Choke reaming

[stovepipe699]

I have a 500 Mossberg with a fixed full choke, and just found out you're not supposed to shoot steel shot through it. The gunsmith wants $45 to ream it to a Mod, cabelas sells a new Vent rib barrel with accu choke for $155(not sure if chokes come with). Is it tricky to ream the choke? Is the reamer pricey? My brother has the same shotgun and will need to get his done as well. Not sure what to do, advice please.

Rob

 

[madtrapper143]

I would pay the 45.00 and have the gun reamed. Reamers are not cheap and would not pay for them selves for two guns. A lathe is also required to ream the choke properly.

regards Darryl

 

[gunpro]

$45 is a more than reasonable price if this gent is competant in what he is charging for. Seen many guys charging $75 or more for the same work. Pay it, get it done or the next thing you would be doing is buying a new barrel.

 

[sunray]

Cabelas won't ship to Canada anyway. However, a Mossberg 500 barrel shouldn't be hard to find. Your local smithy can order one for you.
A reamer runs around $50US from Brownell's, so $45 isn't unreasonable.

 

[Wendell]

Wholesale Sports stocks a wide selection of Mossberg 500 barrels.

http://www.wholesalesports.com/onlinestore/control/keywordsearch?SEARCH_OPERATOR=AND&SEARCH_STRING=mossberg&x=16&y=9

 

[guntech]

The price is right but have the choke opened up slightly more to Skeet II.

Steel shot does not require much constriction for the best patterns and longest distance. Too much constriction distorts the pattern.

 

[stovepipe699]

Thanks or the advice guys. I've already dropped the gun off, in fact it may already be reamed to mod. It's getting fired with 3 " steel BB 1550 fps shells for Geese, 7 1/2 lead 1200 fps for clay pigeons, upland etc. I thought everyone was opening up their fixed full chokes to mod. If the job isn't done yet I could get it opened up more, but it could be too late. Sunray, we have Cabelas in Canada now, they bought S.I.R. in Winnipeg.

Rob

 

[John Marshall]

My smith will put in a threaded choke for 45$ plus tax. That might be a better way to go?

 

[stovepipe699]

My guy told me it would be a couple hundred to put a threaded choke. Maybe it depends how they do it.

 

[weimajack]

I will ream and tread your barrel (12 Ga.) for screwed chokes for $125.00

Steel shot choke (Colonial Arms) are $51.60 each.

For steel shots, I will recommend at chamber, a long forcing cone. This alteration will manage gun action and your shoulder.

Thanks

Jacques
Armurerie du Lac

 

[stovepipe699]

Got the gun back today, the smith did the choke on the large side of mod and polished the chamber and bbl. Tommorow I will try it on Canada geese, I'm sure it will be fine, since I was killing them before with the full choke. I'm going to try different sizes of shot and see what happens. Thanks again and cheers!

 

[Grouse Man]

Most likely you'll have an even deadlier pattern now. Smart move you made.

 

[canucklehead]

I found that MOD with steel shoots almost as tight as FULL with lead. Your milage may vary - but I always drop down one choke when working with steel.

 

[stovepipe699]

Well, I went out for Canadas this morning, and I seem to be getting more kills. The pattern is about 25"-30" at 30 yards, and looks like a reasonable density. Now I have a new problem though, when I fire, the action is opening and ejecting the shell on it's own! I don't know what that could possibly have to do with the choke change, but it never did that before. Tommorow it goes back to the smith.

 

[Grouse Man]

Before you make that trip, just double check that it was assembled correctly and the mag cap is snug.

My Winchester 2200 (rotary bolt) essentially unlocks after the shot as well and even opens partially, but doesn't eject the shell. That's particularly hard to imagine.