WAD WIZARD CHOKE TUBES FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Q. What is the difference between the Supreme and SWAT12® tube?
A. The SWAT12 tube is considered a short to medium-range tube (20 – 40 yards) and the Supreme tube is considered medium to long-range (25 and beyond!). This is achieved through placement of the stud ring on the inside of the tube. The Supreme tube will extend from the muzzle approximately 1 1/2″, while the SWAT12 tube will extend about 3/8″. The SWAT12 pattern will open up faster than the Supreme tube, which will hold a nice, tight pattern out to the longer distances.
Q. What is the difference between the Wad Wizard Tubes and the SRM Terror Tubes?
A. The Wad Wizard is a “wad retarding device” and can handle any type of shot and any size of shot. The Wad Wizard produces a shorter shot string with all loads, at all ranges for startling “slap-down” killing power. Because the stringing effect is somewhat taken out of the picture, you will have more shot on target at once. Also, this tube produces dense, evenly distributed patterns at most ranges. The performance of the Wad Wizard may be varied for different ranges and uses by choice of the shot shell used. By varying the shot type, shot size, shell velocity, to name a few, this tube can be used for any type of hunting / shooting you care to do with your 10, 12 or 20 gauge shotgun.
The Terror tubes are conventional constriction chokes and were originally developed to shoot consistently dense core-patterns and tight long-range patterns with the high velocity “fast steel” shells and hand-loads. Like the Wad Wizard, they are expertly made from a special high strength alloy steel which cannot be damaged by tightly radically-constricting hard pellet materials, such as steel, tungsten-iron and Hevi Shot™.
Q. How do you know that your choke shortens the shot string? You won’t be able to see it on paper. Is it something that is a proven/known fact or is it a claim made by the manufacturers?
A. Shot-string lengths have been measurable and indeed have been rather precisely measured since at least the 1920’s, and by much more sophisticated methods than towing a target behind a moving vehicle, a la Bob Brister. The pattern length test results are not of a nature that they are easily illustrated on paper. Flat 2-dimensional patterns on flat targets are very easily illustrated, but leave out the important 3rd dimension factor.
A well-made tight radial constriction tube (with the right load) will throw very tight pattern “centers” but in doing so will necessarily lengthen the shot string, which for many types of shooting is very desirable. One example of use is that they can be shot like rifles in the right hands and the dense centers will carry out further than sportspersons should be shooting at game in the first place. They’re just the ticket for “way out” snows, as only one example.
By comparison, wad-retarding chokes are not designed to, and do not generally, produce ultra-tight pattern centers. They ideally produce evenly-distributed 2-dimensional patterns. The 2-dimensional percentage of shot striking in a 30″ circle can be varied for any given target distance by varying the load used, for the 20 yard decoy shots or 40+ yarders. Because wad-retarders do not radially constrict (i.e. “squeeze”) the shot charge as it passes down the bore, they also can and do produce unseen results: significantly shorter shot strings and thus “denser” 3-dimensional patterns that put more shot simultaneously on- target, to produce what some have called “slap-down killing power”. This result is easily proven by shooting game/clays with such a tube and noticing the difference.
Q. How does the wad affect the shot? Does it blow through the shot somehow after it leaves the muzzle?
A. No, a modern plastic wad does not “blow through” the shot charge. Today’s plastic wads are very light in weight and (by law of physics) cannot independently fly ahead of the heavy metal shot charge to disrupt it once it’s out of the muzzle and separated from the metal shot. Anyone who claims otherwise (as some do) is uninformed. The modern plastic shotgun wads generally serve 2 major purposes: they are designed to be a gas seal in the bore and to hold/encase the shot charge and protect the shot from rubbing against and being deformed by the gun’s bore (and with hard iron/steel/tungsten shot, from rubbing the shot against the bore and scratching up the bore). These wads are much easier to load, very cheap and produce more reliable and consistent results than do paper card, fiber, etc. wads.
