Can Someone Explain Shotgun Chokes?

[ukdkbr]

I'm pretty new to guns in general, I picked up a Mossberg 500 with the 20" barrel this year and I hear a lot on this forum about chokes (adjustable and fixed). Anyone mind explaining the differences for me and what the disadvantages and advantages are?

[G17GUY]

Choke is the inside diameter of the tip of the shotgun barrel. A full choke is a smaller diameter which holds your shot in a tighter pattern over a specific distance where as an open choke would allow for the shot to spread out to cover a wider area at the given distance.

A modified choke is between a full and open choke

[Rugerman]

Your shotgun will either have a fixed or interchangeable choke. Fixed is the choke is permanently attached to the end of the barrel. Interchangeable choke shotguns come with a choke wrench.

A choke issell explanatory. It "chokes" the shot/pellets into a group. The density of this group is determined by the choke. Here is a list of shotgun chokes from tightest to least.

X-Full
Full
Improved Modified
Modified
Improved Cylinder
Sporting Clays

These above chokes are the most frequesntly used, and usually the ones that come with your gun.

[sacgsxr]

could be dumb question?

is it possible to tap a smooth bbl to allow it to be fitted with a choke?

[Fuzzy5]

is it possible to tap a smooth bbl to allow it to be fitted with a choke?

Yes, though I wouldn't do it yourself unless you have some skills.

[Fuzzy5]

I'm pretty new to guns in general, I picked up a Mossberg 500 with the 20" barrel this year and I hear a lot on this forum about chokes (adjustable and fixed). Anyone mind explaining the differences for me and what the disadvantages and advantages are?

I assume you meant "interchangeable" as Rugerman stated. There is, however, an adjustable choke system as well. I haven't seen it around in years (except on some used shotguns), but the Polychoke was an attachment at the end of a shotgun barrel that you just twisted to adjust the degree of choke. It was a great device but I think most people found it ugly.

[aplinker]

On a 20" barrel the usefulness of a choke will be limited.

Chokes are really intended for use on longer hunting/clays shotguns.

[randy]

Full chokes are a tighter pattern for a longer distance. If you were shooting waterfowl or 27 yard trap you would want a full choke. It keeps the shot in a tighter pattern meaning the spread of the bb's won't have any holes in the pattern.

If you were shooting Trap at the 16 yard line or Doves you could use a modified or improved cylinder choke. You are close to the clay and your pattern would open up sooner wider and you'd have a better chance of hitting your target. If you were hunting Dove hitting one with a full choke 12gauge pretty much ruins it.

The farther you are shooting the tighter you want your choke.

[sargenv]

X-Full
Full
Improved Modified
Modified
Improved Cylinder
Sporting Clays

Um...

I don't mean to be a smart alec...

but there is no "sporting clays" choke.

There is a skeet and then there is cylinder bore. Cylinder being the most open. In between Modified and Improved Cylinder there is also a "light modified". After looking at the Briley web page, there is also a light full in between Improved Modified and Full. I will translate the constriction in thousanths of an inch for 12 gauge below.

So that would mean..

Extra-full - .040"
Full - .035"
Light Full - .030"
Improved Modified - .025"
Modified - .020"
Light Modified - .015"
Improved - .010"
Skeet - .005"
Cylinder - Bore Diam - .000"

This is for lead shot only.

For Steel/Tungsten shot.. the most you or anyone else should use is Modified. It has to do with compressability of the shot charge. ie the harder shot does not like to be constricted as much. It may also damage the choke due to pellet hardness.

so.. to confuse or educate even more...

Lead Modified = Steel/Tungsten Full
Lead Light Modified = Steel/Tungsten Improved modified
Lead Improved = Steel/Tungsten Modified
Lead Skeet = Steel/Tungsten Light modified
Lead Cylinder = Steel/Tungsten Improved

All that being said, when I shoot steel shot in my Browning Gold, I use Improved Cylinder (steel Modified).

Slugs are a whole nuther discussion

If you want a good education on it, I suggest you check out what Briley offers. They even have a cute little thing for sporting clays and the various clay targets and chokes reccomended. They are at http://www.briley.com/

I've had them do work on an older Model 870 Wingmaster. I had chokes installed on a fixed Full choke barrel. This was some years ago but I'd reccommend them again to anyone.

[ysr_racer]

Real men use "extra-turkey" for everything