870 Choke Decision

Gard

CGN Regular
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Location
Sudbury
I'm nearly done my 870 build but I'm on the fence on whether or not to get my 14" barrel threaded for chokes. What do you guys think? I know the pros. Any cons that I'm not considering?
 
I was considering threading my 14" barrel as well ..... but went the other route: ammo with a Flightcontrol or Versatite wad.

Simpler and cheaper solution ..... and that ammo is available if you shop around.
Hornady and Federal manufacture those rounds.

Basically those wads create patterns out of a Cylinder barrel ... as if that barrel had a Modified Choke ... or somewhere around that choke constriction .... and depending on the load.

I even use the Federal Upland loads with Flightcontrol wad for grouse hunting with my Tac-14 and which has a fixed Cyliner bore.

Circle in the picture is 9 inches .... a paper plate
Pattern at 20 meters.

Federal_Tactical_00Buck_FlightControlWad_20Meters_Tac14_lowres.JPG


Federal_Flight_Control_Buckshot.jpg
 
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What’s your intended use for it? If you’re not going to use it for hunting you might not need chokes.

Personally a shotgun without a choke (fixed or screw in) is useless for me, I would thread it for chokes.
 
Gard;
I too have been impressed with the Flight Control ammo in a CYL 14" barrel (LE132 00 as shown in 0faustus0's pic above) and even in a 8.5" CYL barrel . It shoots similar patterns to regular ammo in a MOD choke barrel. If you need a FULL choke for hunting it would probably be cheaper, and more practical, to pick up a used longer barrel already threaded for chokes or with a FULL choke - that's one of the big advantages of the 870 and similar platforms: quick change barrels.
Cheers
TEG
 
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Gard;
I too have been impressed with the Flight Control ammo in a CYL 14" barrel (LE132 00 as shown in 0faustus0's pic above) and even in a 8.5" CYL barrel . It shoots similar patterns to regular ammo in a MOD choke barrel. If you need a FULL choke for hunting it would probably be cheaper, and more practical, to pick up a used longer barrel already threaded for chokes or with a FULL choke - that's one of the big advantages of the 870 and similar platforms: quick change barrels.
Cheers
TEG

I agree it’s probably more practical and cheaper to buy a longer barrel that’s threaded for chokes or has a fixed choke from the factory but lots of people dislike long barrels, myself included.

Nothing makes a shorter barrel more useful or versatile than screw in chokes, one barrel that will do 90% of the tasks is better than multiple barrels. At least for me it is and I say this from my own experience, any barrel I have that’s over 20” is a paperweight. My 12.5”, 14” barrels with removable chokes see the most use and yes I hunt with them. If I was a waterfowl hunter the longer barrels would be handy, for small game and upland bird hunting I’ll take a short barrel everytime.

It also allows me to use the cheapest birdshot or buckshot I can find and still have great patterns, federal flitecontrol is more expensive than plain federal target load or estate 00buck. It’s like buying foster slugs vs sabots, I’ll buy bulk target load over the flitecontrol everyday. I’d rather shoot more for less.
 
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Did you just make a "what choke" thread with 0 information about its intended use?

Well, he posted the question in the "Black and Green Shotguns" forum .... and we are here in Canada, and where we are not allowed to defend ourselves with firearms.

So, intended use must be Zombies, Sasquatch, Bigfoot and Gremlins ..... :d

And what was Gard's question again?
 
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Did you just make a "what choke" thread with 0 information about its intended use?

Obvious answer might be one of those tacticool breacher chokes with the jagged end. Or I've seen what looked like a gold-plated extended choke for the bling experience; maybe you can get a breacher in that finish?

More seriously, with a 14" cylinder barrel, just load up and have at it with short-range targets. Get a much longer factory-choke-threaded barrel for any shooting that would actually benefit from a choke.
 
Hi folks. I ought to have given it more thought before posing the question. My primary goal for this gun is a do-all shotgun. Light and tactical but can also do double duty as a bird gun in the fall. A second barrel isn't really an option as it has scattergun sights. With that being said, cylinder choke may not be the most suitable choice for hunting. That was my rationale for getting it threaded for chokes.
 
Scattergun sights on a hunting shotgun? Maybe for deer and bear. Wouldn’t use that for birds.
 
Like I said, hunting isn't the primary role for this gun. I simply want to be able press it in that role if need be.

Fair enough. I’d drill and tap for removable chokes. Flight wads are great but limit ammo choice.
 
I can't find any more Flightcontrol 3 inch 00 buck anywhere . Anybody know ? I had my 14 inch threaded and bought flush fit chokes . Good to go .
 
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