The Deer Hunter
Member
I forget if I'm supposed to use improved cylinder or modified...I mean, like which one is the tightest I can use?
What choke for steel shot?
- Thread starter The Deer Hunter
- Start date
- Status
MAX100
Member
Manufactures recommend that you don't use any choke with a greater constriction than Modified for steel shot
GC
GC
The Deer Hunter
Member
Ok, I put the Modified choke in my gun.
Dave McCracken
Moderator In Memoriam
Modified is tighter than IC. Depending on load and range, either may be right.
I am a big fan of choke tubes specifically designed to be used with steel shot.
These tubes extend out past the muzzle and remove the actual choking from the area of the muzzle threads.
This in turn all but eliminates peening of the threads from the hard as barrel steel shot passing the constriction.
Good for the longevity of the barrel and the choke tube.
These steel shot specific tubes also allow the choke constriction to be specifically tailored to pattern as indicated on the tube with steel shot loads.
A modified steel shot tube will pattern as specified, 40-45% saturation of a 30" circle at forty yards.
If you fire lead shot in one of these tubes it will pattern 25-30%/30" circle/40 yards.
A modified lead shot flush fit tube will pattern steel shot in a 55-65%/30" circle/40 yards full choke which sounds great but the shot tends to clump and the shot string tends to run long which means the bird has passed most of the shot before it gets to him.
The steel shot specific tubes are not inexpensive at $30-$40 per tube, but the investment is well spent in performance and barrel longevity.
Every year since the introduction of steel shot and choke tube guns I have made good money removing stuck and shot peened choke tubes from the barrels of shotguns.
The money is good but the work sucks and I would much rather be doing other forms of gunsmithing than this yearly task.
I have yet to see a gun returned for choke tube removal where the owner has heeded my advice and purchased a steel shot specific tube.
I don't hear any complaints about the improved patterning either.
These tubes extend out past the muzzle and remove the actual choking from the area of the muzzle threads.
This in turn all but eliminates peening of the threads from the hard as barrel steel shot passing the constriction.
Good for the longevity of the barrel and the choke tube.
These steel shot specific tubes also allow the choke constriction to be specifically tailored to pattern as indicated on the tube with steel shot loads.
A modified steel shot tube will pattern as specified, 40-45% saturation of a 30" circle at forty yards.
If you fire lead shot in one of these tubes it will pattern 25-30%/30" circle/40 yards.
A modified lead shot flush fit tube will pattern steel shot in a 55-65%/30" circle/40 yards full choke which sounds great but the shot tends to clump and the shot string tends to run long which means the bird has passed most of the shot before it gets to him.
The steel shot specific tubes are not inexpensive at $30-$40 per tube, but the investment is well spent in performance and barrel longevity.
Every year since the introduction of steel shot and choke tube guns I have made good money removing stuck and shot peened choke tubes from the barrels of shotguns.
The money is good but the work sucks and I would much rather be doing other forms of gunsmithing than this yearly task.
I have yet to see a gun returned for choke tube removal where the owner has heeded my advice and purchased a steel shot specific tube.
I don't hear any complaints about the improved patterning either.
bosshoff
Member
F.Y.I. I just purchased a Remington brand "full" choke "Rem Choke" for my 870, which is marked for use with steel shot. How it patterns has not been checked, and is another discussion for a different post.
JohnBT
Member
Let us know. I have one around here somewhere.
JT
JT
- Status