Ive owned several short shotguns with choke tubes, including my current Benelli Tactical.

It varies so much from gun to gun it's hard to say without testing specific loads in each gun.

That said, I stick with Improved Cylinder, sinces its the tightest you want to go and still be able to shoot slugs.

Remington told us at their armorer school that you could shoot slugs through a barrel with a modified choke but no tighter than modified.  I have a modified tube in my 870 and it shoots both buckshot and slugs well.

What is the primary use of shotgun in question?  Up to about 10 feet from the muzzle that whole column is travelling as a "solid"...maybe 5 feet, but you get the idea...

How far did you pattern at?

I'd say mod is the tightest you can safely go...

My 870 with a Mod choke at 19 yds will hold a OO pattern in the head of a B-27 target.

Any tighter than a Mod choke, you are probably going to deform the buckshot and get some major fliers.

Also, if you shoot slugs or plated buckshot through anything tighter than a Mod choke, you run the risk of damaging the choke and/or the barrel. Especially if you have screw in chokes.

Thanks,
Lee

Every gun is different, but my next barrel will use choke tubes so I can try a Pattern Master choke tube for buckshot.  www.cabelas.com/information/Hunting--Optics/Pattern-Master-Choke-Tubes.html

I have used their tubes for the past 2-3 years on 2 of my guns (hunting and clays).  They turn what is normal, good solid hits on clay birds in to dust.  Regardless of what choke you are using, the tubes are designed to slow the wad down enough to get good seperation from the wad and the shot column.  This creates less "fliers" giving you a denser pattern, which of course is ideal for buckshot applications too.  They now have a buckshot tube.  These are the best tubes I have ever owned and I plan to get the buckshot tube just to have it around.

Remington puts a cylinder bore on their 18 and 20 inch riot barrels and a imp. cylinder on their unrifled slug barrels. However the 14 inch barrels have a modified choke barrel.
At work we have 15 870s w/ 18 and 20 inch barrels... all shoot the pretty much same with a variety of std. 00 buck at 15 yards/50 feet. If you start shooting them at 25 yards/75 feet some make nice patterns, some don't.

The 14 inchers are best at 50 feet.

That being said it's wise to test pattern your gun with different brands at different ranges. Then stick with one or two types of ammo for serious social work.... especially with slugs


BTY has anyone noticed 870s don't seem to shoot too good with Remington Sluggers? Maybe it's just me...

Last year I went to South Carolina deer hunting. I wanted to bring a shotgun with buckshot as well as my rifle to use because buckshot is legal there. One summer night I went to the range with four different shotguns and dozens of boxes of buck shot in 2 3/4", 3", Remington, Winchester, some Federal, 12 gauge in sizes 000,00,0,#1,#4 and 20 gauge in #3. What I found out was #1- shooting buck shot with only a tee shirt on really hurts, #2- every gun with every choke and buckshot size shot different. The bigger shot did like a more open choke and the #4's could be shot thru tight chokes. It is trial and error. You should keep a written record of what you find out during your shooting session because you will forget latter. I did not use the shotgun hunting because the shots were much longer than I expected. MIKE.

Edited to add, Does anyone know why Mossberg chokes all of the 590's with a fixed improved cylinder choke except the double action trigger models which come with a fixed modified choke? Mossberg should offer the 590 with screw in chokes. MIKE.

Improved cylinder.