My first shotgun

[SouthronBoy]

Bought my first shotgun at a gunshow yesterday. It's a Westernfield 500A, 26" barrell with an adjustable choke. A Westernfield 500A is a rebranded Mossberg 500. It appears to have an aluminum reciever and will take either 2-3/4 or 3" shells. The serial number is B28xxx, but I don't have any idea how old it is.

I think I'm going to like the shotgun, but *** am I supposed to do with an adjustable choke? How do I adjust it? Does it come off? It looks like it would screw/twist to adjust. It's got three knurled rings that look like they ought to do something.

I intend to buy and keep an 18-1/2" HD barrel on it, but I wouldn't mind trying it out with anti-Bambi slug rounds, or even some birdshot.

 

[DeerSlayer7600]

The choke is adjusted by turning it left to open it up or right to tighten it up most likely, if you're going to try to shoot slugs through it, make sure the choke is wide open.

 

[SouthronBoy]

Deerslayer--

Thanks. The choke is pretty stiff, do you think a blast of Break Free will loosen things up a bit?

 

[chas08]

I own a shotgun with an adjustable choke and it has a spring loaded detent to stop it at different choke settings and it moves very free. I have however had some experience with a western field bolt action adjustable choke gun that a friend once owned and it did not have the spring detent. It seemed to rely on friction to hold the setting. As the gun aged the choke became looser and would have to be adjusted every few shots. So tight might be right. Some lubrication is necessary I'm sure, but I wouldn't work it back and forth till it spins freely. Just my opinion.

 

[foghornl]

You have gotten sage counsel from the previous posters regarding the adjustable choke. Wide open (similar to 'Cylinder Bore' on a fixed choke) or the first tighter setting (Improved Cylinder equivalent) is all I would go using slug/buckshot ammo. Also, note that depending on the age of the barrel, it is probably NOT suitable for use with the 'Un-Leaded' ammo required for waterfowl, unless it is so marked as suitable.

I had a Shooting Budd in my teen years that had a Browning A-5 with the 'Poly-Choke'. He spent more time twisting that thing back-n-forth than he did shooting.....

 

[T-Ray]

 

[DeerSlayer7600]

Break Free or any gun lubricant would be fine to use.

 

[SouthronBoy]

Pictures? You want pictures? I can't figure out how to adjust this stupid choke, but you want me to upload a picture on the internet?

I'll see what I can do. Don't hold your breath. Or the Gunny's.