# Extended shotgun chokes for hunting? Would you purchase them and if so what brand?



## birdhunter66

I just bought a new 12 gauge shotgun for ducks, pheasants, doves. It came with three flush mount chokes IC, M, F. Would it be a good idea to purchase some extended choke tubes for my new gun? For one thing it would be easier in the field or blind to change out the tubes and easier to hand tighten if they were the extended version. Would be interested in knowing what brand of choke tubes you guys use if you use the extended ones. Which ones you like and don't like. What constriction do you use the most in your gun IC, LM, M, IM, F, Extra Full. I would like to keep it down to buying only 2-3 chokes in total if I went the extended choke tube route. Thanks for your help in advance.


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## freezeland

I have a patternmaster I use on a benelli nova for goose hunting. It will knock em down out to about 75 yards.


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## BAYDOG

I have a SBEII and love my Briley chokes. I use IC and Mod almost exclusively. Th8is is with Black Cloud ammo. I like them , like you said easy to remove , and clearly stamped.


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## birdhunter66

Thanks guys. I have looked at both of these chokes at my local gun show but have yet to buy any. I will most likely in the next 4-6 weeks with dove season coming. I was thinking IC, LM, or Mod myself. I doubt I'd shoot a duck, goose far enough away to need a full choke. Anyone else want to weigh in on they favorite extended choke brand and constriction you are using for shooting what birds? Thanks


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## MooseGooser

I like Briley!

buy all three.. IC, Lm,,,and Mod,

I think you will like LM most of the time..

Gooser


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## Brad B

I shoot the Midas grades in my Brownings. USually IC and LM depending on how the birds are. This past season I got a Patternmaster and it's everything they say it is. But you better be able to shoot well, it doesn't seem to have much margin of error. I used it exclusivly during the later part of duck season. The tightest I would ever recommend for ducks is MOD, anything past that will steel doesn't pattern well. You might could still use a full for dove or something but I can't even tell you where any of my fulls are. So I surely wouldn't buy an aftermarket FULL. Every gun will be different though so try to test pattern your gun with someone's chokes before you drop a dime on them.


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## Tony Marshall

I shoot a Benelli Vinci with a Kick's High Flyer. I have full and mod. Love Em. I have been experimenting and like Brad said, you better be able to shoot. After a few seasons I like the full. They are either DEAD or gone.


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## TroyFeeken

All of these other brand name chokes are going to be hit or miss depending on the gun they're used in. All barrels are different sized in dimensions and a choke cut for a slightly different bore size will change the outcome, sometimes drastically. Look up Drake Killer chokes in Fargo ND. He turns chokes to the specified dimensions of the barrel on your gun and they shoot even inexpensive red or blue box federal loads the best. They chokes he makes are usually cheaper than a mass produced choke and you know it's cut for your gun.


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## Jim Danis

I use Terror chokes in all of my shotguns. I've been shooting them in my SBEII, Beretta X400 and Remington 11-87 and so far they have out performed kicks, Carlson and Patternmaster chokes.


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## birdhunter66

Jim, thanks for the suggestion. I've never heard of Terror chokes where do you find them at? I've seen Pattern Master, Carlson's, Browning, Briley, Muller's, and Pure Gold but never heard of Terror before. Ever get over to Ed's gun shop over in Vass, NC just west of you? If not its definately worth the trip.


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## Migillicutty

Kicks High Flyer in IC and Mod. Use the mod the most.


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## Jim Danis

Here is a link to their site

http://www.surecycle.com/index.php/terror-choke-tubes.html

I've been to Ed's quite a bit. Great prices and good people there.

I shoot the .700 constriction tube for everything from dove to ducks and geese. It's a bit tight, actually I think it is equal to an Improved Modified which is between Full and Modified. I also shoot the .675 tube for turkey. They both produce even round patterns without any holes in the pattern. The good thing is that I have used Kent Steel, Hevi Shot, Hevi Steel and regular lead shot in various sizes and all of the patterns are very consistent.


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## birdhunter66

Jim, thanks for the information and I'll look into the terror chokes. Thanks, David


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## Jim Danis

Any time David


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## rotcsig443

Patternmaster forever and always


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## Bonnette13

I'm like this guy^^^^ except not in a creepy high school freshman-Senior crush kinda way. PatternMaster is the way to go.


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## Charles C.

Some of the most lethal duck killers I know shoot skeet chokes and large shot size. I think most of those tight chokes are a waste of time unless you're an absolute dead eye shot or you like to sky bust ducks.


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## AndrewB

Check out Rob Roberts Choke Tubes. I use his triple threat series exclusively and they flat out kill birds. I use the T1 when were in tight timber holes, T2 for more open settings and sporting clays and the T3 tube when we are in the snow goose fields to reach out that smash the birds that just won't comment. I have personally folded snow geese dead with the T3 at 70+ yards. Rob also does a lot of great gun work like reworking the forcing cone in the barrel to lighten recoil and decrease pellet deformation which brings in the stray pellets you will see on paper. He will squeeze every ounce of killing performance out of your shotgun that you can squeeze. www.robrobertscustomgunworks.com


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## Tatkins62787

I have a set of Indian creek choke tubes on an OU that I use for turkey hunting and they mean business... They have a choke designed for ducks but I don't have any experience with them. If they are anything like their turkey chokes, they will kill ducks.


