Field Guide / Shot Sizes & Chokes
Full Choke
Also called: full, FULL
The tightest standard choke, designed to hold a dense pattern at longer range for turkeys, geese, and long-range birds.
- Type
- Chokes
- Constriction (12 gauge)
- About 0.035 inch
- Pattern at 40 yards
- About 70% in a 30-inch circle
- Best range
- About 35 to 45 yards
- Used for
- Turkey, Ducks & geese, Upland birds
Safety: Use steel shot only in choke tubes marked for steel and in guns rated for it. Tight chokes with steel can damage a barrel, so follow your shotgun's manual.
What it is good for
- Turkeys with lead or dense nonlead loads.
- Long-range geese and ducks, with a choke rated for the shot.
- Hunters who take longer shots.
Where it falls short
- Too tight for close birds, which can be pulverized.
- Can damage a barrel with steel shot if not rated for it.
- Demands careful aim.
Tips
- Use a full choke for turkeys, but pattern the exact load first.
- Switch chokes for close shots.
Works well with
- Extra-Full Turkey Choke: even tighter, made for turkey loads.
- Lead Shot: a traditional pairing, but lead is restricted for waterfowl and on some lands.
Field notes
Full choke has the most constriction of the standard chokes. It is best when targets are at a distance and a dense pattern is needed.
Related guides
Pellet counts, patterns, and ranges are typical figures, not guarantees. Pattern your own shotgun with your own loads at the distances you hunt, and follow the shotgun manual for which shells and chokes are safe. Nonlead shot rules and legal shot types differ by state and area; our state resources directory links to each state's official regulations.