Best choke

[outdoorchick]

Hubby wanted me to ask you fellows what would be the best choke to use on a 12 gauge shotgun with 00 buckshot hunting for white tail deer?

[dinosaur]

Depends on range and the shotgun. The length of the barrel will have something to do with it. The choke will change your pattern to an extent so you need to experiment.

[Lamebeaver]

full

PS. I would put a rifled slug in the chamber and have buckshot in the 2nd or 3rd position in the magazine. Actually, if it were me I woudn't use buckshot at all.

[Grandpa]

Nothing tighter than full. If he has multiple options, I like the improved modified even better than full. Still tight but with less back pressure (recoil) than full. I wouldn't go down to a modified unless background safety is a real concern.

Lamebeavers suggestion of a slug first is very good.

Lamebeaver, some areas require shotguns rather than rifles to keep the shot shorter ranged. Even remote Idaho has a couple of hunting units requiring shotguns, particularly on the Snake River plain where a rifle bullet can travel so far.

[Lamebeaver]

Originally Posted by Grandpa

Nothing tighter than full. If he has multiple options, I like the improved modified even better than full. Still tight but with less back pressure (recoil) than full. I wouldn't go down to a modified unless background safety is a real concern.

Lamebeavers suggestion of a slug first is very good.

Lamebeaver, some areas require shotguns rather than rifles to keep the shot shorter ranged. Even remote Idaho has a couple of hunting units requiring shotguns, particularly on the Snake River plain where a rifle bullet can travel so far.

I grew up in one of those areas (Southern Michigan).

I don't quite get the idea of going to a more open choke to increase background safety. I think scattering shot more actually increases the risk.

My thought in choosing full choke is that you generally can't always anticipate the range you'll be shooting at, and you're shooting at a relatively large target.

[Grandpa]

[QUOTE=Lamebeaver;37944]
I don't quite get the idea of going to a more open choke to increase background safety. I think scattering shot more actually increases the risk.
QUOTE]

Good point

[wvbreamfisherman]

I'd say cylinder, with a slug first if that's legal. Ideally I'd pattern it with the choke options you have before I went hunting. I doubt very much if the degree of choke will effect the pattern of OO Buckshot a whole lot.

[Grandpa]

Originally Posted by wvbreamfisherman

I'd say cylinder, with a slug first if that's legal. Ideally I'd pattern it with the choke options you have before I went hunting. I doubt very much if the degree of choke will effect the pattern of OO Buckshot a whole lot.

This is also a very good point. Pattern the shot with available chokes. I once had a winchoke system. The Full was a perfect pattern but the modified created a donut pattern. The pattern actually had an 8 inch hole in the center at 40 yards #8 shot.

I was dumfounded when I missed some straightaway clays until I patterned it and found the reason.

[wvbreamfisherman]

I have a 16 ga with a poly choke. It's amazing just how a small change can make a big difference in the pattern. A change in shot size can make a big difference too, although I've found that larger shot seems to be less affected, at least in my limited tests.

[outdoorchick]

Thanks for all the answers guys I knew you would be a big help. I'm sending hubby over here to read all this because I have NO clue what you are talking about. This will be my first hunting season.