Choke Tubes

[Dan Sierpina]

Briley's distance chart is for "normal" shotgun useage, I'm sure. It might be applicable for stationary clays, but, the pattern will be too large to take down steel at distance. Never mind a Texas Star.

[Graham Smith]

Briley's distance chart is for "normal" shotgun useage, I'm sure. It might be applicable for stationary clays, but, the pattern will be too large to take down steel at distance. Never mind a Texas Star.

Then perhaps the collected minds here can create some kind of 3-gun chart that gives suggestions of what choke for shooting what at what distance.

[Dan Sierpina]

Then perhaps the collected minds here can create some kind of 3-gun chart that gives suggestions of what choke for shooting what at what distance.

Much easier said than done. The general consensus of IC or LM for all shooting is pretty close. I have found that MGM stars are more difficult to take the plates off with 7 1/2 shot than the original style. The crappy part is, if the stage has a star, then a bunch of clays or poppers, I'd want a more open choke than what's optimal for the star. So, you use a different ammo, say 6's if they are allowed at the match.

Don't forget, sometimes less than optimal shooting postitions can influence choke selection.

I carry a pretty full set of tubes with me to matches. The only choke that's missing is Improved Modified.

[Charles Bond]

Briley's distance chart is for "normal" shotgun useage, I'm sure. It might be applicable for stationary clays, but, the pattern will be too large to take down steel at distance. Never mind a Texas Star.

Then perhaps the collected minds here can create some kind of 3-gun chart that gives suggestions of what choke for shooting what at what distance.

What ever happened to just going to the range and experimenting?

Effectiveness of chokes are going to vary with distance, type of target and load. Some will shoot slugs better than others and if you change your choke during a match your slug zero will change especially at the longer distances we saw at the Pan American.

Some folks compromise and use light modified for everything and others will use a more open choke and just use a larger shot size for distant or heavier steel. Of course you can go with the more restricive chokes and compensate by using spreader loads for closer in stuff.

[Graham Smith]

What ever happened to just going to the range and experimenting?

Nothing. But it's nice to have a good idea of where to begin - just like with reloading.

Unfortunately, I don't have access to steel targets so there is no way to experiment with them. And I don't want to go out and buy $200 worth of chokes if I'm only going to want one or two. I'd like to start with the one or two that would seem to be the best choice and work from there as best as I could.

Shotgun would seem like it should be the simplest of the three guns to plan for but it's quickly turning out to be the most complicated. In all honesty, there seems to be so much variability in target types and ranges that you end up looking at a choice of 6 different shotgun shells and 6 different chokes. That's rather intimidating for a novice. It's not like shooting Production where you can bring just about any gun and any holster and any factory ammo and shoot OK.

I'm guessing from everything that I have read so far that a novice should be able to show up to a match with an IC and a Modified (which I have) or a LM and IM (which I don't) and be able to cover most things adequately.

Edited September 28, 2010 by Graham Smith

[Charles Bond]

You can go a scrape pile and find a heavy piece of steel to knock over for practice. If you lack anything to use for a reference, practice with a modified choke. Your pattern will be tighter and I have yet to see anything not go down with a decent hit using this choke and a moderate load. If you are going to buy one extra, buy the LM.

[Graham Smith]

You can go a scrape pile and find a heavy piece of steel to knock over for practice. If you lack anything to use for a reference, practice with a modified choke. Your pattern will be tighter and I have yet to see anything not go down with a decent hit using this choke and a moderate load. If you are going to buy one extra, buy the LM.

Thanks. At this point, no range I shoot at will allow steel targets for anything other than the monthly USPSA pistol match. I've already tested some patterns using a Cyl, IC, and Mod chokes. The LM would seem to be a good "one choke" compromise.

[Sean Gaines]

I predominantly run an IC, but I do keep a cyclinder, Mod, IM, and Full in the bag.

The general consensus seems to be IC or LM with some others in the bag just in case. In trying to understand why someone would choose one over the other, I did some research and here is a chart I found that shows the constriction in inches:

.000 Cylinder

.005 Skeet

.010 Improved Cylinder

.015 Light Modified

.020 Modified

.025 Improved Modified

.030 Light Full

.035 Full

.045 Extra Full

.050 Super Full

From the Briley website, this chart shows the distance you would need to be at to obtain an efficient pattern. It doesn't mention the load used.

<20 Cylinder

22.5 Skeet

25 Improved Cylinder

30 Light Modified

32.5 Modified

35 Improved Modified

37.5 Light Full

40+ Full and Extra Full

On the assumption that you would want to choose the choke that would give you the best pattern for what you are shooting at, I'm going to assume that the predominance of IC and LM indicates that most shots are going to be in the 25 - 30 yd range. I'm going to assume that if there are a certain percentage of shots under 25yds, one would lean toward the IC and if there were a certain percentage of shots over 30yds, one would lean toward the LM.

