Choke question

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herkyguy

herkyguy

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How long does a choke last?

Background:

I have a Remington 870 28" barrel. I have shot 1000+ rounds of target load while shooting skeet and trap. I have also recently shot 5 rounds of magnum buckshot just to see what the big deal was. My choke is the Rem. modified that came with the gun a little over a year ago.

I have never noticed the wear inside the choke while cleaning after shooting trap, but now when held up to the light, I can see that the last half of the choke is wearing down. The barrel is still spotless, no marks or wear. Could this have been the buckshot? or is it normal wear?

I am not really worried about this affecting the pattern, i mean, it is a shotgun after all, but when do you folks toss a choke and get a new one?

thanks.
 
The buckshot would not normally cause the choke to deform. measure the inside of the exit end. It may be just an optical contusion.
 
Most likely it is plastic wad fouling, or leading from the buckshot.

Normal cleaning procedures involving cotton patches or bore snakes don't remove it.
You need a bronze bore brush on a cleaning rod, or better yet, a Tornado brush.
http://www.midwayusa.com/viewproduct/?productnumber=366957

Chokes don't wear out or change from a lifetime of shooting lead shot or buckshot through them.

Steel shot?
Maybe eventually, but certainly not in 1,000 rounds or less.

rc
 
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I don't think 1000 rounds would shoot out a choke. You may just have lead or melted plastic built up on it. You can unscrew the choke and spray it inside with "Break Free" Let it sit overnight and the plastic from wads will have turned loose and be curled up inside of it the next morning. You can wipe it out with a soft cloth real easy. I find this procedure is an easy way to clean the whole barrel. It takes a lot less scrubbing just to let it sit overnight. That "Break Free" is good stuff and can be bought at Wal-Mart etc.

Whatever you do, DON'T shoot the gun with no choke in it. That can cause damage to the choke threads. If you are worried about the choke, Pattern the gun to confirm it still works to your liking.

Good Luck!
 
I agree probably just melted plastic or leading. It looks more obvious with tighter turkey chokes. I've got a small parts cleaner in my garage with mineral spirits in it. When I'm done shooting I just drop them in there and scrub them out later that night or the next morning with a bore brush. I give them a good wipe down with rem oil or clp and put them back in my case. They look good as new every time.
 
The "Magnum Buckshot" most likely did not have a shotcup. If it was the regular Remington, Winchester, or Federal magnum loadings, like the 12 pellet 00, it did not have the plastic cup. I would just be bare lead and buffer. That would give you a defined lead ring that regular cleaning would not take out. You will have to brush it out, or otherwise put in some elbow grease.
 
The "Magnum Buckshot" most likely did not have a shotcup. If it was the regular Remington, Winchester, or Federal magnum loadings, like the 12 pellet 00, it did not have the plastic cup. I would just be bare lead and buffer. That would give you a defined lead ring that regular cleaning would not take out. You will have to brush it out, or otherwise put in some elbow grease.
Click to expand...

As a matter of fact, it was Federal 12 Ga 2 3/4" buckshot 'magnum' with 12 pellets. you've answered my question! thanks.

I used a steel 'tornado' style cleaning rod today when i got home from shooting trap. once i had cleaned everything, that's when i took a last look in the choke and noticed the lead ring.

I'll put a bit more elbow grease in after soaking it.

good to know chokes last.
 
I have two skeet guns that have probably seen 10,000 rounds each I doubt there has been any choke problems with either one, your probably seeing either plastic wad or lead built up as mentioned above.
 
Not sure but I don't see how or why the buckshot would be the cause for that. I had a 870 3.5" super mag with the 28" barrel with the modified choke that came in it. I shot quite a bit of buckshot through it as it was my deer hunting gun. I also shot some target shells through it just at bottles or cans. I never noticed anything wrong with the choke at all. Most buckshot I shot was 3" or 3.5". Not sure I ever shot 2 3/4" buckshot. Then I later switched to a full choke and shot a lot of skeet with it as well as more than 5 rounds of buckshot and no problems with it either.
 
Not sure but I don't see how or why the buckshot would be the cause for that.
Click to expand...

He didn't say he had problems with it he just said it "looked" like it was wearing down when held up in the light. I think the general consensus here is that the larger buckshot without a shot cup probably leaded up the choke making it look worn while holding it to a light...

It's easier for smaller shot sizes to constrict through the chokes. All of these shells also have wads that carry the shot through the barrel. That's what can cause melted plastic build up in the choke tube. When the larger buckshot is constricted with out a wad, or shot cup it can leave dull looking lead deposits in the choke making it look as if the finish is worn off or some of the metal is gone.
 
Your choke is not wearing out, and Magnum buckshot isn't going to wear it out either. Plenty of barrels have gone over 300,000 rounds and are still shooting fine. Unless someone adds some hard abrasive, lead isn't going to wear down steel in this lifetime. Jacketed rifle bullets going over 3,000 feet per second don't wear out steel rifle barrels, the erosion from the hot gases at over 50,000 psi does that.
 
Cleaned thoroughly this morning as per discussion above. Choke looks brand new after some serious Hoppes soaking, tornado brush until the choke got hot, and elbow grease. Thanks to everyone, i almost thought i needed to toss a perfectly good choke.
 
My main target gun is approaching 90,000 through the same briley chokes - you DO have to clean them - inside and out (along with the threads in the barrel). I use carb/brake cleaner, let it sit for a minute or so, then use a brass brush in a cordless drill - takes that crap right out of there
 
well when using buck shot or slogs you need to use a imp cyl but it is the plastic wading that made the marks in the choke because it was
 
well when using buck shot or slogs you need to use a imp cyl but it is the plastic wading that made the marks in the choke because it was
Click to expand...
I disagree with this. I don't know about slugs as I've never shot them. I hear though that more open is better.

However, for buckshot I don't agree. I shoot it through a full choke. When I used the 870 super mag to hunt with I patterned it with a full and a modified and the full patterned the best. A buddy uses a Buck Kicker full in his. Most everyone I hunt with uses full chokes with buckshot. There are a few who use modified chokes as they patterned better in their gun. However, quite a few of them use fulls with no problem.
 
An easy way to clean choke tubes is to take an old cleaning rod and chop it down to something manageable (say 8-12") and chuck it up in your cordless drill. Place a standard bronze brush on the end of it and hold that choke tube tight....mere seconds and all that plastic will be removed.

When the bronze brush gets beat up and ineffective, wrap some strands of Chore Boy around it and press on.

No soaking, hardly any elbow grease and a lot less time...

Ed
 
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