shooting without a choke?

[98%Brent]

I have a Mossberg 500 that I shot today and somewhere along the line my choke tube worked itself loose sending it to the bush. I only fired about 20 rounds of #4 lead shot but with my luck it came out on the first few rounds but my question is this. Will my choke threads be damaged by this or do you think I'm okay? Looking at the threads they look fine but I figured I better ask for some opinions.

Thanks

 

[Etter]

Try screwing it back in & see if it tightens up properly. If it wants to prematurely get tight, may have some damage to tube threads or barrel threads.

 

[rem870winger]

etter is right that is about all you can do unless you take it to a gunsmith and spend a bunch of cash getting them to re thread the barrel

 

[B]

Shooting without the choke or anything inplace could damage your threads pretty severely. Whether or not that has happened can't be determined until you try to put in another choke.

 

[98%Brent]

Thanks for the replies! I looked at the threads and they look okay but didn't realize the choke came out until after I got home. Anyone have an idea as to how far the choke could fly from the muzzle distance wise? I'm tempted to go back in the morning to see if I can find it but don't see a point if the thing is 100 yards in the bush.

 

[zenmagic]

Clean and lube your threads up real well before trying to put another choke tube in.

With any luck, maybe you never put a choke tube in after you cleaned it last and it's at home sitting on your work bench.

 

[Claybuster]

Your gun should be fine. I've done it unintentionally and with no harm to the threads. The potential risk of damage by shooting a few rounds though a gun without the choke tube in place is way overblown.

 

[gixer]

You'll be fine. I was out in the marsh with my citori duck hunting with mod in top barell, and full in bottom, and kept having teal buzz us really close in to the blind, so I pulled out both chokes and "shot the threads" all morning. Not a mark on the threads, the wad will protect them. I was shooting steel #3's, No worries.

gixer.

 

[Covey Ridge]

I agree with CB, but I would never do it intentionally or advise such, no matter how close the target.

 

[98%Brent]

Thanks again for all the replies. I figured I would update how everything went. The threads were fine but had some wadding that gummed them up and found my choke tube on the ground about ten feet from where I was shooting. Once the threads were cleaned the choke went in nice and smooth and snuged it up tight so this never happens again.

All in all it was a good day as I got to put three boxes through my M305, ten through my SKS, and two through my 12 gauge.

Cheers

 

[sherlockbonez]

Put some grease on it and it won't come loose as easily.

 

[98%Brent]

Put some grease on it and it won't come loose as easily.

Thanks for the tip! I was thinking of using a dab of blue thread locker but grease sounds like a better idea.