Best Choke Tubes for Sporting Clays

Best Choke Tubes for Sporting ClaysSporting clays is a game that over the years has gained a lot of popularity.

Today, it’s an extremely competitive sport much like golf.

And like golf, you need the right equipment to succeed.

With sporting clays, you need the right gun and the gun has to have the right choke tubes if you are to hit your target.

You can’t use a machine gun to shot clays, well, unless you are crazy, the same way you can’t use a bat to play tennis. You need to have the right tool for the job.

People who engage in sporting clays, use shotguns, and these guns come with choke tubes. Some guns come with the tubes already fixed, others don’t and so you have to buy the choke tubes and put them in. So why choke tubes, you ask?

Choke tubes improve accuracy. Some more than others. In this guide, we discuss different types of choke tubes and how they differ. It also reveals our findings, after much research, the best choke tubes for sporting clays.

Now, let’s begin with our top pick.

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[wpsm_highlight color=”blue”]Carlson’s Choke Tubes 29776 Full [/wpsm_highlight]

This choke tube by Carlson’s is a full choke and the reason why we picked it as our topic pick was that it fits several different 12 gauge gun types including the Mossberg 500, Browning Invector, and the Winchester.

This is what makes this product great.

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Carlson's Choke Tubes 29776 Full
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  • Full constriction
  • Stainless steel body
  • Fits Mossberg 500, Weatherby, Savage, Winchester, and Browning Invector 12 gauge choke systems

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We’ve tested 3 choke tubes for sporting clays and the winner is above!
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Choke Tubes for Sporting Clays Comparison Chart

Char

Carlson's Choke Tubes 29776 Full

Remington 19149

Carlson's Choke Tubes 25516 IM

Photo

Carlson's Choke Tubes 29776 Full

Remington 19149

Carlson's Choke Tubes 25516 IM

Constriction

Full

Improved Cylinder,
Modified & Full

Improved Modified

Diameter

.700

.670

.700

Distance

40 or 60 yards

n/a

more than 40 yards

Material

17-4 Heat-Treated Stainless Steel

Steel or Lead

17-4 Heat-Treated Stainless Steel

Finish

Non-Glaze Matte

n/a

Non-Glaze Matte

Weight

1.28 ounces

4 ounces

1.28 ounces

Check Price

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3 Best Choke Tubes for Sporting Clays (as of March, 2024):

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1. Carlson’s Choke Tubes 29776 Full Choke Tube for Sporting Clays Review

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Carlson's Choke Tubes 29776 Full

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  • Full/.700 Constriction
  • 17-4 Heat-Treated Stainless Steel
  • Non-Glaze Matte Finish
  • Choke Wrench Included
  • Lifetime Warranty

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Carlson’s Choke Tubes 29776 Full is a full choke and you can hit a target that is more than 40 yards away with it. It is made of stainless steel and it can fit a Winchester, Browning Invector, Savage, Weatherby and Mossberg 500 12 gauge choke systems.

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Unlike other chokes, a full choke gives you more accuracy. Hitting a target that is 40 yards away is easy.
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This Carlson’s choke has a constriction of 0.007 inches and that is a tight constriction, which means that if your target is 40 or 60 yards away, you are sure to hit it. Not all chokes can give you that much accuracy even at 40 yards.

Carlson's Choke Tubes 29776 Full Review, Pros and Cons

However, this also depends on what shooting at. If you are shooting sporting clays, which typically don’t go beyond 30 yards, a full choke may not be a good option because it has a tight constriction.

That means the pellets are less spread. Now unless you have a good aim, you may not hit your target.

Main Features

  • Full/.700 constriction
  • Made from 17-4 heat-treated stainless steel
  • Non-glaze matte finish
  • Choke wrench included
  • 25% longer parallel section in the choke
  • Fits Browning Invector, Mossberg 29776 500, Winchester, Weatherby and Savage 12 Gauge choke Systems
  • May be used with Lead shot, Steel Shot, Copperplated Shot, Nickel Shot, Hevi-Shotshells, and Buck Shot
  • Lifetime Warranty

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  • It has a tight constriction size of 0.007 inches
  • It is made of stainless steel
  • It can fit Mossberg 500, Weatherby, Savage, Winchester, and Browning Invector 12 gauge choke systems
  • It is compatible with a lead shot, steel shot, buckshot, and Nickel shot

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  • Only fits standard Invector choke systems

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2. Remington 19149 Choke Tube for Sporting Clays Review

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Remington 19149

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  • Predator Extended/Ported Choke Tube
  • Extra full .670 Constriction
  • Lead Shot Only
  • Extended Bundle (Improved Cylinder, Modified, Full)

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The Remington 19149 Rem choke is an extended choke tube that comes with three different tubes. The improved cylinder, modified, and full choke tubes.

