Slugs - Choke or no choke?

HKguy9 · April 21, 2002, 08:48 PM

OK at the range, some guys said that shooting slugs from a choked barrel (I think it's an IC choke) will mess up the choke.

Others said I should shoot with the choke, because I rather have a slug ruin a choke, than buckshot ruin the threads in my barrel.

What's the verdict?

Texas2NC · April 21, 2002, 08:53 PM

I am not real up on chokes... but can't you take it out for slugs and put it back in for buckshot?

HKguy9 · April 21, 2002, 08:56 PM

No, I will be using it for 3-gun matches where I must go back and forth between buck and slugs....

49hudson · April 21, 2002, 09:14 PM

not recommended for full choke, modified or improved cyl. chokes are okay.

C.R.Sam · April 21, 2002, 10:36 PM

What 49Hudson said...............plus.
Try em in your gun to see what works. Each gun is an individual and may or may not like any given load. Gotta play with a bunch to see what works for you.

Same applies to your buck loads.

Sam

Dave McC · April 22, 2002, 04:54 AM

The guys nailed it. Also, never shoot anything through a tube choked bbl w/o a tube in place. Oft the bbl steel is so thin it'll expand w/o the tube, and then be useless.

tyudi5bs · April 22, 2002, 01:01 PM

If you shoot a slug through a choke, you'll most likely loose the choke and destroy the end of the barrel. Just look at the size of the slug compared to the choke, notice how the choke hole is smaller?

I'm not claiming to be an expert here, that's just what i did with my turkey choke and then called my local gun shop and they were the ones that said it'd blow the choke right off the end of the barrel. I don't know about other chokes.

I've replaced the barrel on my 870 with a Mossberg cylinder bore barrel. It shoots slugs fine, and clays without any choke.

Good luck either way.

9mmMike · April 22, 2002, 03:13 PM

Turkey chokes are waaaaaaaay tight. You're darn tootin' that you don't want to try to squeeze a slug through one of those!
Mike

HKguy9 · April 22, 2002, 04:59 PM

OK It's an IC choke.

So it's NOT a problem, right, i.e. the thing is wide enough?

Correia · April 22, 2002, 05:14 PM

Skunk, IC is the widest of any choke. (correct me if I'm wrong here guys). I shoot slugs through my IC choke riot barrel with no problem.

I have an extra full choke on my 30 inch barrel. I can only imagine shooting a slug through it.

Dave McC · April 22, 2002, 07:15 PM

Going from most open to tightest, here's the progression with the most commonly accepted amount of contriction in thousandths....

Cylinder (0)

Skeet (5)

Improved cylinder (10)

Light Modified (15)

Modified (20)

Improved Modified (25)

Light Full (30)

Full (35)

Extra Full (40)

Too darn tight(anything above 40)

Naturally, some differ on just what constitutes a given choke. Back before choke tubes, we got along fine with 3 degrees of choke, IC, Mod, and Full. But since so many of us are willing to spend lots of money trying to find a gadget that will make up for our less than perfect shooting, choke degrees are proliferating like Bacilli. Many of the upscale choke makers list 10 sizes.

And actually, choke is determined by the percentage of pellets with a 30" pattern at 40 yards by the classic standard. We use Points Of Constriction as a shorthand and easy method of reference.

Slugs tend to work best through the chokes more open than Modified.

HTH...

goosegunner · April 23, 2002, 05:08 AM

Shooting slugs tru a full-choke will not neseserily demage your gun, I have shot slugs with my Marlin "Goosegun" (91cm barrel, extra full choke) (after consulting a gunsmith) and that works fine. But be sure you use soft rifled slugs (foster style?) and not hard "brenneke"- slugs (german style) and not sabot- slugs.

The accuracy in my goosegun is not wery good with slugs, but it is fun anyway.

(see this thread:
http://www.thefiringline.com/forums/...+in+full+choke )

huntsman · April 24, 2002, 10:37 AM

you can shoot foster type slugs through a fixed choke barrel up to and including full choke, no problems. I use a mod choke for slugs and buck for hunting a critter control, it gives a bit more range to the remington buckshot and the brenneke slugs work fine.

Kernel · April 24, 2002, 11:53 AM

For reference here's link to some old Slug/Choke Threads. -- Kernel

April 21, 2002, 08:48 PM	#1
HKguy9 Senior Member Join Date: December 1, 2001 Posts: 2,132	Slugs - Choke or no choke? OK at the range, some guys said that shooting slugs from a choked barrel (I think it's an IC choke) will mess up the choke. Others said I should shoot with the choke, because I rather have a slug ruin a choke, than buckshot ruin the threads in my barrel. What's the verdict? __________________ P7M8, VP9

April 21, 2002, 08:53 PM	#2
Texas2NC Senior Member Join Date: March 19, 2002 Location: North Carolina Posts: 185	I am not real up on chokes... but can't you take it out for slugs and put it back in for buckshot? __________________ David "Preacher" Slocum http://www.bastaards.org

April 21, 2002, 08:56 PM	#3
HKguy9 Senior Member Join Date: December 1, 2001 Posts: 2,132	No, I will be using it for 3-gun matches where I must go back and forth between buck and slugs.... __________________ P7M8, VP9

April 21, 2002, 09:14 PM	#4
49hudson Member Join Date: October 2, 2001 Location: okla. Posts: 99	slugs not recommended for full choke, modified or improved cyl. chokes are okay.

