How do you use an adjustable choke?

The choke, or constriction for a shotgun acts to force the pellet cluster into a smaller size. This keeps the pattern tighter for a farther distance to concentrate the shot for a cleaner kill. The shooter chooses the amount of choke depending on what he is hunting and how far he is willing to shoot. If he intends to shoot pheasant at 50 yards he will need a tighter pattern than shooting rabbits at 20 yards. Remember: if you shoot a tight pattern you must be more accurate in your sighting to hit the target.

To set an adjustable choke, the shooter uses a "pattern board" which is a large piece of paper stretched out and marked with coordinates that the shooter uses to determine how many pellets land within a certain number of inches of the center of the pattern. The shooter picks his distance, say 25 yards, shoots the paper, and counts the holes. This lets him know the shot density and whether it is suitable for his intended hunting. The shooter then adjusts the choke for his intended game.