Mechanical Choke Devices

[RugerMcMarlin]

How many of you grew up shooting guns with choke devices? And find it harder to shoot without one? Cutts Comp/Power Pac/C-lect choke/Poly Choke etc.

The first repeating shotgun I had was mounted with a Weaver Choke. I have had maybe a dozen guns with choke devices , 3 now,

I dont conciously see it. when I shoot.

 

[Virginian]

My first shotgun had one, a Mossberg bolt action 20 with a C-Lect choke. It seemed like a good idea at the time, but I did not like it at all in use. That choke device and a piece of the barrel that blew off with it are still somewhere out in the marsh. Mossberg repaired the gun and I sold it, and I will never own another gun with one.
No one is going to shoot any of the various vented ones, or a ported barrel, near my dog.

 

[Red Cent]

The mechanical choke works but leaves a little to be desired incomarison to a quality screw in choke.

Having said that, I have fired some but I have never owned one. For the casual hunter they serve their intended purpose.

'Course with quail you would screw in the IC and never feel shortchanged all day. And do the same for whatever game you are after for the day.

Skeet would normally require a cylinder bore or a little less.

Now SCs are another matter. Because of the rules of the game, you would dial a choke pattern that would suit the double at hand. May help on the singles.

Trap normally require the most tight of settings for all birds.

If you have shot WobbleClays, choke selection would depend on club selection.

I am not a Polysnob, but I think the ability to select two different chokes for the O/U or SXS to be much more satisfying.

BTW, I have a VG M97 30" barrel with an old PolyChoke attached.

 

[heeler]

Although as Red Cent mentioned they do leave a bit to be desired but the overall utility of it is a great idea for the type of application most were meant for.
Certainly handier than playing dial a choke and then realizing you left the wrench on your cleaning stand.
On both my Mossberg 385 20 gauge and 395 12 gauge they worked pretty good.
Especially the 12 gauge when put on Imp.Cylinder would enable it to fire a Foster slug out to 50 yards with amazing accuracy considering the less than stellar sights.

 

[RugerMcMarlin]

I have 3 sets of choke tubes, 6 briley invector extended,6 Browning Invector plus, and 4 or 5 Midas inv+.

oh yeah, I don't know how many Remchokes in 2 Gauges.

I think the best shotgun I ever had, was a Winchester Model 12 with a Polychoke. I have grown to hate swapping choke tubes.

 

[waidmann]

I agree with the notion that they function. What I have observed over the years is a number of suboptimum installations (based on observed patterns). Anyone acquiring these guns should be aware of the three remedies: absent a rib, bending the barrel; a re-do of some sort resetting the poly or intalling internals; accepting a cylinder bore (and/or locating a second barrel).

I think anyone thinking about buying one ought think twice Accepting as gift or inheritance, different story. I have my Granddad's last gun, a Sportsman 48, 16 ga. with a Poly (factory installed). My Dad says he gave up shooting not long after acquiring it. Little wonder, it a whole pattern off toward 2 o'clock. Its since been beaten into submission with a 4lb. rubber mallet accompanied by an oak block, a stack of cardboard and a box of birdshot. A few people notce the gentle cant but it does work.

 

[RugerMcMarlin]

Yeah, we used to use an old wagon wheel to tweak it a might, just stick it twixt the spokes and crank on it. Not being a SA, thats a quote from an old guy I used to know.

I installed one (vent Polychoke), on one of my 37s, after 3 guys refused to do it, makes sense now it took 3 shots to get it right. But it was worth it. about 60/40 above POA.

 

[mossberg835]

My 16 gauge mossberg bolt action has one and I love it. It's a great gun and damn sure one I'm keeping.

 

[RugerMcMarlin]

PM me if ya want to sell it. Brother has one just like it. says the wood is better than his Montefeltro.

 

[rommer25]

My first Shotgun was a Rem. 870 with a Poly Choke. Where the shot went depended on the choke setting. Mostly, it shot to the left.

 

[Red Cent]

Die hard cowboy. I carry my choke tubes in a snap on shotgun shell holder when I prow the SC range.

For the SKB combo and the Remington Premiere Comp, I may have about twenty. Half shorties and half the long "cool" looking ones. Silver, no gold. One black for the 1187 Premiere. Can't remember the name. Its a Briley for skeet. Supposed to open the pattern more than a cylinder bore. Has vents.