How to Choose Shotgun Shells and Chokes

Co-authored by Roger Judd

Last Updated: July 12, 2024 Approved

Because of the variety of ammunition available for the shotgun, it is one of the most versatile tools for use in hunting and sport. By learning the varieties, styles, and conventions of ammunition available, you can select the right shot for the job at hand. Read on for a primer on shotgun shells, slugs, and chokes.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Learning the Basics

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1
Distinguish between the two basic styles of shotgun shell. From a shotgun, you can either fire "shot" or "slugs." Shot shells are plastic cartridges filled with tiny metal pellets and should always be fired from non-rifled shotgun barrels. Slugs are essentially a single, fairly large metal bullet loaded in a plastic cartridge.^{[1]
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- The kind of shot used in shot shells also varies and it is important to understand the way shot is sized. Birdshot contains smaller pellets for use on smaller animals or targets, while buckshot rounds are filled with larger pellets for use on larger animals or targets.
- Slugs are available in rifled varieties, for use in smooth-bore barrels, and "sabot" varieties, for use in rifled barrels.
2
Buy shells that match the gauge size of your shotgun. Shotguns come in many different gauges, and the ammunition will correspond to that gauge. You must use 12 gauge ammunition for a 12 gauge shotgun, 20 gauge for a 20 gauge, etc.^{[2]
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- A 20 gauge shell will fit in a 12 gauge gun, slide about halfway down the barrel and stick if you try to fire it. This can be very dangerous, so it's critical to make sure you buy the appropriate size of shell, regardless of style.
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3
Determine the length of the shells you're considering. Longer shells contain more powder and more shot per shell, or a larger slug. The standard shotgun chamber size is 2 3/4 inches for all gauge shotguns. Some shotguns have a 3 inch chamber. Shotguns are known to favor different loads and different shot, so experimenting with various combinations in search of a good match can be useful. 12 gauge shot shells are the most common shotgun shells sold, and are typically available in three different shell lengths:
- Regular shells are 2 3/4" long - safely fired in a shotgun with a 2 3/4" or 3" chamber
- Magnum shells are 3" - safely fired in a shotgun with a 3" chamber
- Super-magnum shells are 3 1/2"
- Make sure that the chamber of your shotgun is as long or longer than the shells you choose. Do not use 3" or 3 1/2" shells in a 2 3/4" chamber or 3 1/2" shells in a 3" chamber.
4
Learn the shot number. The shot number will be printed on boxes of ammunition and refers to the size of the individual pellets in the shell. Larger shot numbers mean smaller pellets.^{[3]
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- The diameter of birdshot is equal to .17" minus the shot number. So, #4 shot is .13" in diameter. While it isn't necessarily important to know the exact size of the pellets, it's important to understand whether you're getting larger or smaller shot if you're planning on hunting.
- Buckshot is somewhat more complicated. Available in increments of zeroes, buckshot is usually referred to as "ought." 000 is called "triple-ought," and this buckshot is .36" in diameter, while double-ought is .33". To complicate matters, buckshot is also available in #4 sizing, which is .24" in diameter.
5
Learn the slug sizing. Slug power is determined in the same way as buckshot, with standard, magnum, and super-magnum loadings. With magnum and super-magnum are often loaded with heavier slugs.
- The "rifled" slug, used in smooth-bore shotguns, has rifling or ribs on the slug. These ribs are designed to prevent damage to the gun if fired through a barrel with a choke.
- A sabot is a covering for an object which is smaller than the bore of which it travels through. Sabot slugs "wear" a plastic jacket that is discarded after they leave the barrel and are generally more accurate than "rifled" slugs, though they require a rifled barrel to be fired accurately.

Part 2

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Selecting Appropriate Ammunition

