What choke tube should I use.

[Sergio M]

I got three choke tubes for my gun improved cylinder, modified, and full choke. I will be hunting over decoys for ducks next weekend, just wondering which choke tube would be the best choice for this? I also heard that pattern master makes a good choke tube and feedback on that?

[bubs]

I use Improve. on an auto my buddy uses an improved and mod on his over/under. the most important thing is to pattern your gun I have found that win patterns the best out of my gun. fed's are ok. shot size can make a differance too. If your hunting over deks you should be good with the improved.

[BarTender]

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I got three choke tubes for my gun improved cylinder, modified, and full choke. I will be hunting over decoys for ducks next weekend, just wondering which choke tube would be the best choice for this? I also heard that pattern master makes a good choke tube and feedback on that?

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If you are just after ducks and can get them close(20 yards or less) then you sould shoot a mod. This is based on not knowing how good a shot you are.

The mod choke will keep a tighter pattern for a litle farther shots but be open enough for the closer shots.

After market tubes are good, but depending on the size, will affect your success rate. I shoot an aftermarket choke tube that is a .7 Which is rather tight pattern. You really need to be on for the close shots.

[Fish&Fowl]

Use the mod, but first get out and pattern your gun with at least 2 of the chokes and see how it's shooting. If you can, try a couple different brands of shells through each choke to find the best combination. Patterning isn't very important to a lot of people, but it should be. It can give you a critical edge on your ability to consistently knock birds down.

I wouldn't recommend buying an aftermarket choke until you do this. It certainly isn't worth buying one if you have a good combination going, unless you just like telling everyone you spent $90 on a choke.

[lars0926]

If you're eco conscious, and want to be legal with steel, etc. I would highly recommend you DO NOT use a full choke. It may work, but this is a good way to bust a barrel. Steel is hard and doesn't do well through a full choke.

[carpshooterdeluxe]

pattern pattern pattern. figure out what both your improved and mod do with given loads at various distances, write it all down in a small shooting journal, and toss it along with your extra choke in a blind bag. that way if you have birds working great into the dekes, you can go with the improved choke. if the birds are flairing on the edge of the spread or you are down to birds just passing by but still well within range, switch out to the mod and your load that works good with that choke.

[ironman]

Bought a stoeger p350 this fall..I really like it. However, it came with four chokes, with the skeet choke in the barrel. For goose hunting I put the full choke in...I like the pattern for long shots...knocked down some geese this year with some of the longest shots of my life...not winged em but knocked em out. However...I went grouse hunting the other day and I'll be danged if I could not get that choke out. Is this what was said about not using a full choke with steet shot? This is news to me...but what I really need to know is how do I get it out now. I would like to switch to modified.

[Sergio M]

Well thanks for the info. I went out and pattern my gun and the mod and kent shells work great. Last year I had the same problem as one other guy I was using full in my mossberg 935 and I could not get the choke out so I had to send it back and they replaced the barrell. The warrenty covered it in full, I just sent the gun back to mossberg and they repaired it and returned it in time for late season goose hunting. I also had a buddy who all he shot was full choke and last year his barrel split while hunting, he shoots an 870 wingmaster. Good Luck!

[Down2Earth]

Don't listen to anyone who tell you not to buy the patternmaster choke tube. They don't know what they are talking about and don't have one. If you are just a couple weekend guy out shooting some duck use the Mod or Imp choke that came with your gun. If you are serious get the patternmaster. These chokes are awesome. I would NEVER hunt waterfowl without it once I used it. Now going on 3 years. $90 well spent.

[Fish&Fowl]

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Don't listen to anyone who tell you not to buy the patternmaster choke tube. They don't know what they are talking about and don't have one. If you are just a couple weekend guy out shooting some duck use the Mod or Imp choke that came with your gun. If you are serious get the patternmaster. These chokes are awesome. I would NEVER hunt waterfowl without it once I used it. Now going on 3 years. $90 well spent.

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That's priceless. Pretty much like saying if you don't use a certain brand of shells you're only a weekend hunter. Every gun/choke combination is different, and if my stock choke in my Benelli M1 didn't pattern good, I'd buy an aftermarket (like I did for my old BPS) If you NEED one, then patternmaster is a proven brand and probably a good choice.

duckslyer,

Glad to hear you found a good combo, I also use Kent shells and love 'em.

