6 Best Choke for Duck Hunting 2024: Field Tested (+Buyers Guide)

With the droughts and the dip in waterfowl numbers, last year’s duck hunting season was a bit underwhelming, but a friend of mine had a particularly bad time. He went out there with a choke that was too powerful for close-range shooting, and ended up doing way too much damage to his quarry. Turns out he wasn’t the only one. 

After testing out a lot of chokes, I’ve come up with a list of my favorites specifically for duck hunting. Now, keep in mind, the right choke for you depends on your shotgun, preferred range, ammo type, and other factors. While you’re going through the reviews, remember to go out there and try them out, get some practice in, before making the final call.

Before anything, let’s go over how chokes work.

How Chokes Work

The choke is a metal tube inserted into the barrel of your gun to narrow down the muzzle, so the pellets in your shot fly as effectively as possible. How a choke works is similar to a water hose. Just like how a hose can concentrate water into a single line, a choke compresses and groups your shotgun pellets.  

The type of choke you choose provides a different shot pattern (grouping) and shot string (pellet spread). If you want a clean and accurate kill on the first try, go for a choke that gives you a tight shot pattern and a short shot string for the range you’re shooting from. The goal is to land a dense pattern within a 30 inch-diameter ‘kill zone,’ that covers your quarry.  

Each choke is specifically designed to give you an edge during your hunt by improving certain specs, such as your shooting range or accuracy, based on the choke you are using. 

Let’s take a closer look at the various types of chokes you may come across and how they affect your shots. 

Types of Chokes 

There are several types of chokes on the market that all perform differently. Chokes have different levels of constriction (or tightness) and certain choke constrictions might be a better fit for you depending on the type of waterfowl you’re hunting, the style of the hunt, and the distance from the target. 

Full choke is the narrowest and delivers the tightest patterns, ideal for long-range shooting from more than 40 yards.

Improved modified choke is slightly less narrow than the full choke and works for long-range shooting around 40 yards.

Modified choke is a fraction more open than the improved modified choke, and it’s good for mid-range-shooting from around 35 yards.

Improved cylinder choke is even more open than the modified choke, and it’s better for shooting from a 25 yard distance, because the pattern gets looser at longer distances. 

Cylinder, or the open choke, is the default size of the muzzle end with no constriction, and shoots short-ranges less than 20 yards. 

Now, one thing to remember is that there are even more types of chokes between these common types, depending on their specific features. Here are some features that can differentiate them and add even more variability to your selection.

Extended/Flush – You can add the extended chokes on to the muzzle without tools and they extend outward once they are screwed in. You’ll need a wrench to insert a flush choke, but it goes fully into the muzzle.

Ported/Non-ported – Ported chokes come with precision drilled holes to reduce the recoil and muzzle jump when you fire it compared to a more traditional ‘non-ported’ choke. 

Now, for duck hunting, I recommend going with modified chokes or full chokes; most duck hunts happen at around 40 yards from the fowl and the other chokes just don’t have the range.

How I Chose the Best Choke for Duck Hunting

As someone who has been duck hunting for almost 20 years now, I’ve owned my fair share of chokes and have even been sent some by companies. So when putting together this article, I considered the chokes that served me well in terms of effectiveness, durability, ease of use, and value for money.

But, at the end of the day, I’m just a single person, so I reached out to some of the best duck hunters I know in the industry to get their opinions on the chokes on my list. They also recommended some of their favorites. Thus, I was able to put together a comprehensive list of the best chokes for duck hunting.

Keep in mind that not all chokes are the same, and there’s no universal standard for comparing them. Choke preferences are personal, and different duck species may require different chokes. That’s why I’ve tried to put together a broad selection that has something for everyone. Let’s get right into it.

Gun University’s Choices of the Best Choke for Duck Hunting

Best Chokes for Duck Hunting

Best overall Patternmaster Code Black Duck choke		High range Uniform patterns High durability	Buy on Amazon
Best for Consistent Pattern Mojo Outdoors Fatal Shot		Easy maneuverability Uniform shot patterns Quick and clean shots	Buy on Amazon
Best versatile TruGlo Titan Adjustable Choke		Easily adjustable choke constrictions Adaptable Works with many shotshells	Check Price
Best value Carlson’s Cremator Non-ported Waterfowl Choke		Dense patterns No size or speed restrictions Lifetime warranty	Buy on Amazon
Best for long range shooting Trulock Super Waterfowl Choke		High pattern density High durability Easy removal and installation	Buy on Amazon
Best budget Hevi-Shot Extended Range Waterfowl Choke		Extended range Quick installation Durability	Buy on Amazon

Best Duck Hunting Choke Spec Comparison

Below is a table of the specifications for each choke. Click the name of the item to jump to that review.

