Choke stuck

[csmith99]

How is your barrel after that? Threads okay? Do the factory chokes still fit in properly?

Well, had to get the brass brush out and scrape the melted plastic off the end of the barrel where the split on the choke had been, but other than that it's perfect.

 

[csmith99]

It is a full choke tube - did you shoot steel shot through it? You should not shoot steel in a full choke, that may have caused it.. or possibly just a faulty tube... The threads appear dry though and that is not a good thing.

Well, the packaging for the choke states that it can be used with either steel or lead.

The guys at Bass Pro think it's faulty. I took it up there this afternoon and they replaced it with a new Briley Extended Full.

I cleaned it up for the photo. It was soaked with oil and stuff and you couldn't see the crack that well.

 

[csmith99]

All that to save $3 or $4 on a choke tube ?

A mistake made once is a mistake. A mistake made twice is stupidity. Trust me when I say I won't make this mistake a second time! Got a new Briley to replace it and won't take this shortcut again.

 

[guntech]

Well, the packaging for the choke states that it can be used with either steel or lead.

I don't know why anyone or company would recommend a full choke for steel shot ... it would cause a lot of stress on the choke and distort the pattern as well.

Steel shot does not require the constriction that lead shot needs, to produce good patterns. In fact too much constriction, causes poor, erratic patterns, and in some cases, permanently damages the barrel. I have seen barrels bulged at the choke, I have seen barrels where the choke split right open, from using steel shot.

For steel shot, with thin barrels, chokes should be altered to at least Skeet II. Often, over & under, and side-by-side shotguns, are best altered to Skeet I and Skeet II chokes. Heavier barrels can be left at Modified choke but may see an improvement in the pattern if opened slightly.

Choke designation from the tightest to the most open are:
Extra Full, Full, Improved Modified, Modified, Skeet II, Improved Cylinder, Skeet I, and Cylinder Bore.

 

[beretta boy]

Sage advice from Guntech, as usual.

IMHO, for what it's worth, after 40 years of shooting literally tons of lead, and experiance with steel over the past dozen or so years :

Stick with LEAD ONLY [for Turkey hunting] with that Briley Extra Full ...
( Kent Tungsten Matrix & Bismuth are also O.K.) but Products like Remington's old "Hevi Shot" and newer "Wingmaster HD" and similar non-toxics from Winchester and Federal are all iron/steel based composites and are still much harder than lead pellets ... they generally do not respond to tight chokes in the same manner that lead does.

If you want to shoot steel [for waterfowl] get yourself a couple of original equipment Remington Skeet and Imp. Cylinder chokes, ( I assume you already have the Modified that came with the gun) ... and pattern them all at a MEASURED 40 yards, with the shells you will actually hunt with, to determine which provides the most even, well-distributed patternS.

Large steel shot often works best with Skeet or Imp. Cylinder, smaller stuff like 2's & 4's, generally with Imp. Cylinder or Modified.

For those of us who grew up with lead, most found, usually by trial and error, that their wingshooting actually improved when using Modified or Imp.Cylinder chokes. Far more game is taken with a shotgun at UNDER 30 YARDS than over. It takes a very skilled and experianced wingshooter to effectively use full choke, with lead, to take game consistantly at 4o yards and beyond where full choke patterns are best utilized.

More is not always better !

Tough lessons ... but good advice is often very hard to come by at the
"Big Box" stores.

 

[easy]

mother's day hijack

Easy has been hijacked by his girl.
Tell Easy to buy her a nice puppy.
A Ridgeback or Boxer would be O.K. or a border collie if a farm came with it.
Tell Easy for mother's day he needs to get her a puppy, or a beretta.

 

[beretta boy]

easy =

 

[csmith99]

Sage advice from Guntech, as usual.

Here here!!! I read it twice just so I'd remember that advice.

Stick with LEAD ONLY [for Turkey hunting] with that Briley Extra Full ... ( Kent Tungsten Matrix & Bismuth are also O.K.)

My Turkey shot this year is Kent, and I have a HS Strut Turkey choke for it, and am using it in my Beretta 391!! [/quote]

but Products like Remington's old "Hevi Shot" and newer "Wingmaster HD" and similar non-toxics from Winchester and Federal are all iron/steel based composites and are still much harder than lead pellets ... they generally do not respond to tight chokes in the same manner that lead does.

This "no lead over water" thing has really messed up the shooting world. I've just gotta learn more chemistry to keep up!!

If you want to shoot steel [for waterfowl] get yourself a couple of original equipment Remington Skeet and Imp. Cylinder chokes, ( I assume you already have the Modified that came with the gun) ... and pattern them all at a MEASURED 40 yards, with the shells you will actually hunt with, to determine which provides the most even, well-distributed patterns.

Well, I'm not a big waterfowl shooter, not that I'd ever get much of a chance.... my hunting buds prefer upland shooting. Yes, I have the ONE original Remington choke that came with that gun.... I believe it was I/C.

Large steel shot often works best with Skeet or Imp. Cylinder, smaller stuff like 2's & 4's, generally with Imp. Cylinder or Modified.

So I'm safe with my I/C for the most part. I got the Full to tighten down my pattern. Even though I wasn't using steel in it, it still messed up pretty bad.

For those of us who grew up with lead, most found, usually by trial and error, that their wingshooting actually improved when using Modified or Imp.Cylinder chokes. Far more game is taken with a shotgun at UNDER 30 YARDS than over. It takes a very skilled and experianced wingshooter to effectively use full choke, with lead, to take game consistantly at 4o yards and beyond where full choke patterns are best utilized.

So I/C it is from here on, because that 870 is only my backup gun now that I have my Beretta! It will come with me on the occasional upland Grouse hunt, but that's it. My 391 will be my main gun for all other birds.

More is not always better !

I keep trying to tell the wife that.....

Tough lessons ... but good advice is often very hard to come by at the "Big Box" stores.

Advice??? They are supposed to dispense advice too?????

Speaking of which, thanks for all of yours, and Guntech's, and everyone else who pitched in during my moment of need! That's why I love this place.

 

[beretta boy]

The choke that comes with Rem 870 Express or Express Super Mags is usually
Modified. For your grouse hunting, my choke selection would be Skeet.

No matter ... PATTERN your loads, so you can see what you've got on
paper ...don't guess !

 

[Grouse Man]

When in doubt, use the more open choke.

 

[csmith99]

The choke that comes with Rem 870 Express or Express Super Mags is usually
Modified. For your grouse hunting, my choke selection would be Skeet.

No matter ... PATTERN your loads, so you can see what you've got on
paper ...don't guess !

Picked up a roll of thick brown wrapping paper to use a "target" when I pattern this summer, and have a few new chokes picked out for my next trip to my local gun shop.

My Beretta 391 came with a full compliment of chokes (gotta love 'all inclusive') so there's no worries there.

 

[csmith99]

When in doubt, use the more open choke.

For the 870 I'll use the modified and get an Improved Cylinder and a Skeet II. That ought to cover it.

For anything else, I'll grab my Beretta!