What Choke for Duck hunting???

Very Stupid question here...I've hunted my whole life and still get my chokes confused....

I own a Benelli M1 (incase it matters).

I have 5 chokes with notches in them..

1 notch = full
2 notch = improved cylinder ?
3 = Modified


Can I use the one with two notches for steel shot? Currently I have the 3 notch in.

[Suzuki]

My M2 indicates the 3 notch, 4 notch and 5 notch (Mod,imp, skeet)
can be used with steel. This is an 04 and may differ from yours.

The Benelli chokes have whatever choke they are engraved on the side of them. You remove it, roll it around in the light and you can read it.
They say things like "modified lead/or Full for Steel"..or such.
The notches are fairly universal...with different brands, near as I can tell. Because my Brownings and my Benelli seem to be about the same notch plan. The least notches, the tighter the choke....as I recall.......wish my gun was here at work.....so I wouldn't have to recall stuff... (By Golly.....there's a thought, it may work good...maybe I'd make a forced sale on a boat or two if my guns were here....LOL)
With Steel you want to use a more open choke. Do not use the "Full" choke. Unless it says "Full ...for steel" ...which is not really full, but full enough. But, maybe what you need is a "modified w/ steel"... which may mean Improved cylinder for lead, but modified for steel......hey? Depends on how close the ducks are and what kinda shot you are.....

There ya go....Got it.
Simple, eh?

:)

[Eyez]

Most guns give the best steel shot patterns with an improved cylinder or modified choke. Traditional lead shot choke labeling is what I'm referring to. My 870s shoot the nearly same pattern with mod or imp. cyl, but some other guns are distictly better with one or the other. I had a mossberg 3 1/2" 12 that was tighter with mod by quite a margin than it was with imp cyl. When in doubt shoot mod, but it would be a good idea to pattern your gun and find out for sure.


Dusty

Eyez-
Will you have your cell phone on at the wedding so I can call you tomorrow for advice on what choke to use?

I'm sorry! That was a low blow, but I just couldn't resist. I'm sure it'll be me (again) someday :)

[Eyez]

You guys are gonna reduce me to tears here yet!


On an upside though, I get to go guitar shopping while there, since the selection is somewhat limited in watertown.


So it's not all bad. :)


And I'm taking my shotgun with too, never know what I'll see on the highway on the way home.



Dusty

[Rippin_Eyes]

Modified is what I use in my X2. Take and set up 3 different targets @ 30y rds shoot once at each with each choke in. See what has the best density of pellets in an area the size of a 5 gallon pail. I guess I figure with wings out and head to feet they are a bout the size of a 5 gallon pail is round. Then you know it is your shooting ability that counts rather than a few stray pellets hitting the bird and it laters dies of gang green.