What is the best choke for Buckshot?
Using OO and number 4 buck which choke is the best for home defense ranges? I have read that a full choke will cause pellet deformity in buckshot. Don't know if that is true but would seem to indicate perhaps a more open choke would be better. If so, what is best in both 12 gauge and 20 gauge?
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At close range, <10 yards no choke is required.
In fact at normal home defense ranges the shot doesn't spread enough. Most folks don't realize this and have the idea that the can just point the shotgun in the general direction and pull the trigger. Doesn't work that way, at close ranges you have to aim at a specific point just like if you were firing a pistol.0 -
The tightest choke for using buckshot is about mod. At distances for home defense, cylinder bore is best. Buckshot patterns open up about an inch per yard, and I doubt you would be shooting at anything over 10 to 15 yards. 0 -
At close range, I don't think that pellet deformity will matter. And like Rufe says, at close range, a shotgun has to be aimed.
I tend to favor large shot in a 12-ga defense load (000 Buck, or even the .65 caliber two-ball loads).
But even the .410 has been transformed for defensive applications. Not necessarily with the domestic 'Judge' loads, but with the Centurion high-velocity .40 caliber 4-ball loads. These are 95-grain roundballs, at 1200fps. Kind of like a short burst from a 9 Makarov Bizon.0 -
As Barzilla mentioned, all of the military Riot and Trench Guns were made specifically for 00 Buckshot and with a CYL bore (no choke). 0 -
A series of tests by the old Police Marksman magazine gave the best overall results with Improved Modified.
When I heard that a store near here had some 20" riot guns with full chokes, I hurried over, but nothing was left but cylinder bores. No sale.0 -
Vang-Comp Systems. 0 -
The best answer is test your ammo in your gun at your range of choice. I have loaded and shot 1000's of round of OO in a 12 ga 2 3/4" with 12 pellets. I still shoot that load, but most of the time I carry #4 Buck with 41 pellets in a 3". My favorite choke is skeet #2 in my 20" tubes. I have ran from cylinder bore to extra full in 18 to 32 inch tubes. I also like the 540gr Lyman cast sabot slug cast medium hard like my 00. Buffered buckshot shoots tighter groups as does harder balls.
In a 410 I loaded 5 .383 hard cast balls in 3" Aluminum shells with a card top wad, slight roll crimp and water glass. The balls would drop through the full choke barrel and printed interlocking holes (like the olympic symbol, random orientation) at 40 yards. You can almost do it with a 45/70, 3 or 4 larger balls.
Can't offer any help with a 20. +1 Ruff-snow0 -
You ask about 'home defense' use, which I'm taking refers to indoor distances. If that's the case, don't sweat your barrel's choke.
Primarily due to those pellets being contained within a shot cup which doesn't shed until well after leaving the bore, buckshot patterns essentially the same out to about 10 yds. regardless of choke or barrel length.
Despite how Hollywood portrays things, even a 12 in. Cylinder bored shotgun's pattern differs little from a 20 in. Improved Cylinder pattern at across the room/down the hallway distances.
What I relate was the result of empirical testing I conducted years ago while assigned to evaluate shotgun barrel length/buckshot size combinations for SWAT entry team use.0 -
What TXs said.
Chokes are a lot more important when shooting birds and clays.
For "home defense" it makes not a whit of difference which (if any) choke you use, because at typical home defense distances of under 15 yards, the pellets aren't going to spread out enough to where you'll see ANY significant difference in patterning with full choke vs cylinder (no choke). Its simply not a factor AT ALL.
With buckshot, BRAND/TYPE of shot has much more of an effect on the pattern than degree of choke.
Now, if you think you may need to hit with buckshot out past 20 yards, then choke is going to come into play, but at that point, its going to be pretty hard to claim "self defense"!
See here for empirical testing of same:
http://www.theboxotruth.com/docs/bot44.htm0 -
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