All this is by way of saying, the choice of choke really depends on the courses a person normally encounters and just how tight that person likes to group their shot. I rather expect that for a novice like me, having an IC and a Modified would pretty much handle anything we were likely to encounter.

Disclaimer: At this point, I've got a lot to learn and am trying very hard to sort through the advice intended for medium to advanced shooters and that intended for novices. Novices often need fewer choices.

For those who understand this, please feel free to tell me everything I've gotten wrong here.

you are on the right track these charts will give you a good refference for killing birds and clays, but the effectivness of knocking a steel down at distance is something you are going to have go out and check for yourself.

[Stlhead]

The problem with the Briley distance chart is that an "efficient" pattern for one purpose may not be an "Effective" pattern for another purpose. It takes a lot more pellets to knock over a plate from a beat up old rack than it does to break a clay at the same distance. I also use a light modified all the time with 7.5 shot. But I suck, so I would listen to Mr Pinto, cause he don't suck.

Beat me to it....

Edited September 28, 2010 by Stlhead

[gerritm]

Not to throw another choke in the mix, but Sean recommended a Briley Diffusion choke for my SX3. It does not shoot slugs because of the rifling, but does work well for everything else. I use it when there are no slugs, works for me, knocks down steel effectively and is good on clays at all standard distances.

[SMSI]

I was on the LM for almost everything except Knob Creek (close no-shoots) until I put in a Skeet and then forgot it was in. I noticed I was knocking down steel and plates off the Texas star at our local matches (all w/in 20 yds). So I have left the skeet in. I may try a diffusion when I get my new Benelli. I like the part about not having to aim much.

[Charles Bond]

Not to throw another choke in the mix, but Sean recommended a Briley Diffusion choke for my SX3. It does not shoot slugs because of the rifling, but does work well for everything else. I use it when there are no slugs, works for me, knocks down steel effectively and is good on clays at all standard distances.

You really do not want to hear how many times I have seen an edge on bird fly through a pattern with that choke even at 10 yards. Go out and check it on a pattern board and you will see what I mean.

[mpeltier]

I use a LM for probably 90% of the shotgun stages I shoot. I also have in my range bag a SKEET and a FULL. I use the Skeet if a stage has a high number of flying/moving clays (a certain stage at RM3G 09 comes to mind). I can remember once using the Full on a stage with abnormally long shots on steel, I was very happy that day to have a full choke, as everyone was having trouble that did not. I do not mix ammo/shot sizes on a stage, the only exception bieng slugs and shot on the same stage.

[SMSI]

This is a little off the theme, but say you are new to Benelli and want to add 2 or 3 extended chokes to ones that come with an M2. There seem to be 3 different variations of Brileys. Which is best for our game? Also what about other brands? Will Beretta chokes fit Benellis? M2 Benellis? I am confused as to what fits and the differences.

[Sean Gaines]

This is a little off the theme, but say you are new to Benelli and want to add 2 or 3 extended chokes to ones that come with an M2. There seem to be 3 different variations of Brileys. Which is best for our game? Also what about other brands? Will Beretta chokes fit Benellis? M2 Benellis? I am confused as to what fits and the differences.

you need crio plus chokes, you can choose extended or flush, stainless or black oxide, spectrum (which is just a colored band attached to the end of the choke, for identification), constriction, and ported or non ported. those are pretty much your options. If you have any questions feel free to call.

Edited September 30, 2010 by Sean Gaines

[mpeltier]

This is a little off the theme, but say you are new to Benelli and want to add 2 or 3 extended chokes to ones that come with an M2. There seem to be 3 different variations of Brileys. Which is best for our game? Also what about other brands? Will Beretta chokes fit Benellis? M2 Benellis? I am confused as to what fits and the differences.

My LM and Skeet chokes are the extended type and are made by Carlson. Brownells carries them. They are called crio-plus for the benelli M2. Make sure you get the plain ones and not the ported, unless you want to shoot open.

There are alot of differing chokes out there. There is virtually no standardization between manufacturers (and even within manufacturers such as benelli). Make sure that whatever you order specifies the crio-plus for M2, as I believe the M1 chokes are differant.

My full is the benelli model that came with the gun.

Edited September 30, 2010 by mpeltier

[SMSI]

This is confusing to me. Is "Crio Plus" Briley or Carlson or both? Do any other chokes fit Benelli M2?

[Sean Gaines]

This is confusing to me. Is "Crio Plus" Briley or Carlson or both? Do any other chokes fit Benelli M2?

if your shotgun has a choke in it, if you take it out, chances are it will say crio plus on the side of choke. Now Briley and Carlson manufacture chokes. Can the chokes be different? the answer is yes, but if your barrel has not been cut/shortend, then chances are it will still be a crio plus.

as far as the 2 manufactures of the chokes, Briley makes the chokes for Benelli and does all the shotgun enhancements for Benelli's Performance Shop.

hope that helps answer your question....