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It would be unnecessary and foolish to practice your sport shooting at clay pigeons with expensive steel super-magnum-sized buckshot or slugs when regular birdshot is more than sufficient. As a general rule of thumb, always use the smallest ammunition that gets the job done, whether for hunting or sport shooting.
2
Determine the size of your target. Larger shot penetrates more effectively, so it is generally used on larger animals. Smaller shot is sufficient for smaller game.^{[4]
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- Small game like birds and ground varmint can be taken with shot as small at #8. Alternatively, some hunters like to use larger shot because it can kill at slightly longer range and reduces the number of pellets you have to remove from your food.
- Larger animals such as pheasants, turkeys, or rabbits should be taken with slightly larger shot such as #6 or #4.
- The largest animals are suited for buckshot. Deer and coyotes should be shot with pellets no smaller than #4 buckshot.
- Slugs are generally only used for home defense, tactical uses, and large game hunting. If you're hunting deer-sized game, coyote, possibly bear, etc., you're going to want to use slugs.
3
Test different sizes to determine what's best for your purposes. Shoot one of your shot shells at a piece of paper big enough to record the impact of all, or nearly all, of the pellets at the range you expect to use the load. At 40 yards (36.6 m), expect to get a pattern with a diameter of roughly 20-40", depending on the size of the shotgun shell used.
- Examine the pattern. How big is the main cluster of holes? Will it be hard to hit a moving target with the pattern? How dense is the pattern in this main cluster? Will enough pellets hit the target to kill/break it? Is the pattern uniform? Are there large holes in the pattern where targets could escape?
- For slugs, shoot between three and five shot groups at paper at a reasonable range; say 50 yards (45.7 m) for rifled slugs, 100 yards (91.4 m) for sabot slugs. Both types of slugs are fairly low velocity, and thus have rainbow-shaped trajectories that are not helpful to long-range shooting. Pick a slug which produces acceptable patterns and satisfies your desire for target damage.

Part 3

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Selecting a Choke

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1
Learn the basic types of choke. Most chokes anymore are interchangeable because the inside of the end of modern barrels is threaded, so chokes can be screwed in and out at will. Generally, the following chokes are the most common:
- Cylinder bore, which has no restriction, throws open but very uniform patterns. This is useful for close-range shooting.
- Skeet choke is appropriate for sport and target shooting.
- Full choke has a lot of restriction and throws very tight patterns when fed quality shot. However, when fed soft lead, a full choke tends to shoot uneven patterns.
2
Determine the shot pattern appropriate to your purposes. The pattern of the shot refers to how much the load spreads out during flight. The pattern changes depending upon the existence of a choke in the barrel. The tighter the choke, the more the lead will be affected. The more lead in a shotgun load, the more serious this effect is.
- Largely, this will depend upon your practice and your shooting style. If you're a very accurate shooter with hunting ambitions, a narrower choke might be appropriate to narrow the shot and ensure a clean kill. If you're a novice, a choke is probably unnecessary.
3
Determine your optimum choke-shot combination. Practice with different shot sizes, lengths, and combinations of different chokes with your shotgun. With a properly-sighted shotgun, track your shot patterns and accuracy to determine the best combination for your purposes.
- If your patterns are the wrong size or don't have the density required to kill game, use a tighter or looser choke accordingly.
- If your patterns are uneven, you are probably trying to push too much soft lead through too small a hole. Sometimes less lead and a looser choke will actually allow you to be effective at longer range.

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What's the best shotgun shells for home defense?

Roger Judd
Firearms Instructor
Roger Judd is a Firearms Instructor based in Mesa, Arizona. Roger and his team at Concealed AZ have been teaching NRA, Arizona Concealed Carry, group and individual firearms training classes as well as promotional, corporate, TV & media machine gun events since 2008. As an NRA Instructor, Roger specializes in teaching people how to safely use rifles, pistols, and shotguns.

Roger Judd

Firearms Instructor

Expert Answer

For home defense, you should avoid using the double-ought buck shells because their projectiles can penetrate more than two layer walls, which can cause damage beyond your intended target. Instead, choose shotgun shells with smaller pellets, like #4 or #6 birdshot. These types of shells are less likely to penetrate multiple walls, reducing the risk of unwanted harm to people on the other side.

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What does the 1 oz mean for target loads?

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It is the weight of the shot. The most common are 7/8th of an ounce, 1 ounce, or 1 1/8th ounce.

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For woodchuck control around the home, with range of up to 30 yards, what is best gauge, shot size and choke?

Community Answer

Use a full-choke 12-gauge, #4 buckshot should work perfect for that. if you use a 20-gauge, go full-choke and #3 buckshot.

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Non-toxic (not lead) shot is often required when hunting ducks and other waterfowl.^{[5]
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Don't shoot steel or other very hard shot through a full choke. You are likely to damage it.

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A shotgun should always be held with your non-firing hand under the barrel, roughly in the middle of the grip.

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Warnings

As always, use proper gun safety any time you're handling a firearm.^{[6]
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Small people/children are not recommended to shoot anything other than bird shot or target shot, hi-velocity or buckshot has enough recoil to damage your shoulder if you don't hold the gun right.^{[7]
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