What chokes?

[alecvg]

What choke do you like best for duck hunting?   I only have a Modified for my new shotgun, and I really don't like it that much, unless the ducks are really close.  I have heard a rumor that there is a full choke that can handle steel shot... is that true?  I am much better with full chokes anyway.  Any advice on what to use would be great!

[seaduckhunter]

Buy an after market choke. Patternmaster if your looking for a good full choke.

[T-Bone]

I guess I'm curious as to"Why" you don't like a modified choke? I use nothing tighter than modified in a flush mounted choke in my guns and in my O/U's, I use improved cylinder / modified. With steel, you should be getting a lead-like, full choke pattern with your modified choke.

I think your problem in killing ducks maybe in the shells / shot size you are using and not the choke. I would pattern your gun on a target sheet at 40 yards.

[bobcat]

As T-Bone said, you should get a full choke pattern with a standard modified choke. If you pattern your gun, and get 70% of your shot inside a 30 inch circle at 40 yards, that is a full choke. No matter what your choke tube says.

Your problem in killing ducks could also be that you are shooting too far.

[alecvg]

I guess I'm curious as to"Why" you don't like a modified choke? I use nothing tighter than modified in a flush mounted choke in my guns and in my O/U's, I use improved cylinder / modified. With steel, you should be getting a lead-like, full choke pattern with your modified choke.

I think your problem in killing ducks maybe in the shells / shot size you are using and not the choke. I would pattern your gun on a target sheet at 40 yards.

Well, I have always used Full Chokes, until this year, I finally got a shotgun with adjustable chokes, so partly, its just that I am used to full Chokes.  I have used a few different shells this year, I used Kent 3" BB, and Remington 2 3/4" 2 shot and Blackcloud 3" BB.  I found best with the Blackcloud, and I love it, but not the price, I can't really afford to buy to much of it.  I also shot pretty good with the Remington stuff, even got two ducks with one shot with it.  The Kent stuff I had trouble with, I just couldn't get used to it!  I might have to try patterning it, and maybe just stick with the Remington stuff.

As T-Bone said, you should get a full choke pattern with a standard modified choke. If you pattern your gun, and get 70% of your shot inside a 30 inch circle at 40 yards, that is a full choke. No matter what your choke tube says.

Your problem in killing ducks could also be that you are shooting too far.

I really don't think I was shooting too far, I will just have to screw around with it, and figure out what works best.

Would it make a difference if I bought an after market modified choke?  Would it be better than the factory Remington ones?

[bobcat]

I don't hunt waterfowl much anymore so I'm not really up on the aftermarket chokes. But with my 870 I used to use the improved cylinder tube most of the time. The improved cylinder choke tube gave me an 85% pattern, which is tighter than a full choke pattern. You really should try an improved cylinder choke, especially with larger sizes of steel shot. You might be surprised at the patterns it will throw.

Also, take a rangefinder with you when you're duck hunting. You might find the shots you thought were 40 yards are more like 60 yards.

[Professor Chaos]

I;ve had a modified in my gun for over 10 years.  dont think i could take it out if i wanted.  
Different guns/chokes and ammo combinations will all lead to different patterning results.  
put it on paper and see which works the best for you.

also, try to stick with the same speed shells.  a couple hundred FPS can really throw off your shooting.

[alecvg]

I don't hunt waterfowl much anymore so I'm not really up on the aftermarket chokes. But with my 870 I used to use the improved cylinder tube most of the time. The improved cylinder choke tube gave me an 85% pattern, which is tighter than a full choke pattern. You really should try an improved cylinder choke, especially with larger sizes of steel shot. You might be surprised at the patterns it will throw.

Also, take a rangefinder with you when you're duck hunting. You might find the shots you thought were 40 yards are more like 60 yards.

Well, I will have to try to the improved cylinder and just test out different loads, I will get it nice and good by season. 

I might also have to take a rangefinder to see how far my shots are.

also, try to stick with the same speed shells.  a couple hundred FPS can really throw off your shooting.

