Research the Perfect Choke Choice for Your Duck Gun

The problem, May notes, is that many of us recognize that accuracy is required when shooting a bow or rifle, whereas we view shooting a shotgun like casting a net. The problem is, there can be holes in that net large enough for a duck–or even a goose–to fly through and escape unscathed or wounded. “One of the classic things we see is a guy who’s taken the time to pattern his gun and find the right load/choke combination,” he said. “Then his buddy, who might even have the same model gun, tries the same load and can’t hit anything. We’ve done a ton of testing over the years, and I’ve seen as much as a 50% difference in pattern shooting identical loads/chokes out of guns with consecutive serial numbers. Every gun simply ‘likes’ a load or two better than the others, and the only way to find out what that combination is,, is to do your own research.”

Veteran shooters know the drill for finding the right choke/load combination, but if you’re relatively new to the waterfowl game, May outlined the procedure. “I tell people to tag a 36” X 36” piece of white paper on a sheet of cardboard and mount it at 40 yards,” he said. “Take a shot and circle the densest part of the pattern. Then count the number of pellets in that circle and divide by the total number of pellets in the load. Ideally you’re looking for 70-75% of that total charge to be in the circled area for the choke/load combo to be considered good.”

May recommends “spending the dollars to get the good stuff” when it comes to purchasing shotshells, and to take at least five shots to insure you’re getting an accurate read of performance. Obviously this can add up to a few dollars, but the investment is worth it, he insists. “It’s pretty easy to spend thousands on a boat and hundreds on decoys, guns and gear, so why not throw in a little extra on shells and chokes and some time patterning, so you’ll be a better shot when ducks do show up?” he said.

With an even further nod to saving money, May noted that Carlson’s welcomes calls from hunters who’d like advice on matching one of the company’s choke options to their favorite waterfowl gun. “We’ve done absolutely tons of testing with different loads and chokes and, while I can’t guarantee that I can pick the best choke tube for your shotgun through a phone chat, I can usually get you pretty close,” May said. He also pointed toward the company’s two-packs, which feature a medium- and long-range option. “I’ll often bring both chokes into the field and switch them out after seeing what ducks are doing. If they’re decoying well the medium choke stays in, but if the birds have commitment issues and the shots are getting longer I have the longer range choke handy.”

Grant Jeremiah with Winchester Ammunition said hunters would do well to match their typical hunting experience with the proper load and choke for a more efficient patterning experience. “There’s never a right/wrong answer when it comes to choke/load,” he said. “The best combo is the one that works for you, your gun and your typical shooting experience. For example, if you’re hunting early season ducks that are decoying well, or flooded timber, you’re probably going to be fine with steel shot and an improved cylinder or skeet choke. But if you’re hunting public land, late-season birds you can probably count on longer shots, which would steer me toward a tighter choke and a Bismuth or TSS load, which of course are more expensive but worth it. In general, I tell guys to imagine their typical [hunting] scenario and try to pick a combo that would cover the middle, rather than something on the extremes.”

Jeremiah said Winchester Bismuth is his favorite all-around load and it patterns well in his gun. “We alloy the Bismuth with tin, which results in a near-perfect round pellet that patterns well and performs just like lead,” he said. “Plus, you can shoot it through tight chokes and reach out well. The thing that makes our Bismuth stand out is that it’s buffered. Without that the bottom pellets in a load tend to get fractured and that affects the pattern. With our buffering, the load stays together and comes out of the barrel like a rifled slug. Then the buffering falls away and the pellets are on their way to their target.”

Brand new for Winchester this year is the Last Call TSS load, which makes Jeremiah and a whole lot of serious waterfowlers very excited. “Last Call TSS has a density of 18, which is far superior to steel or bismuth,” he said. “I like to compare shooting TSS to throwing a golf ball at something compared to a ping pong ball for other shot materials; it just hits harder because it is harder! The other thing I like about TSS is its hardness prevents fracturing, which ensures a tighter pattern. I’d lean toward a more open choke with TSS, like an improved cylinder or skeet for most applications. I tell everyone it’s not unreasonable to expect a 20-yard increase in effective shooting distance through most gun/choke combinations.”

Hunters on a budget should turn to quality options like Winchester’s DryLok, which features a double seal wad system and lacquered primer. The ground-breaking technology not only insures waterproofing protection of the shell itself, but a wad system that protects the barrel and choke, and results in a tighter, more effective pattern from the more affordable steel shot. “For most moderate ranges, you can’t do better than our DryLok,” Jeremiah said.  

Both men stressed the need for proper choke care during the often-rough conditions of a typical waterfowl season. “The super-fine threads in a choke tube can rust easily and cause the choke to lock up in the barrel, which can be a real mess to correct,” May said. “Take the time to back your choke tube out after every hunt, wipe it down and lube it. A little preventive maintenance can go a long way to avoiding major problems farther down the road.”