Being able to hit fast-moving skeet is the most crucial skill for competitive sporting clays, but having the right choke in your shotgun is a close second. In this article, we’ll examine three choke tubes that can be effective while using Federal Gold Medal shotgun shells.
Federal Gold Medal Lead loads are used for skeet shooting at ranges of up to 40 yards. Several choke tubes work really well with Federal Gold Medal ammo and Carlson’s Sporting Clays choke tube is the top choice. It’s highly customizable since it’s offered in almost every choke size available, and it can deliver some impressive patterns with Gold Medal ammo.
Best Federal Gold Medal Choke Tubes
These are the three choke tubes you should consider using with Federal Gold Medal ammo. They can provide more consistent and dense patterns downrange for both sporting clays and upland game hunting.
1) Carlson’s Sporting Clays Choke Tube
Carlson’s Sporting Clay choke tube series is designed to provide consistent results while shooting clay targets, but they also happen to work just as well for upland game birds. These stainless steel extended chokes have proven to work well with Federal Gold Medal ammunition. This combo is capable of cleanly breaking clays up to 40 yards. The Improved Cylinder is the choke to get, but it’s available in Cylinder through Full. This is the TOP pick.
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2) Patternmaster Anaconda Sporting Clays Edition
Patternmaster’s Anaconda choke works extremely well with small lead shot and the wad system that is found in Federal Gold Medal Ammo. The Anaconda features gas over coil technology that helps to dissipate and channel the gas expansion for better patterns. It’s a solid option for sporting clays and upland game hunting inside 30 yards.
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3) Carlson’s White Wing Dove Choke
The White Wing dove choke by Carlson’s is another option if you choose to use Gold Medal ammo for hunting. Its tighter diameter if better for added range in high winds or days the birds are flying high. This choke comes in Improved Modified and paired with 7.5 shot is a good combo for shots to 40 yards. If you already have good luck with Carlson’s chokes in other sizes, check out this IM choke. This is the BUDGET pick.
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Why the Carlson’s Sporting Clays Choke is the best choke for Federal Gold Medal
- Smooth bored choke works well with Federal Gold Medal Wads
- The modified choke paired with Federal Gold Medal Ammo gives max range with lead shot
- Lead shot is rated for Carlson’s Sporting Clay’s Chokes
- Can put 80% or more pellets into a 30-inch circle at 30 yards
- Carlson’s Sporting Clay chokes are affordable compared to similar choke tubes
What are Federal Gold Medal Shotshells?
Federal Gold Medal loads are light lead shotshells designed for accuracy on the skeet range and in the field. They are available in both 20 and 12 gauge sizes, and range in speed between 1165 fps and 1235 fps. Gold Medal ammo are loaded with #8 and #7.5round lead pellets in a plastic wad.
Load weights for Gold Medal ammo are offered in 1 ounce, 1 1/8 ounce, and 1 ¼ ounce payloads. Federal Gold Medal ammo are packaged 25 shotshells per box and 250 shells per case.
Federal Gold Medal Ammo Reviews
Federal Gold Medal ammo has been available for several years now and the reviews have been highly positive. It’s proven itself for competitive skeet shooting and delivering dense patterns to 30 yards while hunting as well.
Lead pellets in Top Gun loads are uniform and round, just as you would expect from premium lead loads. Perfectly round pellets help increase range and penetration at the ranges these loads were designed for.
Skeet Choke Tubes and Ranges
- Improved Cylinder (10-20 yards)
- Modified (20-40 yards)
- Improved Modified (35-45 yards)
- Full Choke (40-60 yards)
The chart above shows the recommended choke tube and range in yards for skeet shooting. Modified is the best choke for an all-around performer. Improved cylinder is the best for close shots. Improved modified (IM) and full chokes are best for long range shots.
Other Federal Sporting Clay ammo to consider
Other ammo to consider by Federal are the Heavy Upland Loads, Dove Upland Loads, Flyer Pigeon Loads, Wing Shok Ammo, and Prairie Storm. Each of these loads by Federal offer a slight variation geared toward certain game birds.
For an alternative to Gold Metal shotshells, Federal Top Gun ammo is that perfect mix of performance and affordability. These shells are the pinnacle of sporting clays shooting, and make for a good alternative on a budget.
What to expect
When it comes to choosing the right choke tube for the Federal Gold Medal ammo, Carlson’s Sporting Clay choke stands out from its competitors. The Carlson’s Sporting Clay choke is engineered with a unique design that provides consistent and even shot patterns, resulting in better accuracy and a higher precision. Unlike most of its competitors, the Sporting Clay choke ensures that the shot is evenly distributed, reducing the chances of having holes or gaps in your pattern. Overall, the Carlson’s Sporting Clay choke is a top performer, delivering outstanding results that set it apart from the competition.
Bottom Line
Federal Gold Medal shotshells are a premium lead shotshell designed to deliver lead pellets consistently and evenly at ranges inside 30 yards for sporting clay shoots. Gold Medal shells are one of the most trusted sporting clay loads for competitive shooting.
The Carlson’s Sporting Clays choke tube works extremely well with Gold Medal ammo, is affordable, and is highly customizable since it’s offered in just about every choke size. The Improved Cylinder is the choke to get for the skeet range.
Gold Medal ammo is capable of hitting speeds of 1235 fps in 12 gauge loads. This mix of large payload and speed makes it one of the best hunting and sporting clay ammo choices available right now.
Other Sporting Clay Chokes to Consider
- Carlson’s White Wing Dove Choke
- TRUGLO Double Threat Choke Tube
- Browning MIDAS Choke Tube
- Browning Diana Choke Tube
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Last update on 2025-09-07 / Affiliate links / Product Images from Amazon Product Advertising API