Choke Tubes

Do these fancy ported choke tunes make a difference for a well below average shotgun shooter?

The main reason these are marketed is to put more money in the pocket of the choke manufacturer.

There not going to make you a better shot. But I do think they can pattern better than factory chokes. With that said to optimize their ability you have to spend some time and money patterning your gun. Which i would say 95% of the people who buy these chokes don't do.

Ported choke tubes offer no advantage over non-ported choke tubes. They do, however, increase muzzle blast… to the decrement of your buddies hearing in close quarter conditions (like a duck blind).

Go with factory IC or Modified. In my opinion, the less restriction when shooting steel the better.

I like extended choke tubes for one reason, if birds are out a ways I can put in a tighter choke without needing a tool to change them. I can miss with any of them.

SBE 3 come with extended chokes from the factory. I have a Jeb's .690 and it patterns well when you need it to

I use a Kick's full extended choke on a Remington VersaMax,
it says it helps the shot go further but I dont see too much of a better carry. But the pattern/shot is great for flooded timber and open water

Patterns could be better and the ports might help reduce muzzle jump. Emphasis on ‘could’ and ‘might’.

I am a really big believer in patternmaster choke tubes. I have used many chokes through the years and always go back to these chokes. They just pattern so well. The long range and extended long range chokes are really hard to beat for waterfowl. I just recently used the S3 apex shotgun shells this weekend (#2 shot) with a long range patternmaster and my god it was deadly. Wasn't quite where the birds wanted to be and was presented many passing shots and this combo was absolutely devastating. I always prefer decoying birds but they didn't quite commit this weekend to where I was set, but was able to put a limit together of mallard with a kicker pin and 2 bonus western canadian geese. 8 birds, 9 shots and only 1 bird needed a finisher. I'll take that kind of patterning all day of the week on pass shooting birds.

I don’t think ports make much difference. But I am a believer in choke tubes. I shoot RR T3 and T2 and my gun patterns tight at 40 yards with the 3. So gives me a little more confidence in longer shots if I have to take them.

No matter what choke you use, I highly suggest patterning your gun with it.

Pattern your gun. I have tested just about every popular choke out there- with OEM chokes performing very close to the most popular ones. If your on the bird and use premium ammo, you typically won’t see much of a difference, except for different constrictions.

Best bang for the buck IMO is the Creamator MR

I like extended chokes just for ease of changing and not having to keep track of choke tube wrenches. I just get the basic Carlson's sporting clays ones, pretty cheap on ebay/gunbroker. The skeet one is murder on snipe.

always test your gear, take it to the range and shoot the chokes with one of those shoot and see targets- not all chokes are the same.