I recently bought a NEF H&R Pardner pump 12ga shotgun that come with a modified choke. The choke can be changed, and I'm thinking about getting a full choke to try to tighten the shot pattern up a bit. Problem is I don't know much about guns in that way so I'm asking how I can find a compatible choke of decent quality, and if changing the chokes will even be worth while.

B S Jones

You can get tubes from H&R .If I where a betting man ,a Mossberg or Winchester choke tube would fit ,ask H&R or see if a friend has one to compare it to.

For 12 Ga and upland hunting the modified choke is a fine choke and it will do ok with steel shot too. The full choke just isn't necessary.....but some folks insist on them and if you must.....get one.

If your shotgun has a changable choke why don't you just get ahold of the manufacturer and get one from them or order one from the dealer you bought the gun from . I have to agree with vapodog a modified is fine for upland .

Actually I was wanting the full choke more for squirrel and such, not birds.

B S Jones

A full choke for squirrels? I dont know that there would be anything left. The only way you could do that would be to use some target load 8 shot and aim right for the top of its head.

I was thinking that keeping the shot closer together would cause less damage to the meat because less would have been impacted. I told you I don't know anything. Thanks for all the replies.

B S Jones

dear lad, a full choke on a squirrel at close range. Well all you will get out of it is a shock and a hell of a good laugh. Your best bet for that kind of shooting is a light load of larger shot, with an improved, or even cylinder choke. A full chokes pattern will be far too dense, and will probably flatten the critter out before he even leaves the branch he's sitting on. Although, it is funny. We shoot gophers like this, but of course, we don't harvest any of them.