This section is not about choking a wild turkey or choking on a turkey bone or choking up on a baseball bat or choking-up at that final moment when the gobbler comes into view; but it is related in meaning. The above examples show that ‘choking’ refers to a tightening or an adjustment of constriction. The choke tube is a threaded metal tube that screws into the muzzle end of a shotgun for the purpose of controlling the spread of the pellets upon discharge. COMPETITION SHOOTERS AND HUNTERS seek to control (most often, increase) the number of pellets placed in a 30-inch circle at varying yardage.
MIDWEST Turkey Call Supply offers a large selection of turkey choke tubes from the following manufacturers: KICKS INDUSTRIES, M.A.D. CALL, PRESTON PITTMAN, TRUGLO and HUNTERS SPECIALTIES. Most of these choke tubes are ‘ported’, that is they have holes in the sides, of varying shapes, for the purpose of venting gases to reduce recoil. This often enables faster recovery for a second shot. Porting also reduces wad effect on the pattern.
The CONSTRUCTION of the choke tube is measured in thousandths of an inch. For example a tube may be choked .655 or .665. This indicates an inside measurement between six tenths and seven tenths of an inch. General recommendations for maximum effectiveness are to use the tighter choke (.655 in this case) with size 6 shot and to use the wider choke (.665) with size 5 and 4 shot. Both of these constrictions are tighter than ‘full’ or ‘extra’ choke.
Try several different manufacturers’ shotgun shells when patterning your new choke. They will vary and one may produce better results than another may. MIDWEST Turkey Call Supply also stocks patterning targets, of varying sizes for use in sighting in your shotgun.
The use of FIBER OPTIC SIGHTS is an effective way to fine-tune your shot placement, that is, to shoot where you are aiming. TRUGLO’s new Pro Series MAGNUM GOBBLE DOT for vent ribs allows micro adjustments for both windage (left to right) and elevation (up and down). For example, your new shotgun shoots a solid, dense pattern at 40 yards with one problem – the pattern’s center is a foot high and a foot right on your target paper. To correct this problem move the rear sight in the direction you want the pattern to move. To bring the pattern down, move the rear sight down. To bring the pattern to the left, move the rear sight to the left.
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