Ya, I think that may have been the problem with the Kent ammo, 1375 with the Remington compared to 1560 with Kent.

[h2ofowlr]

I have a patternmaster pass shooting choke in my 10 gauge.  I have a pattern master black cloud choke "full" in one of my benelli SBEII.  My other SBEII I have a Kicks High Flyer choke.  I placed a Primos Turkey Choke in my Benelli Nova.  I have purchase several to see how each performs with the types of shot I like to shoot.

[ducksdoom12]

pattern, pattern, pattern, pattern, and then pattern some more.    mod. choke in my al391 gives me still over 70% at 50 yards with the load i use. just depends on the shell/barrell/choke combo that you have, everyone will be different.

[WSU]

I bought a carlson's improved modified towards the end of last season, and it seemed to kill birds better.  I haven't patterned it yet, but it did seem to kill better with the 1 1/4 ounce loads, which are slower.  I really need to pattern the different loads and see what is really going on.

[Whitenuckles]

Pattern Master for ducks and geese.. Indian Creek for Turkeys..

[jackelope]

shoot a patterning board and see what happens...
you might also consider going to a little smaller shot size for a more dense pattern. I'm not a waterfowl hunter but I've done it a time or 3 and I gotta wonder how many are shooting BB's for ducks.
anybody?

[Curly]

I don't hunt waterfowl much anymore, but when I did, I used #2's and 1's......occasionally 3's when they were decoying really well or when teal and widgeon were mostly coming in.  The only reason I could see for BB's would be if the ducks are not ever decoying well and are over 50 yards.

(In the old days when we could use lead, the load of choice was 1 1/2 oz of 5's.  That was deadly.)

[270Shooter]

Shoot BB's on windy days, and sometimes as the 3rd shell in my gun (ex. 2,2,BB).

I shoot IC mostly and mod occasionally. The mod patterns pretty tight in my benelli.

[WDFW-SUX]

I think pattern density is the most important thing when it comes to killing things.... the more pellets you put on target the more chances the lights are going to go out quickly.

[carpsniperg2]

mod for jumping ponds full for field hunting

[Curly]

With lead, I used full choke a lot, even on decoying birds.......then I could kill them at 20 yards or 50+.  Once we had to use steel shot, I never used full choke anymore.......especially for the larger steel shot loads.  With 3's or smaller you might get by with full choke, but that size shot is too small to shoot at longer ranges where full choke would be needed anyway.  With 1's and 2's you'll find that IC and Mod will likely give you tight enough patterns for killing ducks at 50 yards. 

I never patterned BB's but I bet IC or Mod will give you very tight patterns with BB's too.  That large shot sometimes needs an open choke to keep the shot from getting bounced around trying to exit the choke; sometimes a full choke will give you some weird flyers and holes in your pattern because the shot is getting forced out of the tight choke....  You just need to pattern it to know for sure.
 

[270Shooter]

Dont shoot BB's through a full choke

[AWS]

I used a Skeet choke and 7 1/2 early season and switched to Mod and 5's late season when we could use lead.  Now I keep Skeet I or IC in my 20ga and shoot 4's early and 3's later but then I like to have them feet down coming into the decoys or jump shoot them while hunting upland with the same set up.

AWS

[T-Bone]

Dont shoot BB's through a full choke

Don't shoot steel shot period through a flush mounted full choke tube or an older shotgun with a full choke barrel; as you risk a stuck choke tube, barrel bulge or even a split barrel. In general, steel shot shoots one choke tighter out of most flush mounted or fixed choke guns. If you insist on using a full choke, purchase an extended choke tube that is rated O.K. for steel and other hard, non-toxic shot.

Just adding on to what you posted 270Shooter, this comment is directed at others.

Tom

[gwpsage]

I shoot a mid range extended carlson out of my browning for ducks and long range for geese.  Patterns really well.  I bought a patternmaster a couple of seasons ago.  My partners didn't like it too much in the blind.  It was pretty loud.  So I took it back.  Shot well though..