What's the best Choke size for ducks , pheasants

[elkchaser]

Just wondering what most of you use ? New gun came with 3 ,not sure what one to install . My old 870 didn't have chokes . It's for my son to start duck a partridge hunting

[Dick284]

It depends.
How a given load patterns through a given choke tube.
Seldom do two tubes, regardless of what's stamped on them, give similar results over the whole spectrum of patterning. Things like point of impact vs. point of aim, as well as perceived patterns, often vary quite a bit.

Time to make a choice and then hit the pattern board.

Cheers

[KegRiver]

I use the same setting for all. Slugs notwithstanding.

My shotguns are either fixed choke or twist variable. I have no choke tube type systems on any of my shotguns.

When I try switching settings to compensate for cartridges that don't pattern well, I wind up forgetting which setting I am using and when I switch to better preforming cartridges, too often I forget to switch settings and wind up missing or wounding several birds before I figure out what is wrong.

So I stick with one setting, and one brand of shot shells.

[dinohunter]

i have browning maxus,it performs best with mod.choke+remington ammo(shot size 1 and bb,bbb)

[Pioneer2]

All I'll ever need is modified in a 870 and a Beretta A303

[KegRiver]

Yeah, I forgot to mention. I also use modified, when I can, since the introduction of Steel shot.

["No Choke"Lord Walsingham]

Choke is actually a performance figure expressed in pattern percentile generated at the range at which one intends to engage a target. The classic measure is to fire multiple shells, at least ten, though shooting five patterns may be able to give one a somewhat reasonable idea in a pinch. Basically the more patterns one reads, the greater the level of understanding of a gun/barrel constriction/load performance relationship can be attained. A quick internet search will tell you much more about how to pattern a gun.

One persons modified may be anothers improved cylinder or what have you. As such, it is very difficult to say...

I would recommend something with a removable/screw in choke system and either Briley or Trulock Chokes. Start with the more open constrictions and pattern the gun. There are no industry standards regarding shotgun barrel constrictions or even bore diameters for that matter.

Do some research and pattern that gun! Then you will know what works for you. What works for another may not net similiar results for your Son. The only way to know with any degree of certainty is to do the work yourself.

[catnthehat]

all my chokes are not tighter than modified, most of the barrels are either IC or cylinder.
Shot ranges from 2's to 4's in steel, Nice Shot, Bismuth for waterfowl or
6,7 1/2 nickle for pheasants .

Velocities are from 1150 to 1550 FPS and gauges are from 10 to 28 and the guns range from brand new to over 100 years old.

I've killed waterfowl and upland with them all.
Patterns can be changed dramatically by the wad type and shot size you use.

Shot size, velocity, and chokes are all over the map, there is not one best anything IMO, just what you want to shoot.
Cat

[greylynx]

Originally Posted by catnthehat

all my chokes are not tighter than modified, most of the barrels are either IC or cylinder.
Shot ranges from 2's to 4's in steel, Nice Shot, Bismuth for waterfowl or
6,7 1/2 nickle for pheasants .

Velocities are from 1150 to 1550 FPS and gauges are from 10 to 28 and the guns range from brand new to over 100 years old.

I've killed waterfowl and upland with them all.
Patterns can be changed dramatically by the wad type and shot size you use.

Shot size, velocity, and chokes are all over the map, there is not one best anything IMO, just what you want to shoot.
Cat

Cat:

Let us discuss 1500 fps out of a shotgun barrel.

Did your father ever have any "inside" knowledge of the C.I.L. steel shot experiments during the 70's. They were experimenting with those type of velocities.

The late Bob Brister mention's the research.

Just wondering.

[catnthehat]

Originally Posted by greylynx

Cat:

Let us discuss 1500 fps out of a shotgun barrel.

Did your father ever have any "inside" knowledge of the C.I.L. steel shot experiments during the 70's. They were experimenting with those type of velocities.

The late Bob Brister mention's the research.

Just wondering.

When they were first testing steel, they had DISMAL results for several reasons chokes too tight, velocities wrong, and of course, some of their steel samples were a little light or too heavy for the velocity they were using.
He was directly involved in the tests, much of them on live birds.

IIRC my father found that with steel he liked to be around 1,400-1500 FPS.
However, that was many years ago, and there have been different wads, buffering systems, and chokes made to sell to hunters since then!!
He was a very firm believer in not so much pattern, but how well the particular shell/gun combination would kill at a certain max distance.
Ballistics Products used to have a load for ducks that was terrible on the pattern board but super lethal on ducks, go figure.

The bottom line for me is to know the distance at which my particular shotgun is lethal, and not to shoot past that distance.

I have made longer kills with factory 20 gauge 7/8 oz #4federal premium 2 2/4" ammo than I have with Winchester supreme 10z 3" #2's.
However, Fassteel 3' #2 1oz shells work as well as the federals. the gun just seems to really get that stuff out there better, so I shoot them mostly when I am using factory steel.
The Winchester BTW is advertised at 1,500FPS, the federal at 1,500, and the Fassteel at ,1550 as well.
I gave up trying to figure that stuff out long ago and do what the old man told me
"Quit thinkin' and talking and and just shoot the danged gun, Son"!!

Cat

[greylynx]

Thanks Cat.

I love numbers and playing with them. You are correct. Shoot your gun and shoot it a lot.

[catnthehat]

Originally Posted by greylynx

Thanks Cat.

I love numbers and playing with them. You are correct. Shoot your gun and shoot it a lot.

Important stuff like steel is lighter so takes up more space than lead and needs to go a bit faster are important IMO.
Anything else doesn't matter near as much as knowing how to hit a bird in the head/neck area.
Like you say, shoot the gun and shoot it a lot!
Cat