Remington 19149 Review, Pros and Cons

This is a great product especially if you are on a budget or if you would like to test the three different chokes without having to buy them individually.

Main Features

  • Extra full .670 constriction
  • Made from Steel or Lead
  • Extended Bundle (Improved Cylinder, Modified, Full)
  • Remchoke interchangeable choke system
  • Predator extended/ported choke tube
  • Remington remchoke Compatible shotguns
  • Fits for Remington 870
  • Lead shot only

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  • Extendable choke
  • Stainless steel body ensures durability
  • The bundles come with improved cylinder, modified, and full choke tubes

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  • Compatible with lead shots only

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3. Carlson’s Choke Tubes 25516 IM Choke Tube for Sporting Clays Review

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Carlson's Choke Tubes 25516 IM

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  • Improved Modified/.700 Constriction
  • 17-4 Heat-Treated Stainless Steel
  • Non-Glaze Matte Finish
  • Choke Wrench Included
  • Lifetime Warranty

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These Carlson’s 25516 IM Beretta/Benelli Mobil choke tubes come in 6 different variations: full, improved cylinder, improved modified, skeet, and extra-full. Each has a different constriction size.

Carlson's Choke Tubes 25516 IM Review, Pros and Cons

The improved modified choke tube, for example, has a constriction of 0.700, which is great if you are shooting a target that is 40 yards away.

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The skeet has 0.720 constriction, which means you could hit targets that are more than 40 yards away because the spread of the pellets is narrower.
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Besides that, this product is made of stainless steel to ensure longevity and durability. It also comes with choke wrench to help you insert and remove the choke.

Main Features

  • Fits beretta/Benelli mobil 12 Gauge choke Systems
  • Improved modified/.700 constriction
  • Made from 17-4 heat-treated stainless steel
  • Non-glaze matte finish
  • Choke wrench included
  • 25% longer parallel section in the choke
  • May be used with Lead, Copperplated, Nickle, Hevi-Shot, Bismuth, Tungsten, or Steel shot
  • Lifetime Warranty

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  • Fits 12 gauge Beretta/Benelli Mobil choke systems
  • Its body is made of stainless steel to ensure durability and strength
  • It has a 0.007 constriction size making it ideal for long-range shooting

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  • Doesn’t fit all types of Benellis

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Buyer’s Guide

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A choke tube is a cylindrical metal tube that adds constriction to a shotgun’s barrel bore close to the muzzle. The bore is slightly bigger than the choke. But when you insert a choke, the bore becomes smaller.
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Chokes control shot patterns. They control how wide or narrow the pellets disperse once a gun is discharged. So when choosing a choke tube, you need to know its shot pattern.

Chokes control shot patterns

For sporting clays, the ideal pattern would be one that is wide but defense enough to hit the intended target.

Once you have figured out what choke tube you want, the next step is to find out which one fits your shotgun. If you have a new gun, check the manual to see what choke tubes to buy.

If you have an old gunshot that has undergone some modifications, check to see what choke tubes are inside. This is important especially if the modifications were done by a gunsmith and not the manufacturer.

If you are not sure what type of chokes they are, a gunsmith may be able to help you.

What to look for when choosing choke tubes for sporting clays

Choke tubes vary and they are designed to fit certain shotguns. So when choosing choke tubes, it is important to check if they can fit your shotgun. Other factors that you need to consider when choosing choke tubes are as follows.

Type of choke tube

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There are four standard types of choke tubes: full choke, modified/half choke, three-quarter choke, and improved cylinder. All these chokes have different constriction sizes.
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When chokes are put in the barrel, they reduce the size of the bore barrel. This keeps the pellets together over a long distance, improving accuracy at long-ranges.

When chokes are put in the barrel, they reduce the size of the bore barrel

The full choke is the tightest, and what this means is that the pellets stay together and don’t spread out as much when they hit the target. The improved cylinder, on the other hand, is less tight than the full choke and the pellets spread a bit wider.

