Choke Tubes

Understanding Choke Tubes for Your Waterfowl Shotguns

There are various types of choke tubes for shotguns in the market, and here is a simple way to understand them and make the right choices for your waterfowl hunt shotguns.

What is a choke tube?

A choke tube is an add-on for your shotgun that alters the spread of pellets. The degree of constriction varies depending on the choke you choose. Based on the choke tube, you can either insert it into the barrel before the muzzle or attach it to the end of the barrel.

With a choke tube, you can restrict the shot charge to keep the pellets together before it spreads, resulting in a denser shot pattern at a long range. Choke tube enhances the versatility of your shotgun as you can easily modify the pattern and range without needing to buy additional firearms.

What is pattern testing?

Pattern testing is vital to improve your shooting accuracy. It involves assessing the spread of pellets downrange to ensure it is broad enough to hit the target and dense enough for a clean break at a given distance. You risk overkilling and tearing up birds if the pattern is too tight. Conversely, you will not put enough pellets on the target if it is too open.

Traditionally, patterns are shot at 40 yards, and to assess what is happening downrange, at least pattern test on a 3'×3' sheet of paper. Shoot at least three patterns (five is better) with each combination, as no two patterns are alike. Draw a 30-inch circle around the densest part of the pattern to get an accurate snapshot. Shooting patterns five or ten yards closer and further will give you an idea of pattern spreading.

Guide to Shotgun Choke Tubes for Hunting and Shooting

Circles represent the diameter of the lead shot string (inches) as distance (yards) increases.

Types of choke tubes
Chokes are named and referred to by the degree of constriction in thousandths of an inch. Discover the most popular types of choke tubes for waterfowl hunting based on the range of your shooting targets.

Cylinder bore (.000”)
A cylinder bore has no constriction, causing shots to exit the muzzle and spread faster than if you used any choke. In such situations, 40% of the shell’s pellets would hit a 30-inch circle at 40 yards.

However, when it shoots a wide pattern at a range of 15-25 yards, patterns quickly become sparse, and it becomes a good choke for close-range shooting: woodcock or rabbits in heavy cover.

Skeet choke (.005”)
Skeet chokes are also known as “skeet 1.” They are slightly tighter than cylinder bore chokes, providing a quick spread with slightly more range. They are perfect for ranges between 15 and 25 yards, with 50% of pellets from these shots hitting a 30-inch circle at just 25 yards.

Improved Cylinder (.010”)
Improved Cylinder chokes or “1/4 chokes” are perfect for shots taken at 20 to 30 yards, with 50% of pellets hitting a 30-inch circle at 40 yards. Hunters frequently opt for this choke when targeting quail, dove and grouse, which typically are at close range. Some duck hunters use it for close shots during the early teal season or in the timber.

Light Modified (.015”)
Light modified or LM, also known as “Skeet 2”, is slightly tighter than Improved Cylinder. Since it can break targets from a close range out to 40 yards with the right loads, it has become quite popular among sporting clay shooters. It is a good option for waterfowl hunting as it shoots good patterns for decoying birds and still reaches out a little farther to make backup shots or anchor flaring birds.

Modified chokes (.020”)
Modified choke tubes or “1/2 chokes,” make good all-round chokes that meet many applications. Tungsten and steel-based pellets offer tight but manageable constriction, ideal for waterfowl hunting, upland game, pheasant hunts and sometimes trap shooting. A modified choke tube is most effective between 30 and 40 yards, with 60% of pellets hitting a 30-inch circle placed at 40 yards.

Improved-Modified (.025”)
Improved-modified chokes provide a sweet spot pattern between full choke and modified chokes, performing best between 45 and 55 yards. At 40 yards, 65% of pellets from the lead shot will pattern a 30-inch circle. It is a good choke for longer passing shots at waterfowl. When you pair an IM in one barrel of an O/U with a light modified or improved cylinder choke in the other, you have a versatile gun suited to short and long targets on the sporting clays course.

Full Choke (.030”)
A full choke tube offers the tightest constriction resulting in the highest density at 55 to 65 yards. At 40 yards, it delivers 70% of pellets in a 30-inch circle. This choke is commonly used in waterfowl shooting and turkey hunting as it requires extra dense patterns for turkey headshots. However, hunters also choose extra full choke for turkey hunting.

XX-Full (.040” -.090”)
XX-Full chokes are used by turkey hunters to take a headshot as XX-Full chokes make tight clusters of pellets. As turkey hunters don’t worry about the outer fringe of the pattern, going with an XX-Full choke will deliver them with extremely dense “hot centres” to saturate the target with as many pellets as possible.

Specialty Choke Tubes

Wad-Retarding Choke Tubes
These choke tubes are designed to control the movement of the shot charge and achieve tighter and more consistent patterns. These choke tubes slow down the plastic or fibre container (known as wad) that holds the shot charge as it exits the shotgun barrel. These choke tubes can improve the effectiveness of a shotgun’s range and increase the probability of hitting the intended target by delaying the separation of the shot from the wad.

Pattern Master Choke Tubes
These choke tubes are a perfect option for those who require longer effective distances and improved shot penetration. These tubes are known to produce consistent and tight shot patterns. Featuring a proprietary design that controls shot dispersion, they result in denser patterns and increased range. These choke tubes are popular among waterfowl hunters as they offer different constrictions to suit various shooting situations and ammunition types.

Ported Choke Tubes
These choke tubes have vents at the end of the barrel that redirect gases from the shotshell, reducing muzzle rise and recoil. This helps shooters maintain better target acquisition and follow-up shots while enhancing barrel stability and allowing for faster realignment of the sight picture, especially in rapid shooting scenarios.

Rifled Choke Tubes
These are designed with spiral or straight-cut grooves on the inside, resembling rifling found in a firearm barrel. They are used in shotgun shooting with slugs for providing spin to the projectile, improving accuracy and stability during flight. These chokes engage the slug, enhance its rotational stability, and optimize its trajectory for better long-range accuracy. Rifled chokes are often used for slug hunting or sports shooting where precise slug placement is required.

Benefits of choke tubes

There are two main benefits of using chokes for your shotgun.

1. Different Constrictions
Having a choke tube helps you try out different constructions quickly. With various choke tubes, you can essentially have a several-in-one shotgun that can perform a variety of patterns at different distances based on the occasion.

2. Improves Patterns Ported Choke Tubes
Choke tubes are versatile and beneficial tools for target and shotgun shooters. When you combine each choke tube with a specific load, it will bring out different patterns. With a choke tube, the shooter can tailor their overall shotgun setup based on the situation.