DOES CHOKE REALLY MATTER?

[YoungShotJonny]

does choke really matter in shooting, whether it be clays, game.. is it something that should be considered seriously? will it affect performance?

[wildfowler.250]

Yes? Open the choke eg for decoying/close range. Tighten it up for say high geese?

 

 

If it didn't matter no one would bother

[WelshAndy]

My beretta xtrema has 5 chokes, I've only ever needed to use two quarter and half. My rizzini game gun has multi chokes but it only ever has quarter and half in it. My next game gun will be a beretta 687 el with fixed chokes yep you guessed it quarter and half.

[Fib new]

Yes, choke does matter...

[hillmouse]

Choke only matters if you are putting the pattern on the target.

[welshwarrior]

Yes it does matter the first bits make the most difference tho. Once you have a selection you like stay with it 1/4 and 3/8 for me in my 12 bore does most things well.

[Elmer Fudd 1]

short answer no

long answer yes

for over 100 years we didnt have chokes and we seemed to go ok for that long

the most expensive guns out there are fixed

 

just my opinion

[EdSolomons]

It does make a difference but not noticeable results wise unless you are very consistent in your ability to put the shot in the right place time and time again.

You will not consistently hit long birds with cylinder despite what people say, but most people shoot inside 35 yards hence 1/4 is a very popular choice.

Until you get really good stick in 2 x 1/4 or 2 x 1/2 and leave them.

[born_2_kill]

Yes it effects closer range sports as much as long range sports, take skeet for example, youll miss more if you use much more than 1/4 choke unless youve been at it every week for years which you havent otherwise you wouldnt be asking the question

[retromlc]

I THINK OF CHOKES LIKE COLF CLUBS,I WOULDN'T USE A SAND WEDGE TO PUTT,SO WHY USE HALF CHOKE ON A CLOSE UP CLAY,not that i play golf

[lewj]

my sbs isnt multi choke its quarter and full . i use it for clays mainly , you just learn to shoot with what you got , the only time i think about which barrel to use is when im hunting so dont destory a pigeon at say 15 yards

[Will Poon]

Point it in the right direction and it will break/kill the target ....

 

[subsonicnat]

Plain and Simple, its how good you are with the gun:

But sloppy aiming is not recommended for any type of shooting, if cannot hit it with half choke, get things CLOSER and use 1/4 choke:

But winged shooting ,Flying you need hitting power for Clean Kill: if you can handle FULL, Fair play to yer:

You can let them get away a bit: and you have more time:

[Guest cookoff013]

this discussion is useless without first having a discussion on whats the best cartridge to start the choke debate on.

[Gordon R]

Just got my Salvinelli Monaco back from Malmo. Chokes have been opened up, by Nigel Teague, from 3/4 and full to 3/8 and 3/8.

 

I sincerely hope it makes difference or I have just wasted a small wedge. :rolleyes:

[brent52]

both barrels half choke in my silver pig , usualy dead as nit out to 40yrds

[scotslad]

There is a semi famous quote (which i'm prob going to muck up now) said by Bill Harriman Basc fella and gun expert

Quote is something like " The perfect solution to a problem that doesn't exist" I'm sure someone will correct it if i'm wrong.

 

Basicly for the vast majority of shooters it won't make any difference, infact it could have a negative effect as ur mind will be thinking if u've got the right chokes in for the target, when u should just concenrate on the target

 

Shotgun shells are not hugely consistant either if u fired 25 shots at a pattern plate through the 5 major chokes u would u would find there would be quite big overlaps between chokes, prob hard to tell a 1/4 from a 1/2 and even some 3/4's might pattern more like a 1/4. Sometimes a fuller choke esp with a heavier load can cause a wider pattern than a more open choke due to pellets deforming at the muzzle and 'flying' due to them being deformed, happens with all chokes but more often when tighter

 

If u use a bit of common sense for wot ur shooting and the choke u put in, but it is far more important to put the gun/shot in the right place and really the choke is irrelevant. If u can consistantly point gun in the right place u will hit more targets than the person worryng/blaming the wrong choke for his misses.

Any combination off 1/4, 1/2 or 3/4 will cover u for most shooting in the uk, althou if u specailise in dscipline (skeet, high pheasants) u would alter them but for joe bloogs normal shot those chokes would cover u for anything really

[The Croc]

" The perfect solution to a problem that doesn't exist"

 

 

Nearly right Scotslad

"Choke is a solution to a problem most of us don't have"

[subsonicnat]

As Scotslad has said ,, cartridges count a lot:

In Fact More So when useing STEEL: Now they will be tight as a Ducks ****.

[Imperfection]

As my dad always used to say-choking is all in the brain.Point it in the right direction and you'll get a kill.

 

I dont bother switching chokes.

[Sx3 clay breaker]

I put it this way if my dads using 1/4 choke like Boxing Day taking high woodcock then I should be using skeet in other word unless your trying to get best scores in the world stick change your chokes as much as you want but for general shooting stick to 1/4 3/8 or 3/8 and 1/2 for roosting look at dunfyn I think he names is or thefourashes on YouTube he said in the comments he uses1/4 and 1/4 and look at the birds he's taking down and with so much accuracy he's hit two cars lol

 

 

Rhds sx3

[Dekers]

Choke does make a difference, but it is far less than most think or will actually benefit from!

[Frenchieboy]

I'm not all that sure that chokes make all that much difference the way that I shoot but i normally use 1/4 & 1/2 for clays, 1/2 & 3/4 for decoying and 3/4 & Full for rough shooting where I can let the quarry get a bit of distance before I shoot.

I guess the question of which chokes to use could be asked to 5 different shooters and you might well get 5 different answers, and as has been said, much depends on what cartridges you use and how good a shot you are!

[Big Al]

My beretta xtrema has 5 chokes, I've only ever needed to use two quarter and half. My rizzini game gun has multi chokes but it only ever has quarter and half in it. My next game gun will be a beretta 687 el with fixed chokes yep you guessed it quarter and half.

 

+1

 

I have 2 multichoke o/us - permanent quarter and half in them. Half in the xtrema for fowling. Miroku 20 bore is fixed choke (you guessed it!) quarter and half.

[Gordon R]

I guess the question of which chokes to use could be asked to 5 different shooters and you might well get 5 different answers, and as has been said, much depends on what cartridges you use and how good a shot you are!

 

Now that is the truth. :good: