Continued...
Chokes may either be formed as part of the barrel at the time of manufacture, by squeezing the end of the bore down over a mandrel, or by threading the barrel and screwing in an interchangeable choke tube. The choke typically consists of a conical section that smoothly tapers from the bore diameter down to the choke diameter, followed by a cylindrical section of the choke diameter. The use of interchangeable chokes has made it easy to tune the performance of a given combination of shotgun and shotshell to achieve the desired performance.
The choke should be tailored to the range and size of the targets. A skeet shooter, shooting at close targets might use a skeet choke (.005 inches of constriction) to produce a 30 inch diameter pattern at a distance of say 22.5 yards. A trap shooter...shooting at distant targets may use a light full choke (.030 inches of constriction) to produce a 30 inch diameter pattern at just under 40 yards.
Special chokes for turkey hunting...which requires long range shots at the small head and neck of the bird...a hunter may use a super full choke equaling roughly .060 inches of constriction. The use of too much choke and thus a small pattern increases the difficulty of hitting the target while the use of too little choke produces large patterns with insufficient pellet density to reliably break targets or kill game.
Shotguns generally have longer barrels than modern rifles. Unlike rifles, however, the long shotgun barrel is not for ballistic purposes. Shotgun shells use small powder charges in large diameter bores, and this leads to very low muzzle pressures and very little velocity change with increasing barrel length. Since shotguns are generally used for shooting at small, fast moving targets, it is important to lead the target by firing slightly ahead of the target...so that when the shot reaches the range of the target, the target will have moved into the pattern. On uphill shooting, this means shooting above the target. Conversely...on downhill shooting, this means shooting below the target, which is somewhat counterintuitive for many beginning hunters. Of course, depending on the barrel length, the amount of lead employed will vary.
Shotguns made for close ranges, where the angular speed of the targets is great (such as skeet or upland bird hunting) tend to have shorter barrels, around 24 to 28 inches. Shotguns for longer range shooting, where angular speeds are less (trap shooting; quail, pheasant, and waterfowl hunting) tend to have longer barrels, 28 to 34 inches. The longer barrels have more inertia, and will therefore swing more slowly but more steadily. The short, low inertia barrels swing faster, but are less steady. These lengths are for pump or semi-auto shotguns as break open guns have shorter overall lengths for the same barrel length, and so will use longer barrels. The break open design saves between 3.5 and 6 inches in overall length, but in most cases pays for this by having two barrels...which adds weight at the muzzle. Barrels for shotguns have been getting longer as modern steels and production methods make the barrels stronger and lighter as a longer, lighter barrel gives the same inertia for less overall weight.
Shotguns for use against larger, slower targets generally have even shorter barrels. Small game shotguns, for hunting game like rabbits and squirrels, or shotguns for use with buckshot for deer, are often 22 to 24 inches in length.
Shotguns intended for all-round hunting are a compromise...but a 28 inch barrel pump action 12 gauge shotgun with a modified choke can serve as a general all around hunting gun for small game in semi-open wooded or farmland areas where dense brush is less of a hindrance and the ability to have more reach is important. For hunting in dense brush, shorter barrel lengths are often preferred.
Chokes may either be formed as part of the barrel at the time of manufacture, by squeezing the end of the bore down over a mandrel, or by threading the barrel and screwing in an interchangeable choke tube. The choke typically consists of a conical section that smoothly tapers from the bore diameter down to the choke diameter, followed by a cylindrical section of the choke diameter. The use of interchangeable chokes has made it easy to tune the performance of a given combination of shotgun and shotshell to achieve the desired performance.
The choke should be tailored to the range and size of the targets. A skeet shooter, shooting at close targets might use a skeet choke (.005 inches of constriction) to produce a 30 inch diameter pattern at a distance of say 22.5 yards. A trap shooter...shooting at distant targets may use a light full choke (.030 inches of constriction) to produce a 30 inch diameter pattern at just under 40 yards.
Special chokes for turkey hunting...which requires long range shots at the small head and neck of the bird...a hunter may use a super full choke equaling roughly .060 inches of constriction. The use of too much choke and thus a small pattern increases the difficulty of hitting the target while the use of too little choke produces large patterns with insufficient pellet density to reliably break targets or kill game.
Shotguns generally have longer barrels than modern rifles. Unlike rifles, however, the long shotgun barrel is not for ballistic purposes. Shotgun shells use small powder charges in large diameter bores, and this leads to very low muzzle pressures and very little velocity change with increasing barrel length. Since shotguns are generally used for shooting at small, fast moving targets, it is important to lead the target by firing slightly ahead of the target...so that when the shot reaches the range of the target, the target will have moved into the pattern. On uphill shooting, this means shooting above the target. Conversely...on downhill shooting, this means shooting below the target, which is somewhat counterintuitive for many beginning hunters. Of course, depending on the barrel length, the amount of lead employed will vary.
Shotguns made for close ranges, where the angular speed of the targets is great (such as skeet or upland bird hunting) tend to have shorter barrels, around 24 to 28 inches. Shotguns for longer range shooting, where angular speeds are less (trap shooting; quail, pheasant, and waterfowl hunting) tend to have longer barrels, 28 to 34 inches. The longer barrels have more inertia, and will therefore swing more slowly but more steadily. The short, low inertia barrels swing faster, but are less steady. These lengths are for pump or semi-auto shotguns as break open guns have shorter overall lengths for the same barrel length, and so will use longer barrels. The break open design saves between 3.5 and 6 inches in overall length, but in most cases pays for this by having two barrels...which adds weight at the muzzle. Barrels for shotguns have been getting longer as modern steels and production methods make the barrels stronger and lighter as a longer, lighter barrel gives the same inertia for less overall weight.
Shotguns for use against larger, slower targets generally have even shorter barrels. Small game shotguns, for hunting game like rabbits and squirrels, or shotguns for use with buckshot for deer, are often 22 to 24 inches in length.
Shotguns intended for all-round hunting are a compromise...but a 28 inch barrel pump action 12 gauge shotgun with a modified choke can serve as a general all around hunting gun for small game in semi-open wooded or farmland areas where dense brush is less of a hindrance and the ability to have more reach is important. For hunting in dense brush, shorter barrel lengths are often preferred.
