[Guyon]

Put a new choke in my 870 today and just for kicks and giggles, I shone a light down into the barrel to make sure it was seating okay. Turns out the choke isn't centering up perfectly. There's a little more of an exposed "rim" (of the barrel) on one side than the other. Not a problem, I think, because none of the choke is exposed such that shot can actually catch on it. Just looks like the choke threads are a little off center. Put in another choke just to check and it looked much the same.

Normal? Or just another example of diminishing quality control at Big Green?

[HSMITH]

Since you have not posted concentricity values, roundness values or anything else numerical relating to the quality/symmetry I would assume that you do not have the tools or access to the tools to define those values. For a guy like you, and a guy like you comprises 99.5% of shotgunners so don't get put off, you MUST shoot patterns to see what the impact of that particular choke will be on the patterns AND the point of impact for your particular shotgun. A choke that is not round will throw patterns that are not round. A choke that is not concentric with the bore will throw patterns away from the line of the bore. You MUST shoot patterns to determine what that particular choke means to YOU in your particular shotgun.

If that sounds like the same old song I play it is. There really is no alternative. QC at the big green as of the last new poducts I bought (2 -3 years ago) was pretty darn poor. There is a LOT of good product coming out of Remington even today, so don't run away, but you need to be careful what you buy.

[sm]

HSMITH...Agree, danged ole patterned boards...always wanting attn.;)

Guyon, after you pattern and check POA/POI you'll have a baseline. Now, if someone has a Briley, Rhino, Nuline...etc choke that will match threads, and will let you check it out--do so.

Then again , many mfg have let QC slide, why no wonder the choke guys do so much business.

BTW, if you go aftermarket, they will spec and recommend if need forcing cone length and, fit you a choke in thousandths to meet YOUR needs and loads.

Plus, I like knurled external, protects the muzzle, and no stupid wrench to keep up with. Just a thought on options.

[Dave McCracken]

It happens. As was said, pattern and see where POI falls.

Best guess,20% of all tube chokes alter POI enough to matter. ANOTHER reason to pattern!

[Guyon]

Well, the first choke (xtra full Star Dot for lead) in the gun shot just fine. It put a whole lotta led in a turkey target at 30 yards, and it killed five turkeys in the past two seasons.

Besides the new choke (xtra full H.S. Strut for Hevi Shot), I also got new sights that are adjustable as to elevation and windage. So even if the new choke throws the densest part of the pattern slightly left/right/up/down, I hope that I can adjust my sights and be just fine.

If the choke throws shot too far out of whack, I guess I'll just try a choke from another manufacturer. Not every manufacturer is putting out Hevi Shot chokes, but most will probably catch up as these loads catch on.