But, with conventional constriction “chokes” (i.e., fixed and interchangeable tube chokes, which we here refer to collectively as “funnel chokes” because of the way they look and act), the shot charge does emerge from them at the muzzle on it’s way to the target while still largely encased in the shot cup, after being “crunched” by passing through the constricted “funnel” portion at the muzzle. The gas emerges and can mix with the shot charge.
Our tubes work by (1) slightly grabbing onto the plastic wad gas seal area, (2) not “crunching” down on the shot charge when it does so to avoid which deforming the wad and elongating the shot strings (3) then separating the heavy shot charge from the much lighter wad (4) while at the same time the heavier shot charge emerges from the bore and is outdistancing the wad, flying out ahead of it, while (5) at the same time keeping the gas sealed in the gun long enough so that it does not emerge soon enough to disrupt the shot and “blow” the pattern. That’s it in a nutshell. And, oh yeah–it’s the magic, too!!!
Q. What research has been done as to barrel length effecting pattern and range on shotguns? Recently I have been told that the newer powders burn much faster which eliminates the need for a longer barrel.
A. With the “usual” modern wads and powders, maximum efficiency is obtained with 18″. “Pattern” and “Range” are determined on the other hand, by the “choke”, i.e., how well the shot charge stays together as it proceeds down range. A “wide” choke used to shoot quail at 15 – 20 yards will not have the “pattern” and “range” of a waterfowl choke used to shoot geese at 70 yards; but then the goose choke would not have the “pattern” and “range” necessary for the quail, either. Shot pellets from an 18″ barrel hit as hard at any given distance as do pellets from a 30″. The trick is to hit the target with as many pellets as possible at any given range. “Barrel Length” is more related to weight, balance, recoil and ease of aiming, swing and follow through smoothness.
Q. Why isn’t the Wad Wizard ported?
A. There can be problems with ported choke tubes. Some of these include greater noise levels (especially if you hunt in a blind or shoot close to others) and increased night flash (this is a concern to police and military personnel). More importantly, porting makes the tube much less efficient if you’re using high-velocity shells. It can also create a higher degree of vibration and make the tube less sturdy.
Q. Is the Wad Wizard considered full, modified or improved?
A. The Wad Wizard is not a conventional constriction choke tube (full, modified or improved cylinder). It has virtually no constriction and is basically bore diameter of the gun it is intended to screw into. Pattern density can be changed by varying the shot size, shell length, velocity, etc…
Q. Can I use Black Cloud with the Wad Wizard?
A. Wad Wizard Chokes and Black Cloud ammo (and any other ammo that utilizes a wad that is designed to stay with the shot) are designed to do opposite things. Although there doesn’t seem to be a problem putting that ammo through our chokes, you’ll find that it probably won’t give you the type of performance you desire. If you are intent on shooting Black Cloud, I recommend you use your factory improved cylinder choke. You may find there is no need to buy an expensive aftermarket choke. Best results when using the Wad Wizard Choke comes from using ammo with a tough wad cup and one that preferably covers the shot. Take a look at our Patterns page on the website to get an idea of what you can generally expect with our product and different types, sizes, lengths of ammunition.
Q. Can I use Black Cloud with the Wad Wizard?
A. Wad Wizard Chokes and Black Cloud ammo (and any other ammo that utilizes a wad that is designed to stay with the shot) are designed to do opposite things. Although there doesn’t seem to be a problem putting that ammo through our chokes, you’ll find that it probably won’t give you the type of performance you desire. If you are intent on shooting Black Cloud, I recommend you use your factory improved cylinder choke. You may find there is no need to buy an expensive aftermarket choke. Best results when using the Wad Wizard Choke comes from using ammo with a tough wad cup and one that preferably covers the shot. Take a look at our Patterns page on the website to get an idea of what you can generally expect with our product and different types, sizes, lengths of ammunition.