Shotgun Choke
09-24-2010, 10:12 AM
#11
Fork Horn
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 159
I just gathered up 4 different factory choke tubes in .700, .700, .703 and .730. Remington, Winchester Mossberg and Benelli, All were safe for steel shot. If a factory choke is not safe for steel shot it will be clearly labeled on the tube.
09-26-2010, 04:45 AM
#13
Typical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: OKC Ok. USA
Posts: 501
Like previously stated go pattern your shotgun with the loads you intend to shoot. IT IS THE ONLY WAY TO FIND OUT HOW YOUR GUN IS PERFORMING WITH A PARTICULAR LOAD.
When chosing a choke the general rule of thumb is you go down to a more open choke when shooting steel. If you want a I.C. pattern put in SKT, for Mod use I.C. ,for Full use Mod. To my knowledge most shotguns in the last 25 years are safe for steel when you're talking production guns like Browning Beretta,Remington etc etc.
In most cases anything tighter than modified would be marked "not for steel" like your full or ex-full chokes.
When chosing a choke the general rule of thumb is you go down to a more open choke when shooting steel. If you want a I.C. pattern put in SKT, for Mod use I.C. ,for Full use Mod. To my knowledge most shotguns in the last 25 years are safe for steel when you're talking production guns like Browning Beretta,Remington etc etc.
In most cases anything tighter than modified would be marked "not for steel" like your full or ex-full chokes.
09-26-2010, 05:01 AM
#14
Fork Horn
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: ne oklahoma
Posts: 124
My two cents.
All stainless steel chokes are safe with Steel. SS is hard. Most extra full chokes are marked not for steel. May produce blown patterns or just a precaution by the ammo manuf. that excessive pressures produced by the squeezing of the steel might cause. Steel won't compress like lead.
When steel was first loaded by the ammo makers, it had a tendency to produce a spike in pressure immediately, however, now the powders and wads used do not have that tendency. They learned.
The reason that the whole broohaw started about steel and chokes was due to the fact that steel shot was harder than most bbls. The older duck hunters, some who may have reloaded steel bb's,( bb gun bb's) believing it aided in knocking down geese, ( and I knew a few) found out when steel was mandated and they took their full choke shotguns to have the chokes opened for the newfangled steel shot, that the choke was already opened. By. the steel bb's. the smith said. I had in the past saw bbls. that were scored and never knew why. It is a testimony to the strength of the older guns, that they weren't blown by the excessive pressure the steel bb's caused must have caused. Or maybe some were? But the bb's were light.
Of course as always, just IMHO only.
I really don't know if exterior chokes and or expensive ones make any difference. I do know that I had one of the first citoris with screw ins and shot a lot of the first steel thru it without any apparent damage. And ate a lot of mallards. Most of my shooting is over decoys and IC is usually my choice of chokes for ducks and geese.
All stainless steel chokes are safe with Steel. SS is hard. Most extra full chokes are marked not for steel. May produce blown patterns or just a precaution by the ammo manuf. that excessive pressures produced by the squeezing of the steel might cause. Steel won't compress like lead.
When steel was first loaded by the ammo makers, it had a tendency to produce a spike in pressure immediately, however, now the powders and wads used do not have that tendency. They learned.
The reason that the whole broohaw started about steel and chokes was due to the fact that steel shot was harder than most bbls. The older duck hunters, some who may have reloaded steel bb's,( bb gun bb's) believing it aided in knocking down geese, ( and I knew a few) found out when steel was mandated and they took their full choke shotguns to have the chokes opened for the newfangled steel shot, that the choke was already opened. By. the steel bb's. the smith said. I had in the past saw bbls. that were scored and never knew why. It is a testimony to the strength of the older guns, that they weren't blown by the excessive pressure the steel bb's caused must have caused. Or maybe some were? But the bb's were light.
Of course as always, just IMHO only.
I really don't know if exterior chokes and or expensive ones make any difference. I do know that I had one of the first citoris with screw ins and shot a lot of the first steel thru it without any apparent damage. And ate a lot of mallards. Most of my shooting is over decoys and IC is usually my choice of chokes for ducks and geese.
09-29-2010, 08:18 PM
#16
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 1,834
For ducks with steel, both of my X2's have Briley ext. ported IC over dekes in beginning of season, Light Mod. later in season.
When I use Hevi-Metal in 2's, I use nothing but the IC no matter.
Geese in Steel BB's, over dekes early in season, nothing but Briley Skeet Ext. ported. Later in season, Hevi-Metal B's and BB's, Briley ext. ported in IC.
I don't do any pass shooting. I back all of my goose loads up with the 3rd shot of Hevi-Shot, 3-1/2" of 2's or BB's. Rarely, if ever, do I get to it. If I do, it is to finish a departing cripple for someone. If I don't knock it down for myself within the first 2 and it does not exhibit any sighns of being hit, I stop.
When I use Hevi-Metal in 2's, I use nothing but the IC no matter.
Geese in Steel BB's, over dekes early in season, nothing but Briley Skeet Ext. ported. Later in season, Hevi-Metal B's and BB's, Briley ext. ported in IC.
I don't do any pass shooting. I back all of my goose loads up with the 3rd shot of Hevi-Shot, 3-1/2" of 2's or BB's. Rarely, if ever, do I get to it. If I do, it is to finish a departing cripple for someone. If I don't knock it down for myself within the first 2 and it does not exhibit any sighns of being hit, I stop.
Last edited by SecondChance; 09-29-2010 at 08:21 PM.
10-05-2010, 09:41 AM
#19
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location:
Posts: 5,130
Many places sell Beretta OptimaChoke Plus Extended Matte Black choke tubes.
http://www.ableammo.com/catalog/defa...th=14358_11169
http://www.ableammo.com/catalog/defa...th=14358_11169
