It does this by shaping the pellet stack at the end of the barrel. Furthermore, compacting the pellets also reduces the spaces between them and limits the possibility of air getting in:. After they leave the muzzle, the trajectory of the pellets becomes gradually more and more disturbed and the swarm spreads radially creating a transversal distribution that represents the "spread".
The first thing to do is choose the cartridges you want to use. Take your gun to the firing range or a safe place and test it with a pattern plate, in observance of the regulations for doing so. After placing large enough sheets at least 1 m2 on a wooden frame, mark the center of the sheet with colored tape, to help your aim. A gauge is usually tested at a range of 28 meters and a.
In this case we recommend marking the metal plate with a reference number or code that matches any notes you might have written for each test. When assessing the ballistic performance of guns and ammo specifically designed for hunting it may be a good idea to perform tests using the same combination at various ranges, to see how the ballistic performance of the gun and ammo changes at the typical ranges we do most of our hunting at. Start by firing at least 5 shots at a close range of 15 meters , increasing the range progressively to 25, 36 and 40 meters.
If you think your shot patterns are too compact and notice some gaps in which the target might be missed or perhaps be hit by less pellets, this is when you should do something about it. When you know that the effects on the spread are closely related to shell load and components, such as:. After the initial assessment of your ammo, the best thing to do is try the same also with different chokes.
Write them down and always take note of all the results with any comments, creating a paper or photographic file with all the shot patterns you produced during the tests.
In this way, even a long time later you can still check and be sure to know what effect a certain shell or barrel or choke will have at various ranges. Missing your target is always a disappointment. After long and meticulous assessment of your tools the probability of a miss will be very low. In some cases this might go against the absolute concept that a longer barrel will give you a longer range than a shorter one in the same conditions.
Strange eh? The choke effects the range of modern hunting shotguns much more than barrel length. A 60 cm barrel could have a longer range than a 81 cm barrel if the latter was a lot less choked than the former. Furthermore, as a longer barrel makes a gun more balanced , it creates the ideal aiming conditions for shots taken at very sharp angles, preventing jerky movements or losing linear contact with the target.
Modern cartridges , thanks to technological innovation and through the intelligent use of various components, have been designed to continually optimize the moment in which the pellets leave the barrel, to produce more regular and compact spreads and conserve more residual energy with greater penetration at longer ranges. The situation is different towards the end of the season when the hares know a trick or two, and more often than not will tend to run before you get too near.
When hunting, everyone is free, or rather should make it their duty, to experiment and find the ideal solution to suit their own habits and skills. To do this you need a lot of experience, a good aim and more than anything, you need to keep your cool! Interchangeable chokes are metal tube inserts that screw onto the end of the barrel or are blocked in this position by an external ringnut.
To clean your chokes you can use most of the same materials you use for your barrels, cleaning rods, brush and a steel wool pad. Chokes can also be cleaned perfectly well in modern ultrasonic cleaners , widely used nowadays and no longer as costly as they once were.
When clean, the chokes must be coated with protective lubricants like Teflon, copper or molybdenum disulfide grease.
When you leave a choke on the barrel it must always be blocked firmly in place using the specific wrench to fit and remove it. These thin tubes must be protected from knocks and should never be dropped.
For this reason you should periodically check the chokes are geometrically perfect and there are no traces of deformation or dents. This is your new starting point. For several years Gianluca has been working as a ballistic consultant, contributing to the continuous improvement and development of new components and hunting cartridges. He is an avid hunter with more than 30 years of experience and is one of the top Italian experts in the field of smooth-bore and rifled-bore reloading.
He has contributed as a moderator for various online forums and, thanks to his experience in this field, has been a collaborator of hunting and reloading magazines. His dream is to write a real manual dedicated to the art of reloading, and he immediately threw himself into the challenge of Hunting Spot to start working on that, also thanks to your contribution. Hunting and clay shooting are two parallel worlds, often united by common enthusiasts and the use of the same You hear the honking of geese at a distance.
Concealed in the layout blind in the cornfield you start calling IVA - Email: team hunting-spot. Read all the posts. Go to homepage. There are 4 major types of choke tubes: modified, cylinder, improved, and full. Each choke tube serves a different purpose. In addition to the basic chokes, there are several specialized types. These are often designed to shoot a specific kind of game or excel with certain types of ammunition.
Cylinder Choke: These types of chokes tubes are not constricted which means their flight patterns are the most open and the viable firing range is the shortest. Open choke tubes are used primarily with birdshot and buckshot at short ranges.
They release a widespread pattern that obliterates targets at short distances. They work best at yards. Improved Cylinder Choke: Improved cylinder chokes are still used at short range. This choke is most effective inside of yards. Modified Choke: This is the mid-range choke containing more constriction than the improved cylinder choke. While it may still be possible to shoot slugs from the gun, it is not recommended for the long-term health of the choke.
This choke is one most preferred by hunters because of its versatility. Chokes don't make the shot go farther. Their purpose is to deliver an effective density of shot at a particular distance. For game such as quail, where shots are usually at relatively short range, you may choose a choke like an improved cylinder. For turkey, where you anticipate that shots may be at a larger range, you might choose a full choke.
Many shotguns have interchangeable choke tubes so shooters can adjust the choke to the situation. This entails shooting single shots at individual targets at the distance you anticipate you will be shooting at game. Write on the target the load of the shells, the type of choke and the distance that you fired. By comparing the targets and counting the average number of pellets that will cover a lethal area on the target, you will find out what combination of shotshell and type of choke will deliver the best results.
It is a lot of work but you will gain a better understanding of how your shotgun performs. Education Menu Expand Angler Education.
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