April 22, 2002, 03:13 PM	#8
9mmMike Senior Member Join Date: January 6, 2000 Location: SE PA Posts: 1,049	Turkey chokes are waaaaaaaay tight. You're darn tootin' that you don't want to try to squeeze a slug through one of those! Mike __________________ "Freedom is not free" Visit TheRallyPoint.org TheRallyPoint at LRGC- Saturday August 26th IF YOU LIVE IN PA AND DID NOT VOTE, YOU DESERVE TO LOSE YOUR GUNS!

April 21, 2002, 10:36 PM	#5
C.R.Sam Senior Member Join Date: October 29, 1999 Location: Dewey, AZ Posts: 12,858	What 49Hudson said...............plus. Try em in your gun to see what works. Each gun is an individual and may or may not like any given load. Gotta play with a bunch to see what works for you. Same applies to your buck loads. Sam

April 22, 2002, 04:54 AM	#6
Dave McC Staff In Memoriam Join Date: October 13, 1999 Location: Columbia, Md, USA Posts: 8,811	The guys nailed it. Also, never shoot anything through a tube choked bbl w/o a tube in place. Oft the bbl steel is so thin it'll expand w/o the tube, and then be useless.

April 22, 2002, 01:01 PM	#7
tyudi5bs Junior Member Join Date: April 15, 2002 Location: VA Posts: 9	If you shoot a slug through a choke, you'll most likely loose the choke and destroy the end of the barrel. Just look at the size of the slug compared to the choke, notice how the choke hole is smaller? I'm not claiming to be an expert here, that's just what i did with my turkey choke and then called my local gun shop and they were the ones that said it'd blow the choke right off the end of the barrel. I don't know about other chokes. I've replaced the barrel on my 870 with a Mossberg cylinder bore barrel. It shoots slugs fine, and clays without any choke. Good luck either way.

April 22, 2002, 04:59 PM	#9
HKguy9 Senior Member Join Date: December 1, 2001 Posts: 2,132	OK It's an IC choke. So it's NOT a problem, right, i.e. the thing is wide enough? __________________ P7M8, VP9

April 22, 2002, 05:14 PM	#10
Correia Senior Member Join Date: December 3, 1998 Location: SLC Utah Posts: 3,740	Skunk, IC is the widest of any choke. (correct me if I'm wrong here guys). I shoot slugs through my IC choke riot barrel with no problem. I have an extra full choke on my 30 inch barrel. I can only imagine shooting a slug through it.

April 22, 2002, 07:15 PM	#11
Dave McC Staff In Memoriam Join Date: October 13, 1999 Location: Columbia, Md, USA Posts: 8,811	Going from most open to tightest, here's the progression with the most commonly accepted amount of contriction in thousandths.... Cylinder (0) Skeet (5) Improved cylinder (10) Light Modified (15) Modified (20) Improved Modified (25) Light Full (30) Full (35) Extra Full (40) Too darn tight(anything above 40) Naturally, some differ on just what constitutes a given choke. Back before choke tubes, we got along fine with 3 degrees of choke, IC, Mod, and Full. But since so many of us are willing to spend lots of money trying to find a gadget that will make up for our less than perfect shooting, choke degrees are proliferating like Bacilli. Many of the upscale choke makers list 10 sizes. And actually, choke is determined by the percentage of pellets with a 30" pattern at 40 yards by the classic standard. We use Points Of Constriction as a shorthand and easy method of reference. Slugs tend to work best through the chokes more open than Modified. HTH...

April 23, 2002, 05:08 AM	#12
goosegunner Member Join Date: February 16, 2002 Location: norway Posts: 81	Shooting slugs tru a full-choke will not neseserily demage your gun, I have shot slugs with my Marlin "Goosegun" (91cm barrel, extra full choke) (after consulting a gunsmith) and that works fine. But be sure you use soft rifled slugs (foster style?) and not hard "brenneke"- slugs (german style) and not sabot- slugs. The accuracy in my goosegun is not wery good with slugs, but it is fun anyway. (see this thread: http://www.thefiringline.com/forums/...+in+full+choke )

April 24, 2002, 10:37 AM	#13
huntsman Senior Member Join Date: March 7, 2000 Location: ohio Posts: 121	you can shoot foster type slugs through a fixed choke barrel up to and including full choke, no problems. I use a mod choke for slugs and buck for hunting a critter control, it gives a bit more range to the remington buckshot and the brenneke slugs work fine. __________________ cause he liked the quiet clean country livin and 20 more years slipped away -JB

April 24, 2002, 11:53 AM	#14
Kernel Senior Member Join Date: November 21, 1999 Location: Madison, WI.... "78 Square Miles Surrounded by Reality" Posts: 923	For reference here's link to some old Slug/Choke Threads. -- Kernel __________________ "You can shoot down every MiG the Soviets employ, but if you return to base and the lead Soviet tank commander is eating breakfast in your snack bar, Jack, you've lost the war." — Anonymous A-10 Pilot, USAF