# What are chokes on shot guns?



## predator hunter (May 4, 2006)

It may be a stupid question but everybody learned this once in their life.


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## driggy (Apr 26, 2005)

Chokes are tightening (constrictions) at the end of a barrel to help keep the shot pellets closer together. Cylinder choke is the same as the barrel with full choke being the tightest. Cylinder will give you a wide pattern and up to full will be much smaller pattern at a given distance. Most people pattern at a set distance of 30 or 40 yards and count the number of hits in a circle. Cylinder, skeet, and improved cylinder work good close up hunting/targets like quail or skeet. Light mod, modified, and improved mod work better farther out. They are used for close distance trap and pheasants sizes game. Full is for even farther out shots. There are also extra full, trap chokes, and turkey chokes that are extremely tight for far away targets or to only hit a turkeys head.


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## predator hunter (May 4, 2006)

oh okay thanks,
The reason I asked is because for christmas im getting a 20 guage and I wanted to be fimiliar with everything before I get it.


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## TuJays (Oct 30, 2006)

Choke is the constriction on the end of barrel which keeps the shot from scattering and assures a fairly tight pattern of shot at meduim to far ranges. 
Pattern density/percentage is the per cent of the total number of shot in a shell which is found within a 30" circle at 40 yards. Here are the averages for the more common types of chokes. Please keep in mind that these figures are only averages and every shotgun and shell conbination will tend to vary a little.

Full choke 65-75% 
Improved Modified (3/4 choke) 55-65% 
Modified (1/2 choke) 45-55% 
Improved Cylinder (1/4 choke) 35-45% 
Cylinder (No choke) 25-35%

There are other types of chokes such as skeet, extra full and turkey extra full etc....these are designed for specific uses. 
In general, modified choke is usually the best all-around choke for the average hunter and for most guns. But, just about every gun made now has screw in choke tubes which makes it easy to adjust your choke and shell combination to best suit your hunting conditions. 
Shoot like your hungry 
John M


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## predator hunter (May 4, 2006)

thanks for the info. Hopefully I will get my 20 guage for christmas.


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## darkgael (Feb 10, 2006)

Another note to add to what has already been said: in rough terms, because all shotguns are a tad different, the pattern in a full choked barrel will open/spread at about one inch per yard. A modified choke will open at about 1.5" per yard. Improved Cylinder will open at, roughly, 1.75" per yard. A cylinder or open choke will spread at, again roughly, 2" per yard. This is REGARDLESS of what gauge is being used.
So at 40 yds, that shot pattern is about 80 inches wide from a cylinder choke.
For your 20 ga.(what I hunt grouse with most of the time), a one ounce shot charge of #7.5 shot will have about 350 shot spread across that circle. A twelve ga. shot charge of the same weight will have the same density.
A 2.5" .410, however, will only throw 1/2 ounce or 175 pellets - there will be a lot of room for a miss in that pattern.
It is important to know at least the approximate distance that you will hunt at and pattern the gun at that distance. I rarely get a shot in the Pennsylvania huckleberries that is longer than 30 yds. I use an Improved cylinder choke over a modified choke and that combo serves me well for that distance.
The NRA Firearms Fact Book has a lot of useful info about this, as does Bob Brister's "The Art of Shotgunning" ( I believe that I have the title right.)
Again, these are generalities; all shotguns are different.
Pete


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## predator hunter (May 4, 2006)

Thanks this helps alot. So lets say my longest shot is near 30 yards will I need to do anything with the choke.


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## darkgael (Feb 10, 2006)

There are a lot of ways to answer your question. What kind of shotgun are you getting? Virtually all modern shotguns nowadays come with "interchangeable chokes" - little threaded tubes that are screwed into the muzzle of the shotgun and which supply the amount of constriction/choking that you desire. Some SGs come with two, some with as many as five. Extras are readily available. 
If you are getting a modern double-barreled gun, either an O/U or a SXS, then there will be a choke tube in each barrel. 
I like doubles because I have a choice of chokes - at least in theory (this works best if the gun has double triggers). Generally I use a O/U 20 ga. which has a single trigger. When I hunt with that gun, I have an IC choke in the first barrel to fire and a modified in the second barrel - the plan being that if I muff the first shot, then I'll have a tighter pattern going out for the second which may be at a longer distance. I also hunt with a old 12 ga. Ithaca Flues SXS which has fixed chokes - IC and modified. That gun has two triggers, so I can chose which barrel to fire in a given situation (If I can think that fast. I usually can't.)
If you have a single barrel gun, then you will have to decide what choke will provide you with the most versatility at the ranges that you hunt. My hunting buddy uses an 11-87 and sometimes, if we are going to crawl through the bushes, he'll use a IC choke; if we are going to be walking in more open terrain, he'll put in a modified choke because the shots may be longer.
Hope that this helps. Remember to pattern your gun.
Pete


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## predator hunter (May 4, 2006)

Thanks for the info. All I need now is to get my gun.


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