Shotgun chokes

drmitchgibson · Mar 3, 2011

So, when I get this shotgun soon, it will be a type that uses chokes. Are there any limits to choking? Like if I have a Full choke and I shoot a slug, will it the slug smash into the choke, causing a nightmare? It seems like IC through IM are hot tickets for 3Gun, which is the only goal here. But being ignorant and inexperienced about this kind of thing, I feel it's good to ask.

honeybee · Mar 3, 2011

The choke is basically a measured degree of constriction at the business end of the shotgun which "chokes" the spread of the pellets thus reducing the diameter of the pellet pattern. Shotguns may be "fixed" choke which is one particular degree of choke "Multi - choke" which are interchangeable choke tubes screwing into the end of the muzzle or possibly "Poly-chokes" which increase or decrease the degree of choke by turning a device attached to the muzzle end of the shotgun. The degree of choke ranges from true cylinder which is the most open to full choke which is the tightest, Choke type

If you are going to use slugs than you want to use Cylinder Bore

Degree of Choke Approx spread at 40 yards

Cylinder (or no choke) 59"
Improved Cylinder 52"
Full Choke 41"

mike cyrwus · Mar 4, 2011

Just shoot slugs out of the choke you use in the match. it wont be a problem.

jtischauser · Mar 4, 2011

Benelli and most other manufacturers recommend shooting slugs out of nothing tighter than an Improved Cylinder choke. Most if us follow the Kurt Miller school of thought and run a Light modified for shooting our birdshot, buckshot, and slugs through. You should not damage your gun shooting slugs through light modified but I can't say for sure that shooting 100,000 slugs wouldn't eventually damage the choke threads or barrel. You can shoot a slug through a full choke without the end of the barrel exploding like Elmer Fudd but again I don't know how many you can shoot before damage occurs.

I keep a Briley Diffusion, Light Modified and Full in my range bag. I run the light modified 95% of the time or so. I run the Diffusion on all clay stages or really close steal. I have run the full once or twice when there was doubt in my mind about getting enough shot on a far target.

Seansworth · Mar 22, 2011

Use the most open choke you can when shooting slugs. A few gun/slug combinations are a little more accurate using an improved cylinder choke. It's another one of those things where you need to test the different types and see what works best for your gun. I would start out with cylinder bore and see how that shoots with different types of slugs. If you're not impressed put in the improved cylinder and give it a try.

With all shotguns with interchangeable chokes you should twist the choke out every once in a while to make sure the threads aren't getting mashed together by the force. If the choke becomes hard to remove, clean the threads on the choke and inside the barrel. If it is still hard to put the choke on and take it off, try using a wider choke so that less force is exerted on the threads. You don't want a shotgun with interchangeable chokes to end up with one choke stuck in it.

drmitchgibson · Apr 11, 2011

Is it necessary to use a choke wrench? When I went to Accurate Iron to preview my gun, Mike took the choke out by using his finger+friction, and I just did the same. Seems like it'd need to be pretty tight, what with all the violence of the gunblast.

jtischauser · Apr 11, 2011

Dr Mitch said:
Is it necessary to use a choke wrench? When I went to Accurate Iron to preview my gun, Mike took the choke out by using his finger+friction, and I just did the same. Seems like it'd need to be pretty tight, what with all the violence of the gunblast.

You can run them finger tight but they will loosen up from shooting so tighten them every chance you get. I use a wrench and torque 'em down.

pranavdc · Dec 23, 2011

Jesse I am looking at chokes for my SLP and the only diffusion choke is rifled is that the one you use for hoser stages?

brandt9913 · Dec 23, 2011

pranavdc said:
Jesse I am looking at chokes for my SLP and the only diffusion choke is rifled is that the one you use for hoser stages?

Jesse, you are the expert on this and correct me if i am wrong. The diffusion choke is for stages with close targets and close clay targets. The rifling spins the wad and spreads the shot in a short distance.

shootingbuff · Dec 23, 2011

Other than the possibility of mashing your threads a soft lead foster slug shouldn't be a problem in a modern firearm up to full choke. What will happen is usually the tighter the choke the worse the grouping in my limited experience. I wouldn't try a slug out of an extra full/turkey choke - just be pushing your luck for no reason.
Yes I know historically and tales of the past that I also grew up with says not to shoot slugs in a full choke. Today is not then and neither are our shotguns. I have best accuracy out of IC.
Might give spreader loads a try and run the same choke - a thought only.

dennishoddy · Dec 23, 2011

shootingbuff said:
Other than the possibility of mashing your threads a soft lead foster slug shouldn't be a problem in a modern firearm up to full choke. What will happen is usually the tighter the choke the worse the grouping in my limited experience. I wouldn't try a slug out of an extra full/turkey choke - just be pushing your luck for no reason.
Yes I know historically and tales of the past that I also grew up with says not to shoot slugs in a full choke. Today is not then and neither are our shotguns. I have best accuracy out of IC.
Might give spreader loads a try and run the same choke - a thought only.

Slug manufacturers of the old style Foster slugs knew that Darwin award wanna-be's would load them into a full choke gun many years ago. They have been built to shoot through any choke, with exception of the turkey extra full. Accuracy is the only deciding factor as modern guns won't have a problem shooting them.
The best advise is to consult with the customer service of the slugs you want to shoot to see what chokes they say are not good for the slugs they manufacture.
Keep in mind they will err on the side of litigation.

jtischauser · Dec 24, 2011

pranavdc said:
Jesse I am looking at chokes for my SLP and the only diffusion choke is rifled is that the one you use for hoser stages?

Yeah the diffusion choke acts like a rifled slug barrel and spins the shot which makes it spread almost twice as fast as say a light mod choke at the same distance. It's a limited use choke for steel as that shot gets loose in a hurry. I don't like to shoot any steel with it past about 15-17 yards but man it sure helps with those double stacked clays at 10 yards. Mine gets the most use out at the Old Fory matches in Arkansas. They have small bays and lots of clays.