Shotgun cleaning question

[kiwicrusaders]

I HAve a Browning BPS, whenever I clean it after I shoot I always clean it with the choke in. I never take the choke out, clean it and then put the choke back in. Is that wrong?

[zippy13]

Yep, but only if you ever want to change chokes some day, otherwise you'll have the benefit of permanent lock-tight w/out the bother of applying it.
Seriously, others may differ, but I typically remove the chokes when I do my "deep cleaning" at the end of the season, or on days the gun has been exposed to rain. Otherwise, I clean the barrels, with fuzzy sticks, with the chokes in place.

[RoscoeC]

Have you ever removed the choke? If not, you may find that you would like to someday and wont be able to do so because it is corroded in place. I'm not so sure that you need to remove and clean it every time, but certainly you should do it now and again. I always lightly coat the threads with Birchwood Casey Tube Lube, which is an anti-seize compound to prevent them from sticking.

You will get 1001 opinions on this (search, it has been discussed ad nauseum), but I maintain that any mechanical device benefits from periodic maintenance such as cleaning and lubricating.

[madmag]

Is that wrong?

No it's not wrong.

I clean my shotgun with the choke in to protect the threads. Sometimes I do remove the choke after barrel cleaning and make sure the threads are clean and lubricated. Bottom line. Never do heavy cleaning with the choke out and threads exposed.

[Death from Afar]

Mate, a guy i shoot with used to do that with his 870. It took s some serious muslce power to get the choke off and it was almost rusted into place. I laways clean under the chokes, and put them back on with the lightest possible coat of oil- but you should always check from time if they have worked loose in the field...

[oneounceload]

IMO, you should take the choke out and clean the threads - I get residue in there since they never always fit quite perfectly; then I'll clean the threads and use a little oil or grease and put them back in - doesn't take long and prevents them from becoming permanent fixed chokes

[luvsasmith]

and for the love of all things holy, don't fire a slug through it without a tube in the threads.....my nephew is still crying about his 1100. I have no idea why my brother thought THAT was a good idea! The worst part is, the 1100 was like new. I got sick to my stomach when he called.:barf:

anyone have any solutions other than getting a new barrel?

[zippy13]

luvsasmith

don't fire a slug through it without a tube in the threads.....my nephew is still crying about his 1100. I have no idea why my brother thought THAT was a good idea! The worst part is, the 1100 was like new. I got sick to my stomach when he called.
anyone have any solutions other than getting a new barrel?

How much damage did it do?
My first thought was to cut it off before the damage; but, if the damage is minimal, it may not warrant such drastic action. eMail Jess Briley with a description of the damages (including a few good pics, if possible) and he might be able to suggest a repair option. He's probably seen this problem before. The question may come down to which is cheaper: fix or replace.

[JWT]

I take my choke tube out and soak it in Hoppe's for about a hour, then clean it, relube the threads, and put it back in the barrel before cleaning the barrel.

Soaking the choke makes removing the burned on plastic residue from the wads very easy to remove. (I strain the Hoppes through a coffee filter back into the bottle and reused it).

Trying to clean the barrel with the choke removed could cause damage to the threads - not a good idea.

[zippy13]

JWT

I take my choke tube out and soak it in Hoppe's for about a hour, then clean it, relube the threads, and put it back in the barrel before cleaning the barrel.
...Trying to clean the barrel with the choke removed could cause damage to the threads - not a good idea.

I'm curious, don't you clean the treads in the barrels?
I've got a dedicated jar of solvent for soaking chokes, too. I use barrel brushes only with the choke tubes installed, with ported barrels, more than just the chokes get stubborn deposits. But, I do use wool fuzzy sticks to clean the barrel treads before reinstalling the cleaned and lubed chokes.

[oneounceload]

I'm curious, don't you clean the treads in the barrels?

When I clean the barrel threads, it is after I sprayed the barrel with carb and choke cleaner like Gumout's, then I place my brass brush on my battey drill, wrap a patch soaked in Hoppe's around it, and wok my way back and forth over the threads a few times - amazing how much gas and powder residue gets in that area - except for one dedicated clays gun, I'm thinking fixed chokes are the way to go

[JWT]

I just wipe the threads inside the barrel with a clean rag before I put the cleaned and lubed choke tube back in the barrel. Then I go about cleaning the barrel itself.

[zippy13]

JWT
We're on the same page on this one.

[BigJimP]

Yes, in my opinion, it is wrong to clean the gun with the choke tube in the barrel all the time. I routinely remove the choke tube - at least every other time I go to the range - or every time, if its a wet day.

It just takes a minute to remove the choke / clean the choke - and clean the threads inside the barrel ( with a toothbrush and solvent). I find a little plastic fouling inside my chokes pretty often - so I use a short handled chamber/choke tube brass brush to clean them out - so they are smooth. I use Shooters Choice shotgun and choke tube cleaner - but any good cleaner will work.

Lube the choke pretty liberally - and the threads inside the barrel liberally / I prefer an oil like Break Free. I find most of the choke tube greases are way too heavy.

As a note - if you need a choke tube wrench to get the choke out / its in way too tight. You should be able to screw a choke in with just finger pressure ( stick your finger inside it ) and screw it in. If its clean / well lubed its a piece of cake. You don't need to crank them down with a wrench. I take my chokes out with my fingers too / if I need a wrench it means I neglected the gun and let it get gummed up in the threads - and I should have cleaned and lubed it better last time I fired the gun.

[RUT]

>>I just wipe the threads inside the barrel with a clean rag before I put the cleaned and lubed choke tube back in the barrel. Then I go about cleaning the barrel itself.<<

I do the same thing, but I clean the barrel/choke first.

[rem870hunter]

no. i clean my barrel with the choke in. then remove the choke, spray some rem-oil on it and screw it back in. i change chokes after about 10 shots when busting clays at the public WMA range. just to get a feel for different distances with tighter or looser choke constrictions. the shotgun doesn't sit more than 2 months in the cabinet before i put a box or 2 through it.

[Hemicuda]

I pull the chokes when I do a serious cleaning... then I apply a very thin coat of Permatex Anti-Sieze... you kno, the silver gooey crapola that keeps parts from corroding together...

THEN, iffin' I don't use the gun for a while, or use it and don't clean it for a while, the chokes still come back out...

[luvsasmith]

It is pretty bad. Most of the threads are severely contorted or just gone all together. I had thought of tracing the threads with a tap/die set and suggested it to my nephew. I think he is just too upset to try anything right now, its been a few months since it happened and probably 2 weeks since he showed me. I'll talk to him this weekend about it.

thanks again!!!