such as 4s or 5s kills bunnies just fine, but each pellet carries too much hair into the shot wound for my taste. # 6 shot is perfect. Of course that is only my opinion, and I admit I am opinionated old fart.

A 12 or 16 gauge with open choke and low brass 6s would work fine too..

Pygmy thank you ,after 20 years, of raising dogs and chasing rabbits, you kind of figure what puts the most edible meat on the table, I just purchased a s/s 28 guage during the summer, and have not shot it yet , I did get low brass 6 and high brass 6, every gun will have loads that work best with it. I have a franchi 20al, that is unreal with winchester game loads lowbrass 6 upto 35 yds away, just aim in the direction lift over the head, and pull trigger, a couple bbs in the head will kill a rabbit. Also have a semi 410 that shoots 3 inch, high brass 6, with snow on ground, can kill a rabbit upto 45 yds out no problem. Again, these are my experiences. Again, I am big on having edible meat and not a piece of meat full of bbs and fur, would rather miss completely ,than destroy a rabbit.

www.bellmorekennels.com

[SteveNY]

IC 2-3/4 #6

IMO

[Dinsdale]

Pygmy thank you ,after 20 years, of raising dogs and chasing rabbits, you kind of figure what puts the most edible meat on the table, I just purchased a s/s 28 guage during the summer, and have not shot it yet , I did get low brass 6 and high brass 6, every gun will have loads that work best with it. I have a franchi 20al, that is unreal with winchester game loads lowbrass 6 upto 35 yds away, just aim in the direction lift over the head, and pull trigger, a couple bbs in the head will kill a rabbit. Also have a semi 410 that shoots 3 inch, high brass 6, with snow on ground, can kill a rabbit upto 45 yds out no problem. Again, these are my experiences. Again, I am big on having edible meat and not a piece of meat full of bbs and fur, would rather miss completely ,than destroy a rabbit.

www.bellmorekennels.com

I hunt small game mostly with a 28, both O/U and single shot. I use the same size and brass styles I would chose for a 20 in similar situations. (Just took my first turkey with #6 High brass pheasant loads,clean kill)

If you shop around there are OK prices on case quantities. If you reload for them most guys favor the Remington STS loads as the hulls last the longest.(I'm waiting on a coupon sale for a MEC reloader before I make the plunge doing them myself)