There is a good chance that if you own a shotgun manufactured in the early to mid-Twentieth Century, it has one of the three common chokes: full, modified, or improved cylinder. In order to change the choke, it was most common to simply purchase another barrel with the desired constriction built in. If you wanted your Browning A-5 to double as a quail and turkey gun, you just changed the barrel. That’s what many shooters did, and it worked well. The same action would accommodate a 30-inch full choke in the spring, and a 20-inch improved cylinder in the winter with good results—shot sizes considered.
Today a “modern sporting shotgun,” one that is intended for general purposes, comes from the factory with the ability to handle 2¾-inch and 3-inch shells and the three most basic and aforementioned choke choices. Conversion is simple and quick, with a gauge-specific key included. Speed changers are available for the competition shooter who wants to change tubes while on the sporting-clays course to match the target challenge.
Choke tubes are not a new thing. Sylvester Roper is known as the “father of choke tubes” based on work he did in 1866. Needless to say, his efforts were not heeded by the gun makers of the time. Double guns were often manufactured with two choke constrictions, such as full and modified. Single-barrel models were offered in fixed chokes for the most part. Interchangeable choke tubes did not come into vogue until the second half of the twentieth century.
The very best performance with a shotgun depends on bringing the right shotshell load and the proper choke into play at the optimum range. It’s not rocket science, but there are a lot of variables to consider. It doesn’t matter if the gun is a classic double, a sporty pump, or a semi-auto—what matters in the end is the delivery of the payload. Find that combination and you’ll be much closer to success.
If you own an older shotgun—say grand-pappy’s Model 12—you may find the end of the barrel thin from repeated wear. Grand-pappy didn’t have access to the most modern shotshells, and early lead shot tended to abrade the bore from chamber to muzzle. The steel wasn’t the best then either, but that’s another story for another day.
More modern shotguns with interchangeable choke tubes benefit from what may well be the best, most consistently manufactured ammunition ever available. I feel it’s safe to say we, in 2025, may be at the pinnacle of shotshell technology—consistency being the key to accuracy and dependability with any ammunition. I mention this because without good shotshells, chokes are working at a disadvantage.
David Hawkins
Lead Shot
Lead remains the most common shot used in retail ammunition where it is available and allowed by state or local regulations. It is also the most economical. Federal regulations require the use of non-toxic shot—such as steel, tungsten, or bismuth—for migratory waterfowl because lead shot is considered a biohazard once it falls to earth and can be ingested by waterfowl. States such as California have banned lead in all ammunition because of possible poisoning of condors and eagles. But again, that’s a story for another day.
Lead shot comes in a wide variety of sizes from buckshot to #12. The latter is used by a narrow niche of shooters in pursuit of vermin—such as rats—with .22 rifles or pistols. Deer and home-defense account for most buckshot buyers, so let’s stick to birdshot: typically, BBs to #9 birdshot. A shotgun is a versatile game getter, but to get the best results the shooter needs to put in some effort and elbow grease. What is the target, and at what ranges? What shot size is most ideal for game and range, and which choke will deliver the optimum pattern? Too small a shot size and the pellet energy will be insufficient at longer ranges. Too large a shot size and the pattern may lack the density needed for a clean kill.
For example: squirrel hunting in early season, before leaves have all fallen, will see ranges out to 35 yards, or about 100 feet. These crafty little “tree-rats” are scurrying experts, so you will need a combination of power and density. A good starting point could be #6 shot out of a modified choke.
Dove shooting has different requirements—#7½ or #8 shot to insure pattern density. The smaller shot will make clean kills at the same range and with the same choke. It’s up to the shooter to learn lead, follow-through, and trigger control. Remember: the shot string goes where you send it. AI has not made it to wing-shooting yet.
Note: A table of recommended shot sizes has been included at the end of this article. This information is an amalgam of recommendations from a number of industry leaders, such as Winchester, Remington, Federal, and others. Waterfowl is not included here since lead shot is prohibited in waterfowl hunting.
Once you have a starting point, it’s time to pattern the gun/choke combination. In researching this article, I found little to no scientific information that barrel length has more influence than choke constriction. A full choke in a 24-inch barrel is as good as a full choke in a 28-inch barrel.