Best Chokes for Duck Hunting

Here is our list for the best chokes for hunting ducks

1. Patternmaster Code Black Duck Choke
2. Mojo Outdoors Fatal Shot Choke
3. TruGlo Titan Adjustable Choke
4. Carlson’s Cremator Non-Ported Waterfowl Choke
5. Trulock Super Waterfowl Chokes
6. Hevi-Shot Extended Range Waterfowl Choke

Best Chokes for Duck Hunting – Reviews

Since the right choke for one person may not work for everyone, I’ve ranked the best ones I’ve used in several categories, instead of ranking them in order.

Choosing a choke is just as personal as your choice of firearm. They need to fit your shotgun, your choice of shells and your style of duck hunting. Here’s a quick guide to walk you through the factors you can consider when looking for a choke. 

Best Choke for Duck Hunting – Buyer’s guide

Each of the chokes I’ve recommended above are best suited for a specific purpose, and that’s because they have certain qualities that make them more accurate, more powerful, or better for a certain range. So, let’s look at these qualities and how they affect the performance of your choke, and ultimately, the success of your hunt.   

Pattern – Every shotgun shell has pellets, and these pellets get distributed when you fire your shot. The goal is to land as many pellets as possible within a 30-inch diameter on your target. This area is your kill zone, and a dense pattern within it means there’s a high chance of making a clean, ethical kill shot in one go. Take a look at these diagrams to understand what I mean:

Shot string – When your shot leaves the barrel, the pressure pushes out your shotgun shell in the form of a shot string. The longer the shot string is, the more chance there is for the pellets to spread, making it much harder for the shot to reach your target and land a kill. Shot string affects shot pattern, and a shorter shot string will give you a denser, more powerful pattern. Here’s what this might look like:

Your choke of choice delays the wad (the compartment separating the pellets from the gunpowder) by a couple of milliseconds, so the shot is contained for a bit longer after leaving the barrel before the pellets start to spread. 

Ranges – Range is the distance at which your choke is the most effective and lands the best, or densest, pattern. A full choke for example, has an effective range of 40 yards and beyond. 

Some full chokes can land kill shots even from 70 yards, so if you’re wing shooting or pass shooting, full chokes are your best bet for accurately shooting a moving target. 

Given that we mostly shoot ducks at around 40 yards, this range and choke combination is ideal for duck hunting. 

Personally, I prefer shooting from mid-range when hunting ducks, but if you plan to hunt with jump shooting, an improved cylinder or cylinder choke would work well for this type of close-range shooting. 

Pattern, string, and range are all performance factors that can vary depending on the choke you end up using. Here are a few things to look out for when choosing your choke: 

• Constriction – The level of constriction affects your effective range and the ideal fit depends on the style of your hunt. Jump shooters usually stick to the middle-ground with improved chokes, while mid- or long-range wing shooters like myself go for tighter, full chokes.  
• Material – There are four main types of shot materials that are commonly loaded in shotshells: lead, steel, tungsten, and bismuth. Each shot type performs better when combined with a choke made to handle a specific material. Remember to compare the types of shotshells you want to use with the compatibility of the chokes you are considering to make sure the choke can handle your shots.  
• Length – The length of a choke can change your shot string, but can also change your sightings if they are longer than you might be used to; most chokes are 8-9 inches, and some of this length protrudes from the muzzle. While you can get used to this over a time, a shorter choke might be a better option if you find the length of the choke throws off your sighting too much. 
• Color – Chokes with muted colors are less noticeable and can reduce your visibility if you want to remain hidden during your hunt. Brightly colored chokes might not be a big deal if you plan to hunt during daytime.  However, certain shades could cause a glint or glare that can make it harder to aim or make you much more visible.
• Price – If you’re a beginner or looking to get into duck hunting, it may be a good idea to try out a more budget-friendly choke to see if you prefer the way your shots change with it. Once you get more comfortable shooting with a choke or want to really fine-tune your shooting, you can look at more premium range options with more features and specializations.  

Conclusion

While you can always hunt ducks with a stock shotgun with no choke, taking that extra step really helps take your shooting to the next level with finer control over your range, accuracy, and kill zones. Remember to try out a few based on the ranges you shoot at to find the choke that matches your duck hunting goals and feels the best to shoot. Happy hunting. 

Before you go, check out our Best Shotguns By Action Type!

Best Duck Hunting Choke – FAQs