By using different choke tubes, a single shotgun becomes a much more versatile weapon. Choke tubes enable shooters to use the same gun for a variety of hunting or shooting situations. On a basic level, we know that once a shotgun shell is discharged from a weapon, the pellets inside the shell disperse. Well, choke tubes help control that dispersion beyond the shotgun barrel.

So, what is a choke tube? Like the name suggests, they constrict the pellets in your shot, to varying degrees depending on which choke you use. Literally, a choke tube is a small constriction device placed inside your shotgun’s barrel before the muzzle (although some types attach to the end of the shotgun’s barrel). It’s a very slight constriction, measured in thousandths of an inch. While older shotguns may have a fixed choke that can’t be changed, newer weapons allow you to screw in different choke tubes. By being easy to change, chokes are a convenient way to adjust your shotgun’s barrel without carrying around multiple guns.

Shooters will choose a choke based on the pellet spread pattern and range they desire from their shot. Without the use of a choke, the pellets disperse fairly quickly, and the farther they travel the greater their spread. Meanwhile, a choke tube will hold the pellets together longer after they leave the barrel. By strategically selecting which choke to use in different shooting situations, you are more likely to achieve a dense enough pattern to hit your desired target. Note: beginners will often over constrict for the type of shooting their doing, which may yield tighter patterns at longer ranges, but may also result in more misses at shorter ranges.

It’s important to understand that a choke doesn’t alter the shot’s speed or distance, just its density. The concept of constricting pellet spread can best be visualized by comparing it to a water hose. Flowing freely from the hose, the water stream doesn’t have much distance capabilities. But if the water flow is narrowed, and the amount of water flowing from the hose remains constant, that stream now has farther reach.

TYPES OF CHOKES

Below, you’ll find the six most common types of choke tubes to choose from based on the density or pattern you desire—which depends on your target and its range. In most shooting situations, you’ll have a general idea of the range your targets will be at, helping inform your decision of which choke tube to use. On Her Wilderness hunts, the guides will advise the trip coordinator, who will in-turn pass along this information to trip attendees.

Full: The tightest constriction among common choke tubes, a full choke delivers the greatest density at a distance of 55 to 65 yards. At 40 yards, this pattern would deliver 70 percent of the pellets in a 30-inch circle. This choke is most often used for waterfowl pass shooting and turkey hunting, although some turkey hunters will go with an extra-full choke for an extra dense pattern needed for turkey head shots.

Improved-Modified: Considered to have a sweet spot pattern between the more common full and modified chokes, these chokes perform best between 45 and 55 yards. With these chokes, 65 percent of the pellets from lead shot would pattern a 30-inch circle at 40 yards.

Modified: Modified chokes are the middle ground, offering moderate constriction ideal for waterfowl hunting and upland game. Also used sometimes for trap shooting, this choke is most effective between 30 and 40 yards. 60 percent of the pellets shot with this choke would fall within a 30-inch circle placed at 40 yards.

Improved-Cylinder: Ideal for shots taken at 20 to 30 yards, 50 percent of the pellets from lead shot would hit a 30-inch circle at 40 yards. Hunters often choose this choke for quail and grouse, which are likely to be at close ranges.

Cylinder: This means no constriction, or no choke. Shots will exit the muzzle and spread faster than if you used any choke. Technically speaking, in these circumstances 40 percent of the shell’s pellets would strike a 30-inch circle at 40 yards.

Skeet: Just slightly tighter than cylinder bore, these choke tubes provide just slightly more range with a quick spread. Perfect for a range of 15 to 25 yards (which skeet is often shot at), 50 percent of the pellets from these shots would hit a 30-inch circle at just 25 yards.

ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS

While the above results mentioned from the various choke types are typical, they aren’t always consistent from gun to gun. Different combinations of weapons and ammunition will have different results. For example, steel shot disperses differently than lead. To understand how your gun performs, you’ll want to do some pattern tests. This means shooting a pattern plate (or 30-inch circle) at different ranges, with different loads and choke tubes, to see how the pattern changes. The more thoroughly you know how your gun functions, the better your shooting results will be and the easier it will be for you to choose what choke to use when.

Written by Sam Simma