Shotgun choke

Abstract

A choke for use with a shotgun is provided. The choke includes a body that defines a bore with a longitudinal axis. The body is configured for engagement with a shotgun so that projectiles from the shotgun can traverse therethrough and out of an end of the bore. The body has a circumference and defines at least one port for venting gas from the bore through the circumference. The port is located within a first radial arc that extends 180° about the longitudinal axis. No ports are present for venting gas from the bore through the circumference that are located within a second radial arc that does not overlap the first radial arc and that extends 180° about the longitudinal axis. An associated method is also provided.

1 . A choke for use with a shotgun, comprising:
 a body defining a bore with a longitudinal axis therethrough, said body configured for engagement with a shotgun such that said bore is positioned for traversal of projectiles of the shotgun therethrough and out of an end of said bore, wherein said body has a circumference, wherein said body defines at least one port for venting gas from said bore through said circumference, wherein said at least one port is located within a first radial arc that extends 180° about said longitudinal axis, wherein no port for venting gas from said bore through said circumference is located within a second radial arc that does not overlap said first radial arc and that extends 180° about said longitudinal axis.   
   
   
       2 . The choke as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said body has external threading located on said circumference, wherein said external threading of said body is configured for engaging complimentary internal threading of a barrel of a shotgun so as to render said body releasably attachable to the barrel. 
   
   
       3 . The choke as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said bore of said body is conical from one end of said bore to an opposite end of said bore. 
   
   
       4 . The choke as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said bore of said body has a conical section and a parallel section, wherein said parallel section is configured for receipt of the projectiles of the shotgun from said conical section and for traversal of the projectiles of the shotgun therethrough and out of said end of said bore. 
   
   
       5 . The choke as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said body is configured for permanent attachment with a barrel of the shotgun. 
   
   
       6 . The choke as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said body has a mounting segment and a choking segment positioned next to one another in the longitudinal direction of said body, wherein said circumference of said mounting segment has a curved shape, and wherein said circumference of said choking segment has a curved shape with an outer diameter that is greater than the outer diameter of said circumference of said mounting segment. 
   
   
       7 . The choke as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said circumference is curved in shape. 
   
   
       8 . The choke as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein a plurality of said ports for venting gas from said bore through said circumference are present, and wherein said ports are positioned and oriented so as to be bilaterally symmetrical. 
   
   
       9 . The choke as set forth in  claim 8 , wherein said ports are in the shape of slots that have a major axis that is oriented in the longitudinal direction of said body. 
   
   
       10 . The choke as set forth in  claim 8 , wherein said ports are in the shape of slots that have a major axis that is oriented at an angle to the longitudinal direction of said body. 
   
   
       11 . A choke for use with a shotgun, comprising:
 a body defining a bore therethrough, wherein said body has a mounting segment for engagement with a barrel of a shotgun such that said mounting segment is located inside of the barrel when engaged, wherein said body has a choking segment that is located outside of the barrel when said mounting segment is engaged with the barrel, wherein said choking segment has a circumference that is curved in shape, wherein said circumference of said choking segment has an upper half and a lower half, wherein said upper half of said circumference is located above said lower half of said circumference when said mounting segment is engaged with the barrel, wherein said body defines at least one port for venting gas from said bore through said upper half of said circumference when the shotgun is discharged, wherein said lower half of said circumference is configured for preventing gas in said bore from passing through said lower half of said circumference when the shotgun is discharged.   
   
   
       12 . The choke as set forth in  claim 11 , wherein said mounting segment has a circumference that is curved in shape and has external threading thereon, wherein said external threading of said mounting segment is configured to engage internal threading of the barrel in order to render said body releasably attachable to the barrel. 
   
   
       13 . The choke as set forth in  claim 11 , wherein said bore of said body is conical from one end of said bore to an opposite end of said bore. 
   
   
       14 . The choke as set forth in  claim 11 , wherein said bore of said body has a conical shape in said mounting segment, and wherein said bore of said body has a constant diameter throughout said choking segment. 
   
   
       15 . The choke as set forth in  claim 11 , wherein said body is permanently attached to the barrel of the shotgun. 
   
   
       16 . The choke as set forth in  claim 11 , wherein a plurality of said ports for venting gas from said bore through said upper half of said circumference are present, and wherein said ports are positioned and oriented so as to be bilaterally symmetrical with respect to a plane through a longitudinal axis of said bore and perpendicular to a plane passing through the location of contact between said upper half and said lower half of said circumference. 
   
   
       17 . The choke as set forth in  claim 16 , wherein said ports are in the shape of slots that have a major axis that is oriented in the longitudinal direction of said body. 
   
   
       18 . The choke as set forth in  claim 16 , wherein said ports are in the shape of slots that have a major axis that is oriented at an angle to the longitudinal direction of said body. 
   
   
       19 . The choke as set forth in  claim 18 , wherein ten of said ports are present such that five of said ports are located on one side of the plane through the longitudinal axis of said bore and perpendicular to the plane passing through the location of contact between said upper half and said lower half of said circumference, and wherein five of said ports are located on the other side of the plane through the longitudinal axis of said bore and perpendicular to the plane passing through the location of contact between said upper half and said lower half of said circumference. 
   
   
       20 . A choke for use with a shotgun, comprising:
 a body defining a bore with a longitudinal axis therethrough, wherein said body is configured for engagement with the barrel of a shotgun such that projectiles of the shotgun are capable of being transferred through said bore and out of an open end of said bore, wherein said longitudinal axis lies in a plane that divides said body into an upper half and a lower half, wherein said body defines at least one port for venting gas from said bore through said upper half of said body to reduce muzzle rise during discharge of the shotgun, wherein said body is configured such that a greater amount of gas is transferred through said upper half of said body from said bore than through said lower half of said body from said bore during discharge of the shotgun.   
   
   
       21 . A method of forming ports in a choke for the purpose of reducing muzzle rise comprising the steps of:
 providing a shotgun;   providing a choke;   engaging the choke to the shotgun such that the choke is oriented so as to have an upper half and a lower half relative to the shotgun once engaged;   locating a reference point once the shotgun and choke are engaged with one another;   forming at least one port in the upper half of the choke at a location based on the reference point.   
   
   
       22 . The method as set forth in  claim 21 , wherein said forming step involves forming a plurality of ports in the upper half of the choke such that the plurality of ports are arranged symmetrically with respect to the reference point. 
   
   
       23 . The method as set forth in  claim 21 , further comprising the step of leaving the lower half of the choke without ports. 
   
   
       24 . The method as set forth in  claim 21 , wherein the reference point of said locating step is the top dead center.