Talk to me about chokes

[Gutpile]

Just to qualify this post I'm not a beginner. I grew up shooting waterfowl and pheasants but when my dad quit hunting back 15 years ago or so I pretty much stopped bird hunting and went 100% big game. But you never know what surprises life has in store which brings me to this post. My future father-in-law is a big-time Wing shooter and we've been doing a little duck hunting and plan on doing quite a bit more now that he's retired.

Anyhow now that that's out of the way back when I quit duck and goose hunting patternmaster was the choke tube to have. They also only offered one tube which were full. What's the go to choke these days for steel shot? I'm not interested in that heavy shot, it's just too expensive for a couple ducks. I'm intrigued by this black cloud and by The Blind Side ammo.

Is patternmaster and still where it's at? I know there's a thousand other offerings but I guess I just want to find a common consensus on what people are using. For what it's worth it will be mainly decoy shooting. I do realize that every shotgun is different and only patterning will really give the answer I'm just looking for I guess the most popular chokes that people are buzzing about

As always thanks again in advance, I really appreciate it. have fun out there and be safe

On a side note we went to the potholes this weekend and although it was a little bit slow we had a freakin great time shooting mixed bags but I was not satisfied with The lethality of Steel it brought back all those memories of how crappy it is so I just want to get a starting point with chokes before I hit the patterning boards

[Bill W]

were you guys hunting out of kayaks and what looked like sneak boats and one of your ducks was a hoodie?


Here's a clip from an email from Carlson's chokes.  I was trying to see what benefit, if any, extended chokes provided:  Extended chokes have longer parallel sections and therefore do hold patterns tighter downrange and do have better pellet distribution (pattern density) than a flush mount counterpart.

[curtdiesel]

If you decide on a favorite load, (Blindside, Black Cloud, Heavy Metal,) There are chokes that are specifically designed for those individual loads.  Personally I prefer to just use a Modified or maybe light modified choke for anything I am shooting with steel.  The PatternMaster chokes are still very popular.  The idea behind them is to reduce the string of your shot and get more of it on target at the same time.  This reduces cripples but if you are not right on it may also increase misses.  Black Cloud shotshells do the same thing with their flight stopper wads.

[Gutpile]

were you guys hunting out of kayaks and what looked like sneak boats and one of your ducks was a hoodie?

no. We boated out to a blind

[Bill W]

ok,  I was checking things out Saturday down at the powerline launch and met a group of 4 from Spokane.

[Gutpile]

If you decide on a favorite load, (Blindside, Black Cloud, Heavy Metal,) There are chokes that are specifically designed for those individual loads.  Personally I prefer to just use a Modified or maybe light modified choke for anything I am shooting with steel.  The PatternMaster chokes are still very popular.  The idea behind them is to reduce the string of your shot and get more of it on target at the same time.  This reduces cripples but if you are not right on it may also increase misses.  Black Cloud shotshells do the same thing with their flight stopper wads.

Ive been doing a bunch of research and wouldn't you know it Patternmaster doesn't have the Black Cloud choke for the Invector DS so I think I'll give the Anaconda a look. It doesn't have the "not for flight control wad" warning like most of their other chokes so hopefully it'll work for Black cloud and standard steel.

[Gutpile]

ok,  I was checking things out Saturday down at the powerline launch and met a group of 4 from Spokane.

My first time to Potholes, dad and I used to hunt along the Palouse river so I had never been there. Interesting place. Sounded like a war zone. I can't wait to go again. What a blast!!!

[Henrydog]

Carlson's makes two chokes just for Blindside, one call long and another mid range.  Don't know anything beyond that, I was just looking for skeet tubes when I stumbled upon them on Carlson's listings a few weeks ago

[JDHasty]

If you decide on a favorite load, (Blindside, Black Cloud, Heavy Metal,) There are chokes that are specifically designed for those individual loads.  Personally I prefer to just use a Modified or maybe light modified choke for anything I am shooting with steel.  The PatternMaster chokes are still very popular.  The idea behind them is to reduce the string of your shot and get more of it on target at the same time.  This reduces cripples but if you are not right on it may also increase misses.  Black Cloud shotshells do the same thing with their flight stopper wads.

You never know until you try it on a pattern board.  I am shooting 2 3/4 inch Blindside #5 out of a Black Cloud choke form Carlson an it patterns like a trap gun.  I already had a fair assortment of chokes anyway and walked int the Bargain Cave about five years ago and they had taken every choke in the place and thrown them in baskets and they were $4.99/each - so I bought one of every single one that would fit a Winchoke that my Ithaca's take and also one of every one that fit a Beretta A-400.  I think I spent a buck eighty total on chokes and left with ~ 20 different ones.  You just never know what you are going to get until you pattern them. 

[Bill W]

I patterned a Briley LM extended choke a couple of weeks ago and with Kent #2 and #3 shot it thru what I would call a full choke pattern at 40 yards.   I also shot some 3 1/2 inch T shot thru it and the pattern looked to be close to 100% at 40 yards.

If you are shooting over decoys I'd probably go with an IC or even a Skeet choke.  Then again I favor more open chokes.

[270Shooter]

I use the factory modified choke and shoot the cheap federal speed shock (blue box) 3" 2's. I usually go through a couple cases a year and hunt 3-4 days a week. You don't need the fancy shells to kill ducks, especially if you're shooting 40 yards or less. I can still consistently kill birds at 50 with this choke and load combo and have killed several even farther but if I was a dedicated pass shooter I just buy an extended range pattern master and shoot the same shells.

[WSU]

I've got a Carlson extended range (fairly certain its improved modified) that extends past the barrel.  It makes a noticeable difference.  I shoot normal steel (watch for sales at Rogers and buy cases at a time) and the combo works great for anything in range.

[WSU]

One other thought.  A lot of folks shoot ported chokes.  I really did not appreciate the added volume when a friend next to me was shooting with one. 

[Gutpile]

I use the factory modified choke and shoot the cheap federal speed shock (blue box) 3" 2's. I usually go through a couple cases a year and hunt 3-4 days a week. You don't need the fancy shells to kill ducks, especially if you're shooting 40 yards or less. I can still consistently kill birds at 50 with this choke and load combo and have killed several even farther but if I was a dedicated pass shooter I just buy an extended range pattern master and shoot the same shells.

That's a very good point all I ever used to do was jump shoot and pass shoot, now it looks like mostly decoy shooting so I have to have a different train of thought. Good point!! 👍

[Stein]

I use the factory modified choke and shoot the cheap federal speed shock (blue box) 3" 2's. I usually go through a couple cases a year and hunt 3-4 days a week. You don't need the fancy shells to kill ducks, especially if you're shooting 40 yards or less. I can still consistently kill birds at 50 with this choke and load combo and have killed several even farther but if I was a dedicated pass shooter I just buy an extended range pattern master and shoot the same shells.

 

I don't have as much experience, but every time I read an in depth review or watch someone pattern shells that isn't sponsored, they come to the same conclusion.  The cheaper shells work at least as well and many times better than the high dollar choices.