Choke sizes?

[TriggerHappy]

I have a benelli m1, looking to get a choke for pheasant this year, but have no idea of what I need. I will be shooting 4shot..anyone have some advice or can explain?

[JohnTRourke]

almost all upland birds in N America are shot well within 35 yards. (I mean 98% or more)

Ammo today is WAYYYYYYYYYYY better than it was in the 1900's when choke really became prevalent. Plastic wads and shot cups, the shot is way better, etc.

use a cylinder (or skeet) choke, you'll be way happier.

I hunt pheasant and chukar with 1oz 12ga loads with #6 shot and cylinder choke. If I do my part, they fold right up DRT.

Most people way over-choke and use way too big of loads.

[ray1970]

Shotgun patterns vary quite a bit depending on the load, the gun, and the choke used. My recommendation would be to pattern your gun with the load you will be hunting with and see what it looks like. If you don't have the time or place to do that then my general recommendation would be to go with an improved cylinder choke or maybe a light modified. My particular gun does very well with the improved cylinder choke at all distances from way up close to very far away.

[TriggerHappy]

I can do some patterning this week. Should I expect different patterns from steel to lead? Also how should I set up my targets? Distances? Etc? Should my shotgun come with a certain choke?

[JohnTRourke]

steel patterns much much tighter than lead and it typically isn't recommended to shoot in anything tighter than Modified.

35 yards is the typical distance, but you should pattern what distance you shoot at.

[Hoser]

I use Improved Cylinder for most Pheasant and Quail.

For an over and under, IC and Light Mod.

Doves get skeet choke.

[ridgewalker]

I shoot over my GSP dog consequently most shots are pretty close. If you don't have a dog...don't shoot too far away or you will never find the bird.

Shot sizes...I use 1 1/8 oz magnum (hard) #6 shot in my 12 ga for most of the season. In January when they are heavier feathered and tougher to take down the first shot is still #6 and sometimes if they are coming up a little further out I will use #5 or maybe #4 in the second barrel.

The more open your choke, the better it usually patterns. I have a SxS bored IC and M. If I don't drop it with the IC, it is usually about the same size pattern for the second shot further out.

Best of luck.

[CowboyTuff]

On our place in kansas we use IC chokes for the first half of the season until the birds become skitish and begin flying ahead of us, and then we switch to MOD. But I hunt with a dog so I am able to take a little longer shots and still recover the bird. Dogless I would just use an IC