For sporting clays, you don’t need too many pellets to hit the clay. Three pellet are more enough. But if you are turkey hunting, you need twice this number of pellets or more to bring down a turkey.

So to kill a gobbler, you don’t need a full choke, an improved cylinder would do fine. The only time you would want a full choke is if you are trying to hit your target at a long distance. Anywhere between 50 to 100 yards.

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The bottom line is when choosing a choke tube, keep in mind the activity you want to engage in as different chokes have different purposes.
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Constriction Size

Different chokes pattern differently. And what pattern means, in this case, is way the pellets group together at a given distance usually measured in yards.

Different Constriction Size of Choke Tubes for Sporting Clays

For a pattern to be considered efficient, this is measured by the number pellets on the surface of the target at a particular distance.

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If there are more pellets on the surface of the target, this means that the constriction is tight and the shot pattern is considered an efficient pattern.
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This is why chokes are important because by constricting the bore, you can get more out of your shot. The pellets don’t go flying all over instead, they land on the target.

The pattern is measured by the number pellets on the surface of the target at a particular distance

And although not all the pellets hit the target, at least the required number does. But this depends on the type of chokes you are using.

Types of Choke Tubes

If you have never bought choke tubes before, it can be tricky trying to figure out which ones to buy. Getting to know the different types and their upsides can help you make a more informed decision. That way, you won’t waste your money.

So here are some common choke tubes you should know about.

Improved Cylinder Choke

As a new gun owner, deciding whether to get a regular cylinder or an improved cylinder choke for your rifle can be confusing. But deciding which one to buy depends on whether you are looking for a choke with constriction or one without.

Improved Cylinder Choke for Sporting Clays

A regular cylinder has no constriction. The shots disperse in all directions because the pellets are not constricted. But if you are looking for a choke with some constriction, then the improved cylinder choke would be the ideal option.

The improved cylinder choke has a constriction of 0.010 inches, while a regular cylinder has 0. The difference may be marginal, but it makes a huge difference when it comes to how your shots disperse.

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What an improved cylinder does that a regular cylinder doesn’t is that it disperses half its total pellets on a target that is 40 yards away. The other half of the pellets get dispersed beyond the target.
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Since half the pellets land on the target, which is only a few yards away, it is hard to miss. And this is what you can achieve with an improved cylinder.

So if you are shooting at a short-range, and you want to destroy your target, then an improved cylinder would be the ideal choice.

The Half Choked/ Modified Choke

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The modified choke has a little bit more constriction than the improved cylinder. While the improved cylinder boasts of constriction of 0.01 inches, the modified choke has a constriction of 0.02 inches.
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If you are new to choke tubes, these numbers may not make sense. But what you need to know is that with a modified choke, your chances of hitting your target are higher than with an improved cylinder at distances longer than 30 yards.

An improved cylinder disperses half of its pellets on the target, the modified choke disperses more than half. Meaning that if your target is about 40 yards away, there is no way you can miss it.

Modified Choke for Sporting Clays

This also means that you can shot a target that is more than 40 yards away and not miss. But with an improved cylinder, hitting and not missing a target that is more than 40 yards might be less likely.

The Full Choke

The full choke is the master of all choke tubes. If you want a choke that can give you 100% accurate shooting, then get a full choke. Unlike the modified choke, the full choke has more constriction, 0.03 inches to be exact.

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When you shoot, the pellets remain tight together when they are expelled from the gun barrel, and don’t disperse as widely as with the modified or improved cylinder chokes.
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The tight constriction enables the pellets to stay tight together even at distances longer than 40 yards. Furthermore, a full choke disperses more pellets than a modified and improved cylinder choke.

Full Choke for Sporting Clays

So with a full choke, you can obliterate your target at 40 yards. Other chokes that have tighter constrictions than the full choke such as the turkey chokes and the extra full chokes.

These types of chokes are ideal for hunting large wildlife or shooting targets at long-ranges.

Verdict

When choosing choke tubes, it’s all about the constriction size. Tubes with more constriction improve your accuracy especially if you need to hit a target that is more than 40 yards away.

For sporting clays, the constriction should be tight but not too tight. A full choke tube that has a tight constriction may seem like the ideal choice, but if your aim is bad, you are more than likely to miss your target.

An improved cylinder, on the other hand, has a less constriction than a full choke. And this, according to many guns experts is the best choice for sporting clays.

Best Choke Tubes for Sporting Clays

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