By the time I started shotgunning, screw-in chokes were the norm, which is fine with me because in my opinion, there’s no easier and quicker way to change a shotgun’s performance than by changing chokes. Turkey hunters probably make up the largest group of chokeaholics, as evidenced by the many aftermarket turkey tubes out there. Turkey hunters are constantly experimenting with new chokes in a quest for ever-tighter turkey-taking patterns.

Not far on their heels, though, are sporting shooters, who probably rank as the next largest association of the afflicted. Unlike trap and skeet, where yardages and presentations are established, sporting clays, with its constantly changing targets and angles, fosters chokeaholism. While most trap and skeet competitors usually pick and then stick with one or two constrictions, sporting shooters can often be spotted frantically swapping chokes between stations or after they’ve had a look-see at the presentations. It should be noted that competition chokes are often labeled as sporting clays chokes—not trap or skeet. The aftermarket choke tube industry fully realizes the obsessive nature of our game.

Waterfowl chokes have also gained in popularity in recent years, especially with the advent of various new forms of steel and non-toxic shot. Upland hunters, largely left out of the mix, shouldn’t despair because most sporting or waterfowl chokes also work quite well on dry-land, feathered birds. While some new sporting chokes are currently being developed, another new entrant into the market surprised me: breaching chokes, designed for tactical and home-defense applications, being offered by a number of companies this year. Several choke companies also offer sub-gauge barrel tube sets, most of which come with screw-in chokes, adding to their versatility.

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