Choke to use for home defense loads?

customf1 · September 17, 2012, 10:54 PM

Does this sound right, I'm thinking of using Federal Premium® FLITECONTROL® #1 buckshot for HD however I'm not sure what choke to use, maybe full choke? Any comments are appreciated. Thanks

olddrum1 · September 17, 2012, 11:04 PM

At living room distances it probably does not mean one whits difference in choke types.

Deja vu · September 17, 2012, 11:11 PM

I use a cylinder choke. At home defense ranges it makes very little difference.

Goatwhiskers · September 18, 2012, 08:42 AM

At room distances the wad will not have separated and you hit the BG with the whole thing. Amount of choke is irrelevant. GW

Lee Lapin · September 18, 2012, 10:47 AM

FliteControl tends not to like chokes tighter than ImpCyl...

BigJimP · September 18, 2012, 11:35 AM

I would either shoot Cyclinder or Improved Cyclinder ...nothing tighter than that....so it does matter !

markj · September 18, 2012, 03:56 PM

Take several sheets out of the closet, put them over a cloths line, step back the amount you feel a bad guy would be at, shoot the sheet, use a different choke on each sheet, compare sheets, look for pellets in the area does the most damage, use that one.

BigJimP · September 18, 2012, 08:40 PM

Or you could use "butcher paper" ...or plain old white wrapping paper...or brown paper bags...or whatever..../ a heck of a lot cheaper than bed sheets...

staple them to a wood rack ...on a range....

olddrum1 · September 18, 2012, 11:06 PM

I would either shoot Cyclinder or Improved Cyclinder ...nothing tighter than that....so it does matter !

Might I ask why?

olddrum1 · September 18, 2012, 11:09 PM

Take several sheets out of the closet, put them over a cloths line, step back the amount you feel a bad guy would be at, shoot the sheet, use a different choke on each sheet, compare sheets, look for pellets in the area does the most damage, use that one.

I am curious as to how many holes in the sheet you get using buckshot?

shortwave · September 19, 2012, 12:37 AM

Quote:

I would either shoot Cyclinder or Improved Cyclinder ...nothing tighter than that....so it does matter !

Quote:

Might I ask why?

short answer:

using tight chokes will strip the flight control wad from the shot defeating wads purpose creating erratic patterns.

markj · September 20, 2012, 04:46 PM

Quote:

a heck of a lot cheaper than bed sheets

But the wife wont be mad at ya when you get home.....

Quote:

I am curious as to how many holes in the sheet you get using buckshot?

Depends on how many slugs is in the shot, main thing is how the pattern looks on the sheet or paper or whatever you use. If the pattern is all wide you may not get the best tresults, if pattern is tight then you will do some damage if on target.

Dont go use a barn as some idiot did on our place when I was a kid. nor a farm equipment just sitting there. Nor a street sign as most city folk shoot up out here where some of us live full time.

Pistolgripshotty · September 20, 2012, 05:34 PM

Cylinder is best.

g2gunny · September 20, 2012, 09:40 PM

Really it doesnt make a damn bit of difference. Once you load that thing and they hear the "CLICK CLICK" they will either run or have a heart attack and die...kidding, but seriously. Point and shoot, if you hit them with a 12 ga its game over...period.

FloridaVeteran · September 20, 2012, 11:24 PM

IC/skeet.

TheKlawMan · September 20, 2012, 11:25 PM

Gunny, Some choose HD choke/ammo not so much as to put the target down, but to limit collateral damage from shots wide of the target.

Dave McC · September 21, 2012, 01:57 PM

At typical HD ranges, choke choice is moot. The difference in patterns between Cyl and Full is maybe an inch. However....

Atypical shots arise in the home, AND every HD shotgun may have to double as a CD shotgun.

CD? Community Defense. Think of those ad hoc militias after Katrina turning their hoods into safe zones where looting, violence and rapine were minimal compared to other areas.

So, take that into consideration when picking a choke.

Something that will keep all the pattern within 12-15" at 25 yards is,IMO, close to ideal.

TheKlawMan · September 21, 2012, 04:52 PM

You specifically asked about a choke for Federal PREMIUM Flite Contol #1 Buck. I have both something similar (Federal Premium Personal Defense with Flight Control 00 buck) and some Remington Ultra Home Defense with heavy dense BB's that I bought for HD. I never thought of Civil Defense as raised by Dave, but should such an occassion arise I would probably be using a short barrel 870 with a fixed open cylinder (no choke) and suspect it will be nice and tight at the 25 yards posited by Dave. I think he may ahve posted someting about how it patterns at that distance, but do not recall. Still, I have seen at least one post where someone claimed a 6" pattern at 15-20 yards with iFlight Control and an open cylinder short barrel 870.

I would just run a very open choke if you have screw-ins and if you may be using some slugs you may want to go with an IC. The proof of the pudding is the individual gun and how it patterns for you.

September 17, 2012, 11:11 PM	#3
Deja vu Senior Member Join Date: March 14, 2010 Location: Border of Idaho & Montana Posts: 2,584	I use a cylinder choke. At home defense ranges it makes very little difference. __________________ Shot placement is everything! I would rather take a round of 50BMG to the foot than a 22short to the base of the skull. all 26 of my guns are 45/70 govt, 357 mag, 22 or 12 ga... I believe in keeping it simple. Wish my wife did as well...