[Down2Earth]

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Don't listen to anyone who tell you not to buy the patternmaster choke tube. They don't know what they are talking about and don't have one. If you are just a couple weekend guy out shooting some duck use the Mod or Imp choke that came with your gun. If you are serious get the patternmaster. These chokes are awesome. I would NEVER hunt waterfowl without it once I used it. Now going on 3 years. $90 well spent.

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That's priceless. Pretty much like saying if you don't use a certain brand of shells you're only a weekend hunter. Every gun/choke combination is different, and if my stock choke in my Benelli M1 didn't pattern good, I'd buy an aftermarket (like I did for my old BPS) If you NEED one, then patternmaster is a proven brand and probably a good choice.

duckslyer,

Glad to hear you found a good combo, I also use Kent shells and love 'em.

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Boy you are a deep reader. I wasn't thinking anything close to that. Duckslayer specifically asked about the petternmaster choke and you never using one told him not to get one. I gave him my honest opinion. Never did I state anything against anyone. Sorry I should have changed my statement to if you plan on doing a lot of waterfowl hunting I would highly recommend a patternmaster choke you won't regret it. Does that make you feel better Fish&Fowl? Some peoples kids!

[Fish&Fowl]

Gotcha bud.

[Fish&Fowl]

D2E,

When I first read your post I thought it said anyone who tells you not to buy a patternmaster choke is a just a weekend hunter. What you actually wrote is much better, hopefully you realize why I wrote what I did.

I still don't think that you need a patternmaster or any other kind of choke if you are getting good patterns with a stock tube, but aftermarket chokes are definitely worth the money if you need one...plus they look mean sticking out of the end of the barrel a bit.

[BarTender]

I've shotthe patternmaster one spring hunt, did well, but it is a stripper choke. If you plan on shooting any of the new blackcloud shot, you will have problems. Also most duck hunters are cheep and dont want to spend money on aftermarket chokes. I've been shooting an undertaker choke from Hunters Specialties and actually like it better than the PM and it is only $15-$20 depending where you buy it.

I'm actually thinking about selling my patternmaster, all it is doing is collecting dust

[livintofish]

Heres how I see it, just like many guys have already commented: you need to actually pattern your gun before thinking about any other tube, and be a good shot cause your talking about a 30" pattern roughly outa most of those high performance chokes. Also....you can shoot a patternmaster or whatever other high performance tube and shoot pretty much the cheapest steel out there, because they are so tight slower velocity is ok, even recomended. On the other hand you can shoot your stock mod or imp choke and buy blackcloud or hevishot or whatever hybrid 25-30 a box shells you want. Yes this shot is faster and has more killing power, and you still have your wider pattern. A sure observation is tight patterns kill birds, fast. I like the aspect of not wounding birds with a few stray bbs. You gotta be dead on with any tight choke at close range. Like last weekend my buddy and I had some honks cruising in fast and low (25 yards) with 20 mph wind behind them. He said he would take the right one....as they scream by I dropped mine dead in one shot (stock choke) he unloaded and his goose flew away (hes got a performance choke thats custom made). Anyway I guess the point is if your needing to shoot birds that are further away, canadas, snows and can shoot well they are great, I'm thinkin about getting a performance choke for further and quicker kills, but I really want to see my buddy outshoot me first. Good Huntin

[Kyle]

sorry if someone has posted this already,

what does everyone think about Kicks chokes. I heard they were really good, and cheaper than a patternmaster. Not only that but I guess you can get them in a variety of sizes. Anyone have any experience with these?

[ice-man/vexilar-king]

I personaly would not go hunting with out a Patternmaster choke tube. The pattern stays uniform and is not drug out of shape by the wad. As stated earlier it is not recemended to shoot black cloud out of it. I use it for all hunt from doves to geese even turkeys. I have talked alot of people into trying my SBE with that choke and they go out and by the same set up as soon as its affordable.

[ice-man/vexilar-king]

Another thing, The Cheap Expert ammo shoots great out of this and the couple dollers you will save on each box of ammo will pay for that choke in one season. Scheels runs ads on that Expert ammo every fall. Keep an eye out for the sale. Think about all the $14.99 ammo you will shoot when you could get that stuff for $9.99 or even less a box on sale.