To choke or not to choke...

Romulus · July 22, 2002, 01:13 AM

I own two 870s, one an express and one a Police magnum. I love them both. The express I'd like to double up as deer gun (assuming that CWD will be eradicated here in Wis) I'd like to install chokes in both guns to get the versatility that comes with different choke tubes. Is this going overboard? I'd like to shoot sabots with a rifled choke tube among other things...

Please chime in with pros and cons

Dave McC · July 22, 2002, 05:17 AM

Good to see you back, Rom. Didn't your Express come with a tubed bbl? I've not seen an Express that didn't.

As a loose rule, sabots shoot best in full rifled bbls, not those with rifled tubes. Tests with my 870s and rifled tube chokes show groups at least twice as big with the sabots as with the worst grouping Forster or Brenekke slug.YMMV, but probably not by much.

If you really want to shoot sabots, you have to get a rifled bbl.

Romulus · July 22, 2002, 10:22 PM

Thanks for the input Dave, enlightening as always.

My express did come with a 24" barrel with tubes. That barrel "disappeared" years ago when I was living on a farm with some pretty rowdy roommates. Why the barrel and not the whole damn thing is still a mystery to me. In any case, I replaced the barrel with a fixed choke, rifle-sighted barrel that I got here from a FL member. Fixed it shall stay, and I will practice with Fosters and Brennekes...unless maybe those slugs would benefit from different tube constrictions, skeet, improved, whatever the case may be...what are your thoughts on that?

And thanks also for the kind welcome...

Dave McC · July 23, 2002, 05:00 AM

You're very welcome,Rom. After testing to find the most accurate slug, you may find that your present bbl is quite suitable as is. It's probably an IC choke, which usually works well with slugs.

One example means nothing but FWIW, the difference between my chokeless HD 870 and the Deer 870 with rifled choke tube is less than an inch with the best slug at 100 yards.

HTH....

K80Geoff · July 23, 2002, 11:19 AM

Of course you should choke them, choke tubes are a vital part of shotgunning. It is fun to constantly change tubes to see what happens

July 22, 2002, 01:13 AM	#1
Romulus Senior Member Join Date: January 18, 2001 Location: Kettle Moraine country Posts: 897	To choke or not to choke... I own two 870s, one an express and one a Police magnum. I love them both. The express I'd like to double up as deer gun (assuming that CWD will be eradicated here in Wis) I'd like to install chokes in both guns to get the versatility that comes with different choke tubes. Is this going overboard? I'd like to shoot sabots with a rifled choke tube among other things... Please chime in with pros and cons __________________ I knew Thomas Jefferson, he was a friend of mine...Governor Clinton, you're no Thomas Jefferson Ti faccio vedere come muore un italiano

July 22, 2002, 10:22 PM	#3
Romulus Senior Member Join Date: January 18, 2001 Location: Kettle Moraine country Posts: 897	Thanks for the input Dave, enlightening as always. My express did come with a 24" barrel with tubes. That barrel "disappeared" years ago when I was living on a farm with some pretty rowdy roommates. Why the barrel and not the whole damn thing is still a mystery to me. In any case, I replaced the barrel with a fixed choke, rifle-sighted barrel that I got here from a FL member. Fixed it shall stay, and I will practice with Fosters and Brennekes...unless maybe those slugs would benefit from different tube constrictions, skeet, improved, whatever the case may be...what are your thoughts on that? And thanks also for the kind welcome... __________________ I knew Thomas Jefferson, he was a friend of mine...Governor Clinton, you're no Thomas Jefferson Ti faccio vedere come muore un italiano

July 23, 2002, 11:19 AM	#5
K80Geoff Senior Member Join Date: December 20, 1998 Location: NE Pennsylvania Posts: 3,639	Of course you should choke them, choke tubes are a vital part of shotgunning. It is fun to constantly change tubes to see what happens __________________ I am no longer a member of this forum. Bye!

July 22, 2002, 05:17 AM	#2
Dave McC Staff In Memoriam Join Date: October 13, 1999 Location: Columbia, Md, USA Posts: 8,811	Good to see you back, Rom. Didn't your Express come with a tubed bbl? I've not seen an Express that didn't. As a loose rule, sabots shoot best in full rifled bbls, not those with rifled tubes. Tests with my 870s and rifled tube chokes show groups at least twice as big with the sabots as with the worst grouping Forster or Brenekke slug.YMMV, but probably not by much. If you really want to shoot sabots, you have to get a rifled bbl.

July 23, 2002, 05:00 AM	#4
Dave McC Staff In Memoriam Join Date: October 13, 1999 Location: Columbia, Md, USA Posts: 8,811	You're very welcome,Rom. After testing to find the most accurate slug, you may find that your present bbl is quite suitable as is. It's probably an IC choke, which usually works well with slugs. One example means nothing but FWIW, the difference between my chokeless HD 870 and the Deer 870 with rifled choke tube is less than an inch with the best slug at 100 yards. HTH....