Chokeing questions.

ARmasterzach · August 26, 2007, 09:18 PM

what is the effect on a lead only choke when you shoot steel through it? Also can you buy a choke that will accept slugs?

Dave McC · August 27, 2007, 09:23 PM

Don't shoot steel through a choke marked lead only. The choke may head downrange.

Shotguns and grenades have similar working pressures.

Most slugs work well through Mod chokes or less.

HTH....

nutty ned · August 28, 2007, 08:43 PM

They make rifled choke tubes.
Usually it is the full choke that has to be made for steel, mod or more open choke tubes are good to go. If you have any worries call your manufacturers customer service.
I will shoot a foster slug if I have to through a full choke tube. But having posted that, when a deer stumbles by when I'm hunting small game, I'm usually using a full choked barrel on an older gun.

ARmasterzach · August 29, 2007, 02:26 PM

I put some T steel shot through the extra full lead only choke and checked everything out after one shot and it looked fine. I put another 20 or so through and nothing has happened. dont think ill put a slug through it though.
I took the choke out and shot a few slugs through and screwed the choke back in so it worked out alright. But nothing is scarrier than slowly pulling the trigger waiting for something bad to happen.

dakotashooter2 · September 6, 2007, 11:33 AM

I can't say for sure however I wonder if it isn't partly safety and partly a marketing issue. Steel and other "hard" shots tend to pattern tighter than lead. It has always been recommended that you drop at least one choke size (with standard lead tubes). In other words to obtain "full choke patterns with steel you want to use a modified choke. I've never checked but I suspect that a "made for steel" choke will probably measure out larger than the similar "lead" choke.

Hard shots could potentially cause problems with chokes because the shot cannot compress and deform as it passes through like lead shot does, however those problems most likely would occur with large size shot and tightly patterned chokes. I could see where a large payload of BB size shot or larger through an extra full (lead) choke may raise pressures enough to "blow out" a choke but have yet to hear or see an actual case. You can bet the manufactures are going to CYA by saying it is dangerous across the board.

Another factor may be the backbored and overbored barrels very common now. I suspect they would be "less" prone to such problems than older barrels.

wolverine350 · September 6, 2007, 01:18 PM

shooting a lot through it may make your choke tube where you cannot remove it easily, open tubes for steel or chokes made for steel shot where the choke is extended out from the barrel

August 26, 2007, 09:18 PM	#1
ARmasterzach Member Join Date: July 6, 2007 Location: Perrin Texas Posts: 83	Chokeing questions. what is the effect on a lead only choke when you shoot steel through it? Also can you buy a choke that will accept slugs? __________________ I cant carry my pocket knife to school caus its considered to be a weapon, but a brand new sharpened pencil is perfectly ok. I dont need either though cause im the biggest guy at my school.

August 29, 2007, 02:26 PM	#4
ARmasterzach Member Join Date: July 6, 2007 Location: Perrin Texas Posts: 83	I put some T steel shot through the extra full lead only choke and checked everything out after one shot and it looked fine. I put another 20 or so through and nothing has happened. dont think ill put a slug through it though. I took the choke out and shot a few slugs through and screwed the choke back in so it worked out alright. But nothing is scarrier than slowly pulling the trigger waiting for something bad to happen. __________________ I cant carry my pocket knife to school caus its considered to be a weapon, but a brand new sharpened pencil is perfectly ok. I dont need either though cause im the biggest guy at my school.

September 6, 2007, 01:18 PM	#6
wolverine350 Senior Member Join Date: November 27, 2006 Location: ponca city ok Posts: 746	shooting a lot through it may make your choke tube where you cannot remove it easily, open tubes for steel or chokes made for steel shot where the choke is extended out from the barrel __________________ CVA Kodiak Magnum .50 cal Marlin 981T 22LR Bolt Action Remington 770 Bolt Action 270 Thompson Center Encore 243

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August 27, 2007, 09:23 PM	#2
Dave McC Staff In Memoriam Join Date: October 13, 1999 Location: Columbia, Md, USA Posts: 8,811	Don't shoot steel through a choke marked lead only. The choke may head downrange. Shotguns and grenades have similar working pressures. Most slugs work well through Mod chokes or less. HTH....

August 28, 2007, 08:43 PM	#3
nutty ned Senior Member Join Date: November 26, 2006 Posts: 765	They make rifled choke tubes. Usually it is the full choke that has to be made for steel, mod or more open choke tubes are good to go. If you have any worries call your manufacturers customer service. I will shoot a foster slug if I have to through a full choke tube. But having posted that, when a deer stumbles by when I'm hunting small game, I'm usually using a full choked barrel on an older gun.

September 6, 2007, 11:33 AM	#5
dakotashooter2 Senior Member Join Date: January 13, 2005 Posts: 498	I can't say for sure however I wonder if it isn't partly safety and partly a marketing issue. Steel and other "hard" shots tend to pattern tighter than lead. It has always been recommended that you drop at least one choke size (with standard lead tubes). In other words to obtain "full choke patterns with steel you want to use a modified choke. I've never checked but I suspect that a "made for steel" choke will probably measure out larger than the similar "lead" choke. Hard shots could potentially cause problems with chokes because the shot cannot compress and deform as it passes through like lead shot does, however those problems most likely would occur with large size shot and tightly patterned chokes. I could see where a large payload of BB size shot or larger through an extra full (lead) choke may raise pressures enough to "blow out" a choke but have yet to hear or see an actual case. You can bet the manufactures are going to CYA by saying it is dangerous across the board. Another factor may be the backbored and overbored barrels very common now. I suspect they would be "less" prone to such problems than older barrels.