Cleaning with screw-in chokes

Me, I'd leave the choke tube in place - in the bore - while cleaning the bore. Following that, I'd remove the choke tobe, wipe it off, relubricate it, and then replace it before storing the shotgun (or barrel).
 
Lubricate with something like Never-Seize a heavy sticky grease that will protect the threads much better than oil.
 
Clean with the chokes installed. They are the tightest part of the bore and collect the most plastic residue from the wads, ground in along with carbon so they need cleaning the most. With the correct choke tubes properly installed in a well made gun there is no gap so it presents as one smooth clean tube. About every 500-1000 rounds I pull the choke tubes after my usual thorough barrel cleaning routine and clean the threads in the barrel and on the choke tubes, then relube & install, followed by a quick bore wipe and I’m ready to go again. This is my usual routine with a quality gun using best quality choke tubes which are smooth as glass with a perfect fit. If you are using a gun with less than glass smooth barrels and tubes your gun will foul quicker and more heavily.
 
Winchester1973 said:
I clean with chokes removed, once cleaned I install the choke back with anti seize on the threads. Doing it this way is what Beretta recommends for their shotguns
Click to expand...

One problem with regular cleaning with the chokes removed is the likelihood of getting crud in the barrel threads while cleaning and not getting it totally removed. This can result in the tube not being correctly seated when reinstalled which can result in a minuscule gap which will quickly pick up fouling and make the next cleaning more difficult. Most shooters are best served by fixed chokes for any specific use. Removable chokes allow one gun to serve for many different types of shooting but are rarely the best for any of them and frequently result in a less responsive gun. Most shooters after some initial experimenting settle on a favourite choke tube for each barrel and seldom if ever change them after that.
 
Clean the bore with the chokes in. Then remove the chokes and clean the exterior and threads. Wipe off with oil and put a bit of grease or anti-size on the threads. It takes 5 minutes to remove and clean a set of chokes, well worth to time to make sure you don't end up with a stuck choke. I'll also apply some oil to a cleaning patch and wrap it around an undersized bore brush to clean the barrel threads occasionally.
 
Last edited:
Yes I think anti seize is important to a fitting like a choke tube, especially if you're a trap or skeet shooter who really heats up the barrel. My belief is that with significant heat there's a good chance of cooking off an oil and having the resulting varnish actually glue the thing in place. Well, it works that way in cars and they're a fair bit less delicate than shotguns. I have two types of anti-seize, one comes in a little jar and is priced like caviar, the other comes in a stick rather like chapstick and is made by Loctite.
 
Oil or grease is not recommended on the threads when mixed with powder and plastic residue becomes worse than loctite . Use only anti seize .
I have a stack of bbl’s in the shop that were not lubed or cleaned properly.
Just saying .
 
I’m in the camp that cleans the barrels with the choke tubes in place. Then I’ll pull the chokes out and clean the choke tube threads inside the barrels with a toothbrush and solvent to remove old grease and any grit that may get in there when I change tubes. Then I clean any plastic build up in the choke tubes, clean the threads, relube with synthetic grease and reinsert.
Regarding choke tube lube, each to they're own but I’ve used oil and grease and I find that oil doesn’t last very long and doesn’t support the threads as much as I’d like. I prefer synthetic grease because it doesn’t dry out and harden like Dino grease does. Also, I make sure to loosen the tubes after a days shooting and retighten by hand before the next shoot. Also if you have a loose fitting tube the grease will prevent it from loosening up as you shoot when only hand tightening.
 
Lordco sells a stick of anti-seize. Its like a glue stick, but not glue. Very convenient for applying to chokes.

Looks like they're on sale at Graingers right now!

edit - nevermind, out of stock.

I clean with the choke in.
 
Ashcroft said:
Most shooters are best served by fixed chokes for any specific use. Removable chokes allow one gun to serve for many different types of shooting but are rarely the best for any of them and frequently result in a less responsive gun. Most shooters after some initial experimenting settle on a favourite choke tube for each barrel and seldom if ever change them after that.
Click to expand...

I disagree with the fixed choke serving most shooter’s best, the one fixed choke gun I have only does one thing well and that’s shoot nice birdshot patterns. It has less than desirable patterns with buckshot and slugs, my screw in choke guns however shoot good birdshot and buckshot patterns plus have good poa/poi with slugs all out of the same choke. You’re stuck with the fixed choke, aside from reaming it out but then you might as well thread it for chokes and tailor it to do what you want it to. We all know patterns can change with ammo brands as well, if I switch ammo I might switch chokes to get the patterns I want.
 
Licensed to kill said:
Is it prudent to remove the chokes when cleaning the bore on a shotgun with screw-in chokes or not.
Click to expand...

I would not use a brass brush with the chokes removed it could damage the choke threads - that said when I clean my Charles Daley 410 I keep the chokes in - once I am done with the brass brush I remove the chokes and clean with some wads. Before I re-install the chokes I put a drop of oil on the choke threads. End of hunting season I remove the chokes.
 
I guess I should have been more clear. I was asking about taking them out as a matter of practice AFTER cleaning the bores to prevent them from becoming stuck after awhile. I can certainly see how, by the way I worded my post, that it could sound like I meant removing them and THEN cleaning the bores. Screw in chokes seem OK but this is my first and last gun with screw on chokes.
 
Licensed to kill said:
I guess I should have been more clear. I was asking about taking them out as a matter of practice AFTER cleaning the bores to prevent them from becoming stuck after awhile. I can certainly see how, by the way I worded my post, that it could sound like I meant removing them and THEN cleaning the bores. Screw in chokes seem OK but this is my first and last gun with screw on chokes.
Click to expand...

Anti seize is your friend. I had to soak a barrel for a few days, then clamp my choke wrench to a table and use two hands on the barrel to get my choke out once when I was using oil on the chokes. Haven't used oil since, and haven't had a stuck choke even after leaving a gun to sit for months.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom