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BALLISTICS BASICS Here’s all the information you need to choose the perfect load and choke for your next experience in the field or on the range.
FOR DETAILED BALLISTICS DATA + Shotshell Waterfowl Loads page 36
CHOKE Choosing the right choke is critical to get the most out of your ammunition. The following are the optimal distances for each main type of choke used by hunters and recreational shooters today.
CHOKE
DISTANCE
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
IDEAL RANGE 15-25 YDS
Skeet – Just slightly tighter than cylinder bore, skeet choke tubes are made to get a quick spread on shot. The ideal range for this choke constriction is 15 to 25 yards.
SKEET
IMPROVED CYLINDER
IDEAL RANGE 20-30 YDS
Improved Cylinder – The optimal choke to use with Winchester Steel Shot Waterfowl products. The ideal range is 20-30 yards.
MODIFIED
Modifi ed – Modified choke tubes are a good general choke size to use when not sure whether shots will be close or far. Their ideal pattern is found at 30 to 40 yards.
IDEAL RANGE 30-40 YDS
IMPROVED- MODIFIED
Improved Modified – Improved Modified chokes offer little performance difference over Modified and Full but can offer a sweet spot out between 45 to 55 yards.
IDEAL RANGE 45-55 YDS
FULL
Full – For delivering maximum patterns at distance, go with the full choke, which depending on the load, can deliver an ideal range between 55 to 65 yards.
IDEAL RANGE 55-65 YDS
Winchester Bismuth has a buffered payload that puts more pellets on target for 60 yard performance
WATERFOWL SHOT GUIDE
SHOT SIZES
IDEAL RANGE SHOT SIZE
CHOKE
GAUGE
STANDARD SHOT SIZES Shot Number
DENSITY
SPECIES
9
8.5
8
7.5
7
6
5
4
Diameter In Inches Pellets/Oz., Steel Pellets/Oz., Lead Pellets/Oz., Bismuth
.08
.085
.09
.095
.10
.11
.12
.13
15-40 yds
4, 5, 6
IC/Mod
12, 20, 28
7.9*
-
-
577
490
420
316
243
191
DUCK (SMALL)
11.0*
585
500
410
350
300
225
170
135
9.7*
-
-
-
-
-
-
199
157
10-40 yds
BB,1, 2, 3
Mod/Imp. Mod 10, 12, 20
DUCK (LARGE)
Shot Number
3
2
1
B
BB
BBB
T
Diameter In Inches Pellets/Oz., Steel Pellets/Oz., Lead
.14
.15
.16
.17
.18
.19
.20
7.9*
153
125
103
-
72
61
53
10-45 yds
T, BBB, BB Mod/Imp. Mod
10, 12
11.0*
-
-
84
-
50
-
-
GOOSE
* Grams per cubic centimeter
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