December 2006 Sporting Clays Shooting Tips

Choke Strategies

December 2006 Shooting Tip

by: Dan Schindler

I'm frequently asked, “Should I change chokes or stay with my favorite?” There are 2 schools of thought on this.

A. Use enough choke and forget about it.
B. Change chokes based on the target presentation in front of you.

In my opinion, I believe both A and B can be a good strategy. But, there’s a very important consideration often overlooked when facing this question. I believe the # 1 most important consideration on this topic is self-confidence, not choke selection. If you are depending more on the choke to break the target than yourself, a shift in focus would be helpful.

If my student is relying on equipment to get the X, choosing between A and B won’t have much real value. If my student is self-confident, strategy A or B will work just fine.

Most competent shooters prefer chokes in the IC to Modified range and pretty much stay with those chokes from field to field. Some will stay with those chokes, regardless of the presentation because they trust themselves and the choke to get the job done. Others also trust themselves, but see an advantage to choking up or down on this particular field. Both strategies work very well, the most important factor being confidence in the plan and themselves – not just the choke.

Personally, I prefer a Modified choke for 90% of my targets, but I will choke up or down if my instincts and experience suggest it. Rely on yourself first – then choose the equipment that gives you the most confidence.

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