Field Guide / Shot Sizes & Chokes
Improved Cylinder Choke
Also called: improved cylinder, IC
A light constriction that works well for quail, doves, grouse, and rabbits at short to moderate range.
- Type
- Chokes
- Constriction (12 gauge)
- About 0.010 inch
- Pattern at 40 yards
- About 50% in a 30-inch circle
- Best range
- About 20 to 30 yards
- Used for
- Upland birds, Clays, Small game
What it is good for
- Quail, doves, grouse, and woodcock.
- Rabbits and squirrels at moderate range.
- Sporting clays and general upland use.
Where it falls short
- A bit open for longer pheasant shots.
- Not tight enough for turkeys or most waterfowl.
- Pellet energy still matters at range.
Tips
- A standard upland choice, often found in the first barrel of a field gun.
- Match shot size to the bird.
Works well with
- #7½ Shot: a common upland load for this choke.
- Modified Choke: the next step tighter for longer birds.
Field notes
Improved cylinder is a good all-around upland choke, giving a wide enough pattern for flushing birds and enough density at 25 to 30 yards.
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.