For upland and small game, start your pattern test at a realistic range of 35 yards. Take a piece of brown paper—such as painter’s paper from a hardware or paint store. It’s stiff enough to handle easily and not overly expensive. Cut a sheet about 36 to 40 inches long. Next, using a pencil and 15 inches of string, make a 30-inch circle, placing a dot of some kind at the center. That seems to be the industry standard size. I often use the cardboard rounds that come with large pizzas.
Secure the target to a suitable backstop and fire the load you have chosen at the dot in the center. My backstop is a wooden pallet that was available free at the local building-supply store. A large cardboard box will also work. Now take a Sharpie or other marker and note each pellet hole. Are there voids in the pattern, or is it a consistent spread? Too many game-size voids will indicate the need for a denser pattern. This can be achieved by changing chokes or increasing the load—say from modified to full, or 1 ounce to 1⅛ ounce. Keep track of the load and choke being tested for further study. If the pattern is concentrated to one side and not the center, you might need to visit your gunsmith or learn to allow for Kentucky windage.
No two loads will pattern the same, so be prepared to experiment until you find a load your gun-and-choke combination likes. Remember that 30-inch circle—count the number of pellets inside that circle, and divide that by the number of pellets in your shotshell. Anything better than 60% density is a very good pattern at your desired range. An example: an ounce of #7½ shot contains 350 lead pellets. Your gun/choke/load choice places 225 pellets inside the 30-inch circle. That equals approximately 64% density. Pellet counts can be found at numerous online sources.
Steel Shot and Other Non-toxic Shot
Steel shot was mandated for waterfowl hunting in the U.S. beginning in the 1991 season. The ban on lead shot for waterfowl started in the 1987–88 hunting season, and the nationwide adoption of steel shot in 1991 was to protect birds from lead poisoning, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Steel shot does not like full choke tubes or chokes, and most chokes don’t tolerate velocities over 1,550 fps with steel. Waterfowl chokes are made from special steel, and the label will indicate if the choke is rated for steel, bismuth, or tungsten shot. Steel is the cheapest of the three.
I recently purchased a 25-round box of 3-inch #6 Hevi-Shot for this article and to finally check off a box for a white-goose hunt in the Mississippi Delta. I was shocked by the price—about $3.00 a round. (What writers will do for their readers.)
When I patterned the Hevi-Shot in my Remington 870 Magnum 12 gauge, I was more than impressed. I don’t have a baseline pellet count because it’s a duplex load, but at 45 yards only 23 pellets were outside the 30-inch circle. I’m no longer skeptical. As baseball great Dizzy Dean said, “If you can do it, it ain’t bragging.” Hevi-Shot can do it. There will be some in my turkey vest this spring.
David Hawkins
Choke Care and Maintenance
Keep uninstalled choke tubes in a hard case when not in use—you don’t want to risk damage to the male threads. Likewise, clean the gun with a choke tube installed; this goes a long way toward protecting the female threads in the barrel. Skeet and trap shooters, as well as sporting-clays shooters, may encounter plastic buildup in choke tubes. A bronze brush warped with a solvent-soaked patch will help remove this fouling.
Choke threads should be stored with a light coating of premium gun oil or a specific choke lube sold where aftermarket chokes are available. Hard storage cases are also recommended.
This might be the proper time to point out that choke maker Briley recommends that no shot smaller than #7½ be used in a Sporting Clays choke. Sporting Clays chokes do not require a key for changing but should be hand-snugged.
Rifled chokes for slugs are designed to put some spin on the lead or sabot device, making the slug more accurate. In this writer’s opinion, a rifled slug barrel is a better choice. Rifled-choke slugs at their cheapest are about half the price of a rifled barrel. Otherwise, slugs should be fired using a cylinder choke or, at most, an improved cylinder.
Recommended shot sizes (general guidance)
- Quail, grouse, dove: #7½, #8, or #9
- Sage hen, woodcock (grouped with above)
- Squirrel, rabbit, pheasant: #4, #5, or #6
- Turkey (all species): #2, #4, #5, or #6 (lead shot)
- Coyotes and bobcats: Bismuth or tungsten #9
I suppose you can use non-toxic shot across the board if your wallet can afford it.
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