Missing is no choke

Chokes are no substitute for good shooting but they can make us better, says David Turner

Choke is a narrowing or constriction at the muzzle end of the barrels that reduces the breadth of the shot charge or pattern, thus increasing the density of pellets to achieve a more effective result. It’s important to understand the implications of choking and how you as a conscientious shooter can benefit from that understanding and use that knowledge to your best advantage.

One great way of thinking about it is to use the term “FOCUS” or “to focus my shot pattern” as in photography with an IRIS that reduces or opens the aperture to get less or more light.

Choke denominations used in the UK are usually expressed as: true cylinder, improved, quarter, half, three-quarters and full. In the US those terms are generally described as: cylinder, skeet, improved cylinder, modified, improved modified and full.

These denominations usually decrease by 5,000ths of an inch as each the choke size tightens. The more open the choke, the larger the diameter of the shot cloud or pattern; the tighter the choke, the smaller the pattern. As the shot cloud leaves the barrel it expands, reducing in density but also lengthening to form what is known as a “shot string”. This elongation is approximately 3m to 4m at 30m range.

Most modern shotguns use interchangeable “multichokes” which are either “flush fitting” or “extended”. Fixed chokes are engineered into the muzzles and are not adjustable.

Which to useé

Some believe that the bigger the pattern, the more chance they have of hitting the target and that they can vaguely point in the general direction of the target to get a good result. This couldn’t be further from reality.

Shooting clays at average distances, I tend to use what I would consider an average choke, that is“half ” — in the middle of the choke spectrum; not too open and not too tight. Some targets might be longer and some closer, but I find this to be the best compromise. I use the same chokes in both barrels, say half and half or skeet and skeet if I’m shooting Skeet in particular. I then don’t concern myself with barrel selection.

I also believe in the mantra to “fit and forget” focusing my attentions on shooting well, not dwelling on what chokes I’m using, or blaming my chokes for poor performance.

We don’t miss as a result of choke; we miss as a result of mistakes in our techniques and

“The more open the choke, the larger the shot pattern”

poor performance. If I were to shoot on a Sporting layout with a lot of closer targets then I would use skeet and skeet or quarter and quarter and, yes you’ve guessed, “fit and forget”.

The difference between chokes is marginal and probably unperceivable, but the difference between two increments — say quarter and three-quarters — most definitely is. Or indeed quarter and full, even more so.

It’s generally suggested that on most “Club” level shoots the best combination is quarter and half. Selecting the more appropriate barrel as required.

All the above is based on an average cartridge with No.71∕ 2 to No.8 shot size.

For Trap disciplines?

These targets are usually going away very fast and best shot using tighter chokes, typically three-quarters and full, though I once used a fixed-choke Trap gun that had been altered to half and half very effectively on DTL and Ball Trap. I wish I had never sold it.

For game?

When it comes to game, I feel that we all have a responsibility to use the appropriate choke, coupled with the effective cartridge load to maintain a densely concentrated pattern to kill our quarry efficiently. We must always make every endeavour not to maim nor injure our live quarry.

Pigeons: My favoured load for most of my pigeon shooting is 30g or 32g No.5 shot, together with half and three-quarter-chokes, unless decoying at closer range then I would maybe use quarter and quarter or quarter and half — never any less. For many years I’ve used an semi-auto with a half-choke 32in barrel, which has time and time again proved to be a great gun for the job.

High birds: For those really high Devon type pheasants I use 34g or even 36g No.4 shot with three-quarters and three-quarterschokes. By increasing the load, you then compensate for the reduction in pellets with the larger shot size.

Partridges and more regular height pheasants: then 30g No.6s is a good standard. With all my game shooting, I only ever use fibre wads.

Multichokes

Interchangeable multichokes have proved to be a great asset to our shooting because we can now use one gun for most disciplines, simply changing chokes to suit the quarry and the circumstances. Coupled with cartridge choice, the combinations can be endless and afford us altogether better results, when game shooting in particular.

We can, of course, always have our favourite gun converted from fixed to multi and there are various gunsmiths who specialise in this service. We can also have a variety of types, flush-fitting, extended, ported, or even both.

Please remember, chokes are not a substitute for poor shooting and in general won’t help you hit more, but I have found open chokes to be beneficial for closer targets and the standard quarter and half as a good place to start. Interchangeable chokes mean that we can now use one gun for most disciplines