Screw chokes in an HD shotgun?

[Gary O]

Like many others, my 870 Tactical came with an 18" fixed cylinder choke. I can get a Rem Choke system installed for $100 if that would be useful in a HD shotgun. I could also screw in a x-Full turkey choke and go bust a turkey. What say you? Thanks...

 

[rcmodel]

I would have already done it if it was mine.

Your Cyl bore is perfect for HD.

But not so great for turkey hunting!

rc

 

[rbernie]

I'd probably buy a threaded used 870 barrel, since it's often cheaper than it would cost to get the old barrel threaded.

 

[greyeyezz]

You can get a 20" rifle sight wingmaster barrel with tubes.

 

[jmr40]

I doubt of you can get it threaded and buy 1 tube for $100. You'll come out cheaper selling what you have and either buying a shotgun with the 20" rifle sighted barrel that is threaded or the 21" turkey barrel and using it for HD as well.

I realize it is personal preference but I'd rather have the 20-21" barrel for HD than 18.5 anyway.

 

[Fred Fuller]

Back in the olden days, when dinosaurs ruled the earth and before the settlers in North America cut down all the rain forests, the only way to add variable choke to a short barrel was to put on a PolyChoke. I saw that done a couple of times by people who wanted choke on a short shotgun, but couldn't find a short factory fixed choke barrel.

Then along came folks like Ralph Walker, my gunsmith (Selma, AL) when I was a kid. Ralph did a certain amount of jug chokes in shortened shotguns, but he was really switched on by the advent of choke tubes.

Choke tubes were pretty much it for a while. But they do have their drawbacks. They are another complication, one more thing to worry about having something go wrong with. Chances are that with a good installation, good quality choke tubes suited to the installation, proper maintenance and lubrication by the user that nothing bad will happen with choke tubes in a working shotgun. But there's still that niggle in the back of the mind, that something might go wrong.

I've had choke tubes installed in several 18-20" barrels over the years. And had a couple of companies do the work, mostly Colonial because when I was doing most of my experimenting they were still doing business in Selma (now they've moved to Bay Minette). And I've never had a bit of a problem with choke tubes in an 870 barrel, so far. I don't really expect to have problems, either. (But there's still those horror stories I've heard...)

Now that Remington has 18.5" RS barrels pretty widely available, with tritium sight inserts even, to go along with the fixed factory MOD choke, there's another option available. I figured with the advent of FliteControl buckshot, a CYL bore would be all I'd ever need again. I was set, and didn't have to worry about all the complications any more (did I mention I like really tight buckshot patterns?)

But then came the ammo shortage - and that fixed MOD choke made a lot of that buy-what-you-can-find buckshot pattern a lot better. So here we are with things back up in the air again.

And choke tubes might well be some help with all that...

 

[Master Blaster]

For 170.00 or less you can get a barrel from Cabelas

 

[Onmilo]

I can't think of anything more "Heavy Duty" than using a shotgun for duck and goose hunting!
Choke tubes are now in use un almost every gun and the abuse these guns endure is monumental.

Stuck frozen tubes are common as are tubes that have been scored and pounded open to near cylinder choking from round upon round of steel shot.
Yes, choke tube don't last forever and need to be replaced on a regular basis.

Another thing to be aware of is the larger the shot, i.e. especially using BBB and T steel, the more open or progressive tapered the choke tube needs to be for best results and the same consideration should be applied when choosing a choke tube for shooting buckshot through.
It is also strongly advised to use an extended choke tube that moves the taper away from the barrel threads to prevent the larger steel and lead buckshot loads from hammer peening the choke tube onto the muzzle threads