Choosing the Proper Choke
As with firing a rifle, good shotgun marksmanship begins with proper preparation, which includes adjusting your gun and ammunition for maximum performance and mastering shotgun techniques. You also must choose the proper choke.
- A choke allows you to fine-tune your shotgun for the type of game you’re hunting. Built-in or attached to the muzzle end of the barrel, the choke is a constriction that controls the shot string, thus affecting pellet density at various distances.
- The tighter the constriction, the greater the distance that the cluster of pellets stays together. The looser the constriction, the faster the shot pattern spreads.
- Here are the four most common chokes, ranging from most open to tightest.
- Cylinder (unchoked)
- Improved Cylinder
- Modified
- Full
![Example of cylinder choke on a shotgun](https://ke-courses-production.s3.amazonaws.com/asset_files/production/698/attachments/original/choke-cylinder.jpg?1562013951)
Cylinder Choke
![Example of improved cylinder choke on a shotgun](https://ke-courses-production.s3.amazonaws.com/asset_files/production/699/attachments/original/choke-improved-cylinder.jpg?1562013497)
Improved Cylinder Choke
![Example of modified choke on a shotgun](https://ke-courses-production.s3.amazonaws.com/asset_files/production/700/attachments/original/choke-modified.jpg?1562012234)
Modified Choke
![Full choke](https://ke-courses-production.s3.amazonaws.com/asset_files/production/701/attachments/original/choke-full.jpg?1562013832)
Full Choke