# Benelli Choke tubes



## Double Ott Buck (Oct 5, 2005)

I have a few questions about the different chokes and when to use them: Full, Imp. Mod., Mod, Imp Cyl, and CL...what the hell is CL?
First, does anybody have a simple rule of thumb to using these 5 chokes?
Second, why can you not shoot steel through the Full and IM?
Third, I take it you cannot shoot slugs through any of these, and would need a slug barrel, correct?
Just learning a few of these, as I just had a full choke barrel pump in the past with no chokes and the guys I have talked to all give me different answers to the same questions.
Thanks for the help.


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## benilliman2 (Apr 7, 2005)

I would recomend using a modified or improved for steel depending on the range or invest in an after market choke tube for better patterns
Second, I believe that either the im or full may cause barrel damage or inconsistent shot patters. Usually you can shoot slugs through mod or ic or cl. Most recomend modified and if you use a smooth barrel shoot rifled slugs not sabots.
Hope this helps


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## Dan Bueide (Jul 1, 2002)

> what the hell is CL?


Cylinder, which is typically no or negative choke. But, you never really know what any particular choke is unless you have someone mic your barrel and each of your tubes. They vary greatly among mfgs and more than you'd guess even within mfg.



> why can you not shoot steel through the Full and IM?


Generally, steel doesn't squish like lead and bigger steel doesn't reshuffle and line up like smaller steel. Benelli is probably just being overly conservative here. Several after-market tubes in what most would consider IM or F constrictions say nothing bigger than a certain size steel (e.g. BB). But, if you want to push the constriction envelope, you should probably use an after-market tube that specifically authorizes all but the biggest steel, and you have to be really careful not to accidently sneak in a, say BBB, when you're pretty tight.



> does anybody have a simple rule of thumb to using these 5 chokes?


Here's mine:

C - skeet and some sporting clays (depending on course)
I - some sporting clays and five stand
M - non-competitive trap, great early upland choice and BBB or larger steel
IM - BB and smaller steel, late season upland lead
F - turkey, if you going to shot lead and not buy an after-market xfull tube



> I take it you cannot shoot slugs through any of these, and would need a slug barrel, correct?


Sorry, don't know anythng about tubes and slugs.


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## chuck stemig (Jul 23, 2005)

A great site to check out for basic choke information is www.trulock.com.

Another would be www.shotgunworld.com


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## Double Ott Buck (Oct 5, 2005)

thanks for the info, guys. The shotgunworld website was helpful also. :beer:


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## Dusty05 (Aug 21, 2005)

This has been covered good already, but I like to use a Modified through my benelli nova. I guess the IC is supposed to be a good one for really close shots with steel, but I still seem to do better on closer shots with my modified, then I can still make longer shots with no problem from the gun of course, if I miss, I know it's me and not my choke.


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