[mpeltier]

This is confusing to me. Is "Crio Plus" Briley or Carlson or both? Do any other chokes fit Benelli M2?

Niether technically speaking, it is Benelli M2 (maybee other benelli models as well) Just like Remchoke is Remingtons, Win-choke (Invictor plus, Browning) is winchester, Some Benelli and Beretta are the same, and differant from the rest. Briley and Carlson have their own prprietary tubes as well, but they also make many tubes in the forementioned configurations as well. You must know what your shotgun is threaded for before you order. It is confusing.

Your M2 (if it has factory tubes) uses Benelli "Crio Plus" choke tubes. Both Briley and Carlson make tubes for the Benelli "Crio plus" choke pattern.

If you have a Brownells catalog, spend some time reading the chokes selection and some of this may become clearer. If you do not have one....GET ONE.

Edited October 1, 2010 by mpeltier

[Charles Bond]

If you have a Brownells catalog, spend some time reading the chokes selection and some of this may become clearer. If you do not have one....GET ONE.

And it can cause a huge headache. It is really easy to buy the wrong chokes for a Benelli especially an M-2. My advice is to decide which brand you want and call them directly. Tell them exactly what shotgun you have and what you want to buy. The $5 or $10 extra you spend doing it this way will insure that you do not have the headache of sending back something that does not work.

Briley has a very helpful staff and so does Carlsson. If you see a large price difference ordering direct, they can at least give you the item number and you will be able to order with more confidence from any website.

[SMSI]

Thnaks Guys. I am definitely ignorant when it comes to Benellis, but that is changing. My confusion began when I looked in the Brownells catalogue. It worsened when I went to the Brileys web site, and remained after I looked at some vendor's sites.:

To recap: Crio Plus is a Benelli choke pattern for the M2, not a brand name of any choke manufacturer. Briley and Carlson make Crio Plus chokes. Maybe other manufacturers do too. If you have a stock Benelli M2, you need Crio Plus. Beware if the choke is for a "Benelli" without any further explanation, since different Benellis require different type chokes.

Please correct me if i am wrong.

[dchang0]

Thnaks Guys. I am definitely ignorant when it comes to Benellis, but that is changing. My confusion began when I looked in the Brownells catalogue. It worsened when I went to the Brileys web site, and remained after I looked at some vendor's sites.:

To recap: Crio Plus is a Benelli choke pattern for the M2, not a brand name of any choke manufacturer. Briley and Carlson make Crio Plus chokes. Maybe other manufacturers do too. If you have a stock Benelli M2, you need Crio Plus. Beware if the choke is for a "Benelli" without any further explanation, since different Benellis require different type chokes.

Please correct me if i am wrong.

See the end of this page for a great way to tell which type of choke your Benelli needs:

http://www.choketube.com/patterning.html

[Sean Gaines]

Thnaks Guys. I am definitely ignorant when it comes to Benellis, but that is changing. My confusion began when I looked in the Brownells catalogue. It worsened when I went to the Brileys web site, and remained after I looked at some vendor's sites.:

To recap: Crio Plus is a Benelli choke pattern for the M2, not a brand name of any choke manufacturer. Briley and Carlson make Crio Plus chokes. Maybe other manufacturers do too. If you have a stock Benelli M2, you need Crio Plus. Beware if the choke is for a "Benelli" without any further explanation, since different Benellis require different type chokes.

Please correct me if i am wrong.

thats correct!

95% of the time if you have an M2 its probably going to be a "Crio Plus"

-Some of the very first M2's used "Benelli Mobile"

M1's- Typically "Benelli/Beretta Mobile" Same choke!

now there is options that you can get for that specific choke type:

extended/Knarled- choke is extended past the end of the barrel. choke is knarled so that it maybe removed with your hands (note: you can hand tighten these chokes, but always put a wrench on it after you hand tighten)

constriction- As it states, lets you know what constriction the choke is. Think of constriction like golf, you wouldn't use a putter to drive the golf ball 400yrds, so the choke constriction is determined by the scenario.

Spectrum- Is a colored band at the end of the choke to help identify what constriction the choke is by the color band.

Finish- Either stainless steel finish, or stainless steel Black oxide finish

Ported-An extended choke with port holes on the end, for less flip,and managed recoil. think compensator

Guage- 12g,28g,20g,16g,10g,410g

Best way to determine what "type" of choke it is, is to measure the choke, of if you take the existing choke out of the gun it should say what type of choke it is on the side of the choke,or if you have some spares that came with the gun look on the side of the choke. this will ensure that you get the right type of choke.

Hope this helps

-Sean

[EkuJustice]

Pretty much use a modified here all the time. Was hitting the steel down with 1oz loads of 8shot. If it was excessive distance I would up it to 1 1/8.