loose choke.

[bigjohn]

after i got back from the range today i cleaned my gun as usual, oiled it up and took out the choke to oil and clean the threads. upon unscrewing it i noticed the choke was already very loose. its practically a brand new 870 express. (4th time she's gotten a thorough run through) i put about 100 rounds through it if it makes a difference.

my questions: is this common?

and since it was the first time i removed the choke could it have very well been loose after the first time i took her out???


i searched to no avail. sorry if its been asked and answered.

[sm]

Common - Yes.

I never tighten chokes more than "finger snug".

One reason I prefer external knurled chokes - easy to to just reach up and "finger snug" check from time to time. Oh, I hate choke tube wrenches - period.
Just another something to keep up with.

Then again I started shooting before choke tubes, I often shoot fixed choked guns today still.

Yes It could have been loose from the factory - most all I have removed were "wrench tight" from the factory though.

Just use a good anti-sieze choke lube. I often just use RIG + P because it is handy.

[vesmcd]

First rule of shooting a new gun: Clean it of all packing grease/lube, re-lube and inspect for loose parts(including choke tubes, every one I've seen could be unscrewed by sticking your finger in it and twisting). Choke tubes should be installed with choke tube lube and tube wrench. Be sure to not over tighten as some (thin wall tubes especially) can override the shoulder in the barrel and cause big problems (I speak from experience:( ).
I see SM beat me to a reply. My experience with brand new tubes is the opposite of his , all were loose.

[bigjohn]

as long as it's "common"

i was thinkin it was wasnt. thanks. and for the record, i did clean it before i shot it. i did everything by the book.

[PJR]

It's very common to have tubes come loose. If you want to reduce it don't use oil on the tube threads. I use Briley choke tube grease but only because they gave me a bunch when I bought some choke tubes. Any similar grease will do. It prevents the choke from seizing but is sticky enough to stop it from backing out.

I use a choke wrench to snug the tubes into the gun including the extended chokes. Not too tight but just snug.

One of the things to watch about extended chokes is to NOT get in the habit of giving them a final check just before shooting. I've seen several shooters reach up and check their chokes tubes while standing in the box, gun loaded, finger near the trigger.:what: When I mentioned it to them after they were done shooting each one said they didn't even realize it. They are used to repeatedly hand tightening their chokes and just did so out of habit even though the gun was loaded.

[sm]

PJR :
One of the things to watch about extended chokes is to NOT get in the habit of giving them a final check just before shooting. I've seen several shooters reach up and check their chokes tubes while standing in the box, gun loaded, finger on the trigger.

Bold type mine - Four Rules of Safety Always!

PJR - Great reminder!


See, something "for" shooting a plain rib , fixed choked shotgun with NO front bead.

No chokes to mess with, no vent rib to become "unstaked" and slide forward, and no bead to get caught on a rag wiping down barrel or snag on gun case.

I got this figured out.

:D

[Dave McCracken]

Good point, Paul. Safety is our first priority.

Anti sieze compound works great on tube threads. Keeps them tight but no probs when changing or cleaning.

Steve, you are a minimalist at heart....

[sm]

Folks think I am kidding - I am not.

I used to have nice gun cases, cotton duck and Boyt leather, then as time went on I went to using cases with busted zippers, handles missing, iron on patches here there...all over...stuffing made for fly tying material...guns *sometimes* actually stayed in the cases if I used enough shoestring, cheap string or rawhide boot laces..

I retired the SX1 finally [ I think] and when I stuck it in its Sack-Up...umm...the barrel went thru the toe. :p

So the kids and ladies at this tribute [after they quit laughing] presented me with New Sack-Ups. Seems the dogs got my Sack-Up for my Model 94 and ran off with it and had a good old time...

SX1 and Model 94 have new Sack-Ups - Folks made sure I actually put the guns in them...

NEF Youth 20 Single Shot is using the Sack-Up " gosh, that one is older than me" - one of the kids, and then HBR said "me too" <Steve cuts eyes and smirks>.

So I darned the toe, [ Read : Tie a Rawhide Bootlace on the end so gun can't poke thru] and that old Sack-Up is good to go for who knows how long.

<HBR just rolls eyes and pretends she does not know me>

Beads: Found an old old Lucky Strike Cigarette Tin, inside shotgun beads. It was on a shelf with a Metal quart Can of Wolf's Head 30 wt oil .

I gave this memorabilla to someone, I was passing out memorabilla to kinfolks with stories...

That tin had beads we removed on purpose from various guns over the years.

Minimalist:
Started w-a-y before the Tribute came up and I was getting in shape [Read: lots of shooting, and stuff like shooting from the bed of moving truck "at a pretty good clip" <HBR going " you break your neck, don't come running to me">].

The more everything goes hi-tech and whiz bang, the more backwards I go.

Since the Tribute, I think I have only toted a shotgun once, I just show up, use what handy, and shoot what ammo is handy.

Don't care what platform or gauge - adult or youth or "kid's size". Though I do gravitate to a single shot most often, and in instructing prefer a youth single shot .410.

HBR asked " Where will you go from here?"

I get ahead, I wanna SxS BP shotgun in a Leather sleeve to learn and shoot more.

Not about me - never really was, shotgunnig is an Art & Science- big part of that is preserving and passing on this shotgunning stuff.

Medals, prizes, trophies are...*shrug* I know what I did, and can do.
It is about the people, the experiences shared and all that...

My last time using a shotgun - I never broke a target. Granted all the "shells" were hulls reloaded with primers only. I had a ball...

"You have such a boyish grin" - HBR
'Nope, just a face my Mentors had and I understand why'
"Looks boyish to me, and I like it".

To keep it- give it away.

[bigjohn]

sm: i often use RIG + P


what exaclty is this?

:confused: :confused:

i dont know alot of the lingo on here.

[TrapperReady]

what exaclty is this?


It's a lubricant. (http://www.silencio.com/htfiles/chemicals.html)

[sm]

RIG
RIG +P

Rust Inhibiting Grease

http://www.silencio.com/

http://www.silencio.com/htfiles/chemicals.html

RIG Products can be found in most Mom&Pop Gun stores and Franchises such as Academy Sports.


RIG - as the link shares, is an old proven method of preventing corrosion.
RIG + P is a great lube for "pressure areas". At one time , in the early stages of Stainless Steel Semi autos, 'galling' occurred as the alloys for slide and frame the same [hardness if you will] RIG+P prevented this galling -
MFG's discovered using different alloys for frame and slide lessened galling.

Blued Guns did/don't have this problem.

RIG+ P just works - period - for pressure areas. Choke tubes, hinge pins and such.

RIG products are not expensive and last a l-o-n-g time - both the products, and the products on firearms.

HTH

[bigjohn]

thanks guys.