"Choke" refers to a constriction within the barrel that serves to "squeeze" the shot column as it leaves the barrel. This allows you to most closely match the most effective pattern at the range your intended quarry tends most often to be at the time you fire. Some barrels are "fixed", so the choke cannot be changed. Your Benelli has three tubes (Improved Cylinder, Modified, and Full) that can be interchanged, allowing you more versatility.
As has been mentioned, of these - Improved Cylinder is the most open, Full is the tightest, and Modified is somewhere inbetween.
For close flushing, fast, and/or small birds (doves, teal, woodies), Improved Cylinder generally works best.
For longer shots (geese, turkeys), the old school of thought is to use Full. However, given that you must hunt migratory birds (federal reg) with non-toxic shot (i.e. NO LEAD) and that non-toxic shot patterns differently (usually tighter) than does lead shot, where you'd ordinarily think to use Full choke, you'd actually back down to Modified. Turkeys usually need the tightest thing you can find (you might find "Super Full"), since you're probably looking for head shots and since non-toxic shot isn't required.
Most of my bird hunting is Pheasants and Grouse, and I prefer Modified for both.
|