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## jackh

Another vote for Briley. I have chokes and tube sets on different guns and have been very pleased with them.


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## .44 magnum

Ok..help me out folks... explain why these extended chokes outperform the chokes that come with your shotgun? Is there any advantage to using extended chokes on Pheasants ?


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## Jim Danis

The basic premise behind extended choke tubes is that they lengthen out the space required to tighten up the shot string before exiting the barrel. Standard choke tubes force that to happen in a shorter space and can cause the shot to deform and create poor patterns. Extended tubes are supposed to decrease shot deformity creating better patterns. That is also what the different wads are supposed to do. Federals wads are designed to stay with the shot column after it leaves the barrel keeping a tighter pattern for longer ranges. However certain chokes that have little studs in them, like Patternmaster does, created horrible patterns in the Federal Black Cloud ammo. Patternmaster made special black cloud chokes without the studs.

So basically that is what the extended chokes are supposed to do. Regardless, what you have to do is pattern your chokes with various loads and see what creates the best patterns for your gun and shot combination. Standard chokes may work best. Then again it may be a specific extended choke that works best with your load you want to shoot.


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## .44 magnum

Thanks... that explains it well.

Came across this tip on extended chokes
http://www.chuckhawks.com/column31_trulock_chokes.htm

If I got an extended Improved Modified would it improve the pattern of a cheapo Stoeger M2000 in 12 ga? or would investment in a much better shotgun improve my shots?

My typical shots are on average 30 yards or less in heavily wooded areas with some larger fields when a pheasant will fly away at longer distance.. Can one choke help, or do you need to buy at least three extended chokes?


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## Bill Cummins Jr.

.44 magnum said:


> Thanks... that explains it well.
> 
> Came across this tip on extended chokes
> http://www.chuckhawks.com/column31_trulock_chokes.htm
> 
> If I got an extended Improved Modified would it improve the pattern of a cheapo Stoeger M2000 in 12 ga? or would investment in a much better shotgun improve my shots?
> 
> My typical shots are on average 30 yards or less in heavily wooded areas with some larger fields when a pheasant will fly away at longer distance.. Can one choke help, or do you need to buy at least three extended chokes?


 You may want to try staggering your loads. Example- a hot #6 or #71/2 for the first up close shot, then a 3" #4 or #5 for the bird that's going away. It depends on the gun, pattern, and what you are comfortable with.

Bill


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## Jim Danis

As far as improving your shots are concerned I would make sure your shotgun fits you properly. I believe the stock on the Stoeger is adjustable like the Benelli's are. i used to shoot a Benelli SBE and I adjusted the stock to fit me. Basically making the stock itself bend towards the right more than standard. It really helped the gun shoot where I was pointing. Well I bought a Beretta from a friend and couldn't hit a thing with it. I had been shooting the Benelli for so long that I forgot I had adjusted the stock. I did the same thing with the Beretta and bingo I could hit birds again. So I believe the Stoeger's come with a set of shims to adjust the stocks on them also. If so a quick way to see if the stock needs to be adjusted is to close your eyes, bring the gun to your shoulder and open up you eyes. You should be lined up on the sights. Do this multiple times. If you notice your seeing too much of the rib or the sight is left or right you may need to have it adjusted so that when mounting the gun all you see is the bead of the sight and it is centered properly. 

If the gun fits then work on various chokes. In your description I think you would need a couple of different chokes


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## .44 magnum

Thanks guys... big problem where I hunt is lack of birds for the number of hunters who use the Public land... you really need to make your shots count because you can go days before flushing a Pheasant. Practice makes perfect. I was just hoping an extended choke would improve the pattern ... I hit the birds, but they often don't drop, just glide away... my hunting buddy says I get hooked on shooting the main body of the bird and not the head... 

You have to love the Pheasants however, for a thrill, they can hold so still at times you almost walk on them, the rush you get when they take off from heavy cover is one of lifes great pleasures.

My Stoeger did not come with a shim kit.. a Dick's special and only with three chokes... A cylinder, Modified and full.. so I just ordered the Truelock extended Improved Cylinder to see if not having that size choke helps any...


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## Flatwalk09

Go to www.patternmaster.com and see where it says that the pattern master tubes are not for use with ammunition having a flight control wad. Black Cloud being one of those. Pattern Master does have tubes specifically designed for the flight control wad (Black Cloud Modified and Full).


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## Brettttka

Beretta A400 with a Rob Roberts T2. Just got the choke and I love it. Call the guys at Rob Roberts and tell them what kind of gun you are shooting and they have done all the research on finding which choke tube and what shells work best for each gun. Awesome customer service and easy to deal with.


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## Stephen A

Good thread. I'm going to try out a couple of the chokes mentioned in mossberg and see what results I get.


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