September 18, 2012, 10:47 AM	#5
Lee Lapin Senior Member Join Date: September 7, 2004 Location: SE NC Posts: 1,239	FliteControl tends not to like chokes tighter than ImpCyl... __________________ Mindset - Skillset - Toolset. In that order! Attitude and skill will get you through times of no gear, better than gear will get you through times of no attitude and no skill.

September 20, 2012, 05:34 PM	#13
Pistolgripshotty Senior Member Join Date: September 19, 2012 Location: Somewhere out there Posts: 184	Cylinder is best. __________________ *12 Gauge Fury!*

September 20, 2012, 09:40 PM	#14
g2gunny Junior Member Join Date: September 17, 2012 Posts: 12	Whatever doesnt matter Really it doesnt make a damn bit of difference. Once you load that thing and they hear the "CLICK CLICK" they will either run or have a heart attack and die...kidding, but seriously. Point and shoot, if you hit them with a 12 ga its game over...period.

September 17, 2012, 10:54 PM	#1
customf1 Member Join Date: July 24, 2012 Posts: 19	Choke to use for home defense loads? Does this sound right, I'm thinking of using Federal Premium® FLITECONTROL® #1 buckshot for HD however I'm not sure what choke to use, maybe full choke? Any comments are appreciated. Thanks

September 17, 2012, 11:04 PM	#2
olddrum1 Senior Member Join Date: March 23, 2008 Location: Mid Missouri Posts: 807	At living room distances it probably does not mean one whits difference in choke types.

September 18, 2012, 08:42 AM	#4
Goatwhiskers Senior Member Join Date: April 8, 2009 Location: Batchelor, La. Posts: 579	At room distances the wad will not have separated and you hit the BG with the whole thing. Amount of choke is irrelevant. GW

September 18, 2012, 11:35 AM	#6
BigJimP Senior Member Join Date: February 23, 2005 Posts: 13,195	I would either shoot Cyclinder or Improved Cyclinder ...nothing tighter than that....so it does matter !

September 18, 2012, 03:56 PM	#7
markj Senior Member Join Date: October 27, 2005 Location: Crescent Iowa Posts: 2,971	Take several sheets out of the closet, put them over a cloths line, step back the amount you feel a bad guy would be at, shoot the sheet, use a different choke on each sheet, compare sheets, look for pellets in the area does the most damage, use that one.

September 18, 2012, 08:40 PM	#8
BigJimP Senior Member Join Date: February 23, 2005 Posts: 13,195	Or you could use "butcher paper" ...or plain old white wrapping paper...or brown paper bags...or whatever..../ a heck of a lot cheaper than bed sheets... staple them to a wood rack ...on a range....

September 18, 2012, 11:06 PM	#9
olddrum1 Senior Member Join Date: March 23, 2008 Location: Mid Missouri Posts: 807	I would either shoot Cyclinder or Improved Cyclinder ...nothing tighter than that....so it does matter ! Might I ask why?

September 18, 2012, 11:09 PM	#10
olddrum1 Senior Member Join Date: March 23, 2008 Location: Mid Missouri Posts: 807	Take several sheets out of the closet, put them over a cloths line, step back the amount you feel a bad guy would be at, shoot the sheet, use a different choke on each sheet, compare sheets, look for pellets in the area does the most damage, use that one. I am curious as to how many holes in the sheet you get using buckshot?

September 20, 2012, 11:24 PM	#15
FloridaVeteran Senior Member Join Date: July 26, 2012 Location: Central Florida Posts: 399	IC/skeet.

September 20, 2012, 11:25 PM	#16
TheKlawMan Junior member Join Date: June 23, 2009 Location: Orange County, CA Posts: 2,149	Gunny, Some choose HD choke/ammo not so much as to put the target down, but to limit collateral damage from shots wide of the target.

September 21, 2012, 01:57 PM	#17
Dave McC Staff In Memoriam Join Date: October 13, 1999 Location: Columbia, Md, USA Posts: 8,811	At typical HD ranges, choke choice is moot. The difference in patterns between Cyl and Full is maybe an inch. However.... Atypical shots arise in the home, AND every HD shotgun may have to double as a CD shotgun. CD? Community Defense. Think of those ad hoc militias after Katrina turning their hoods into safe zones where looting, violence and rapine were minimal compared to other areas. So, take that into consideration when picking a choke. Something that will keep all the pattern within 12-15" at 25 yards is,IMO, close to ideal.

September 21, 2012, 04:52 PM	#18
TheKlawMan Junior member Join Date: June 23, 2009 Location: Orange County, CA Posts: 2,149	You specifically asked about a choke for Federal PREMIUM Flite Contol #1 Buck. I have both something similar (Federal Premium Personal Defense with Flight Control 00 buck) and some Remington Ultra Home Defense with heavy dense BB's that I bought for HD. I never thought of Civil Defense as raised by Dave, but should such an occassion arise I would probably be using a short barrel 870 with a fixed open cylinder (no choke) and suspect it will be nice and tight at the 25 yards posited by Dave. I think he may ahve posted someting about how it patterns at that distance, but do not recall. Still, I have seen at least one post where someone claimed a 6" pattern at 15-20 yards with iFlight Control and an open cylinder short barrel 870. I would just run a very open choke if you have screw-ins and if you may be using some slugs you may want to go with an IC. The proof of the pudding is the individual gun and how it patterns for you.