But he says having too tight a pattern is just as bad. When you start constricting your pattern down to that magical diameter, the pellets will actually cross over and the pattern opens back up. There's definitely a sweet spot,' and it all depends on bore diameter and shot size. Most manufacturers put standard names on chokes, but few shoot exactly the same. Extra-full chokes from two manufacturers, for example, might shoot completely differently.
Lead shot is softer and more conforming.
It can handle being constricted as it moves down the barrel. Steel shot won't give. If constricted enough, it can blow the choke right out of a barrel. The DNR's gobbler survey reveals most West Virginia turkey hunters use either full or extra-full chokes. Cale's recommendation for a good turkey pattern constricts from a .730 bore diameter to a .660 or .665.