Dave McCracken
Moderator In Memoriam
As some of us know, I ordered a set of chokes from Angle Port by Ballistic Specialties for my Beretta O/U. It uses the Optima Bore barrels, not the older Mobil Choke system.
A/P has a sale on, 5 chokes of your choice for $100. With shipping, it came to $112.50. With Beretta factory chokes listing for $43 each, the price seemed excellent. The question then is, how good can the chokes be?
They seem very good. The set came in a nice box with 6 sections made by Plano,who made a half dozen tackle boxes currently at Casa McC. On the box lid was a list of the constrictions available with the actual amount given as Points Of Constriction. These were engraved in the extended segments of the tubes, 180 degrees from the number 732 also on each tube.
.732" is the nominal bore diameter for Optima barrels..729" is the usual diameter given for 12 gauge so this comprises a very slight overbore. Supposedly overbores are good for recoil and patterns,but Your Humble Scrivener still has his Skeptical hat on.I've gotten very good patterns from tight bores but overbores have not been shown to be detrimental.
The choke itself has the usual long funnel feeding into a short parallel section just before the muzzle.O/A length is about 4", with maybe an inch outside the muzzle and knurled just enough to give good purchase but not rasp off epidermis. These, as is my wont, were extended but not ported.
Some folks would have caressed the tubes with micrometers to check concentricity and trueness to given diameter, but I'm not that obsessed. Nor do I own a micrometer. I just pulled the old chokes out, lubed the threads on the two tightest tubes and tightened them up by hand. Just finger tight.
I took them to PGC this AM and shot them. Two rounds of trap singles, one from the 27 yard line and then a round of Chinese trap with the Geezers.
Little plastic buildup, and with the Claybuster clone wads I use that's something of note.
Then, the acid test. After 125 shots, I checked whether or not the tubes had come loose. I had only snugged them up without putting lots of torque on them.
Still snug, though the least bit of pressure broke them loose nicely.
THAT'S good machining. Not only do the threads match, there's no slop.
The tubes I used were 30 and 20 POC. I also have 15, 10 and 0 POC tubes.
Next time I shoot, I'll move to 20 and 15 and see how that works for Chinese and so forth. 15 and 10 for SC, and 0 and 10 for skeet.
My overall conclusion is these are well made. At the price point, nothing comes close. I may get another set for Remchokes and upgrade divers 870s.
Good job, Angle Port....
A/P has a sale on, 5 chokes of your choice for $100. With shipping, it came to $112.50. With Beretta factory chokes listing for $43 each, the price seemed excellent. The question then is, how good can the chokes be?
They seem very good. The set came in a nice box with 6 sections made by Plano,who made a half dozen tackle boxes currently at Casa McC. On the box lid was a list of the constrictions available with the actual amount given as Points Of Constriction. These were engraved in the extended segments of the tubes, 180 degrees from the number 732 also on each tube.
.732" is the nominal bore diameter for Optima barrels..729" is the usual diameter given for 12 gauge so this comprises a very slight overbore. Supposedly overbores are good for recoil and patterns,but Your Humble Scrivener still has his Skeptical hat on.I've gotten very good patterns from tight bores but overbores have not been shown to be detrimental.
The choke itself has the usual long funnel feeding into a short parallel section just before the muzzle.O/A length is about 4", with maybe an inch outside the muzzle and knurled just enough to give good purchase but not rasp off epidermis. These, as is my wont, were extended but not ported.
Some folks would have caressed the tubes with micrometers to check concentricity and trueness to given diameter, but I'm not that obsessed. Nor do I own a micrometer. I just pulled the old chokes out, lubed the threads on the two tightest tubes and tightened them up by hand. Just finger tight.
I took them to PGC this AM and shot them. Two rounds of trap singles, one from the 27 yard line and then a round of Chinese trap with the Geezers.
Little plastic buildup, and with the Claybuster clone wads I use that's something of note.
Then, the acid test. After 125 shots, I checked whether or not the tubes had come loose. I had only snugged them up without putting lots of torque on them.
Still snug, though the least bit of pressure broke them loose nicely.
THAT'S good machining. Not only do the threads match, there's no slop.
The tubes I used were 30 and 20 POC. I also have 15, 10 and 0 POC tubes.
Next time I shoot, I'll move to 20 and 15 and see how that works for Chinese and so forth. 15 and 10 for SC, and 0 and 10 for skeet.
My overall conclusion is these are well made. At the price point, nothing comes close. I may get another set for Remchokes and upgrade divers 870s.
Good job, Angle Port....