Polychoke, how well does it work?

[USAF_Vet]

I picked up a Remington Sportsman 48 12 gauge today, 28" vent rib barrel with the Polychoke. Just got it today, so I haven't patterned it with the various chokes selected.

How well do these typically work?

If I wanted to shorten the barrel, can the Polychoke be reinstalled?

Can it be fitted with Remington magazine extensions? Due to the reciprocating barrel, I have my doubts.

Its more of a truck gun for now.

 

[tactikel]

Polychokes can be very useful. Back in the day when the majority of shotguns had fixed chokes likely in full, they allowed you to shoot ducks in the morning, pheasants after lunch, and skeet on weekends. I have one on my rem17 and I favor it over the choke tubes popular today. If it is windy and the birds are flushing wild I dial it down, if the birds are holding close I crank it open 2 clicks. Be sure to pattern all settings with any loads you may use. They can be removed and reinstalled any time by a professional. They sold thousands of them for a reason.

 

[Virginian]

They work as advertised. I hate them with a passion.

 

[USAF_Vet]

Care to elaborate on why you hate them?

 

[jaguarxk120]

They are like having a beer can taped to the muzzle of the gun. Upsets the balance of the gun.

But then if your looking for the tacky-Cool look it's right up your alley.

It's a wonder Poly-Choke doesn't offer one with a breaching muzzle.

Just think a adjustable choke and flash hider with the breaching muzzle---- they are missing out on that one.

 

[Willie Sutton]

^^

Many guys don't like the bulge at the end of the barrel.

They are so classic and retro though: My Remington Model 11 has one and it's useful and functional. You can adjust in real time for changing hunting conditions and never lose a tube, or try to change one with wet hands in a sneakbox when it's 34 degrees out and raining.

Like the man said, there's a reason that they sold millions of them.


Willie

.

 

[Fred Fuller]

At the time it offered the best of a set of bad options.

Now, not so much. But if it was original to the gun as you found it, and you use it enough to decide whether or not you like it ... where's the harm? Try it, and if you don't like it, change it.

As to mag extensions, you can use those - just not with barrel clamps.

 

[dogrunner]

Said it before and I'll repeat it here. Polys work as they're designed to and they sure beat carrying a bunch of tubes and the attendant wrench around.

Retro, for sure since the big sale on inserts began, tho you can even get a Poly insert fitted!

Bulge at the end of the bbl? Kinda surprised to hear that with the popularity of crapping up shotguns with rails, side shell clips and every other conceivable bathroom appliance.........fugly, fellas, IS in the eye of the beholder!

 

[jehu]

Many years ago when I was 16 I bought my 1rst shotgun to hunt Doves,Ducks,Geese,Squirels,Rabbits and Quail. I did not have enough money to buy but one gun so I sent it off and had a Polychoke installed. It worked great on the cheap shot gun for everything but it did look like a turd on the end of the barrel.

 

[Sav .250]

Have a De-lux poly on an Ithaca. Been there to many years to count.
Just dial what you want and your good to go.

Shotgun is not out of balance. Lots of items do not "look" pleasing but it`s the performance that counts.

There are more than a few available (chocks) to choose from so do your home work.

If you go by opinions, you get the haters. The guys that like them. But it`s
your decision .

 

[Virginian]

We used to compare them to a certain anatomical feature common to a dog. I had a Mossberg with a C-Lect choke, their in house version of the same thing. It was not only unsightly, and interfered with my sight picture. I was young and it was my first gun. I have not repeated the error in 55 years.
There is a reason they have almost died off to be replaced by choke tubes. I never change choke tubes in the field, or carry extra tubes with me. Obsessing over exactly the right choke is a mental distraction. Effort better spent learning to shoot.

 

[loose noose]

Virginian, I never used sight picture with a shotgun, I just pointed and shot. Now a rifle or a handgun is a different story. But I do agree with ya the poly choke in my opinion is quite ugly, although I've used them in the distant past.

 

[RPRNY]

They work but...

They are not the optimal shape for a choke, which should have a longish taper and then a distance of parallel walls at desired constriction before shot leaves the barrel.

The Polychoke (which I have on one S/A and really like) is all taper. This matters little up through Modified constriction. With IM, depending on shot size and hardness, patterns begin getting patchy. I have found with mine that soft lead in # 6 and smaller will pattern okay through Full. Harder shot and larger shot doesn't pattern as well from IM tighter. YMMV.

 

[Virginian]

Call it what you will, but if you don't look at the target and position your shotgun properly relative to that, you will never hit anything. Tom Knapp also called it sight picture. He said with enough practice he was able to learn what sight picture worked for shooting targets behind his back. I saw him do it. Good enough for me.

 

[USAF_Vet]

Thanks for the info and opinions. When I hold it, it doesn't feel out of balance. It does tend to interfere with the front bead,and since I already plan to install a fiber optic front sight, I'm pretty sure it'll offer the same interference.
I bought the gun cheap, to be a year round truck gun. I wanted to reduce the barrel length, to the 20" neighborhood. Its not a real piece of history, hundreds of thousands were made, and in lower Michigan, 12 gauge shotguns are a dime a dozen.

I plan on carrying a variety of shells, enough for any off-the-cuff situation, be it squirrels to deer to self defense (I know, the best defense for a truck gun, is to get in my TRUCK, start it and GUN the accelerator).

I will talk to my local gun smith about cutting down the barrel and see what it would cost to remount remount the poly choke. Might be just as well to go with a 20" cylinder bore, and sell the old choke on eBay.

 

[Virginian]

If you want to keep it, I would contact Poly Choke about shortening the barrel and re mounting the choke. They are set up to do it. Anyone else is going to have to remove it and then turn the barrel on a lathe to re mount it, and possibly figure out the threads and set up and cut those. Machining time isn't cheap.

 

[SAGEEN]

I have a polychoke on my 20 ga browning I have had it since I was a teenager
I have always loved it its not bulging like was said I must have an older one maybe 60s or 70s it has been my favorate small game shotgun.
you just move it a click or 2 and you have tighten or open up the spread pattern also( short- long )distance. the gun for me ...its a keeper leave yours alone until you shoot it and try see the patterns ...you might like it as it is...no changing your gun... the money you save you can buy ammo for it

 

[Fred Fuller]

I doubt having the barrel shortened and set up for choke tubes (thin wall type if needed) would cost any more than having the Poly reinstalled. I've seen one short barrel with a Poly on it - of you think they look bad on a long barrel ... . And it will play havoc with using the bead as well on a shorter barrel. Prepare to hold high, or shoot low...

 

[utbrowningman]

I have a JC Higgins (Sears) 102.25 which is the same as the Stevens 520A, designed by JM Browning. It was my grandfather's and probably dates from the 1930s. I like it because it is what was available at the time - makes it a "period" shotgun. And it was how my grandfather used it.

 

[drcook]

Depending on how thin the walls of the barrel are, there are only a couple folks in the country I would trust to do the job. Briley is one, Kirby the Gunsmith is the other. You can have Mike Orlen do the work, but he uses Colonial choke tubes. Briley has their own, Kirby his own, prepare to pay over 200.00 for thin wall choke tubes, including installation, these end up being matched to the barrel. Kirby's are proprietary.

I have a short barreled Ithaca 37 16ga with a poly-choke on it. I turned it into a gun for my wife.

They make great brush guns. When hunting woodcock a gun with even a 26 in barrel can be over barreled. I have had them come up in brush so thick you can't get a longer barrel cleared to shoot.

Rabbits in a briar patch, close in woodcock or grouse, with the chances of moving into clearer areas and needing a tighter choke is where they excell.