"Serious Use" Shotguns and Chokes

[JHC]

EXACTLY. I think this would make a great turkey gun. I want to see one with a rattle can camo job.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Grabagun has a factory camo gun for $771.
I checked and they confirmed it is 2018 production "with the updates".

[ECVMatt]

I am just going to be honest and admit that I shoot my hunting shotguns a lot more than my defensive ones.

I really like shooting shotguns and have been shooting them for the last 30 years or so.

I also like to hunt quail and chukar in the desert and have driven many untold miles in search of them and just plain old fun in general. I have not had a problem with chokes coming loose, falling out, or getting stuck. I do check them occasionally and I really like to be able to adjust my pattern. I have found that different loads react differently to different chokes. It is very interesting to shoot your hunting loads through various chokes and see what happens. Sometimes the results seem counterintuitive.

So as a user of defensive shotguns for home defense, camp protection, and mostly fun, I like chokes. Even if the world ended today and I had to pick between the same shotgun with or without chokes, I would grab the one with chokes. It would be more versatile in the long run.

[ASH556]

Too often I think folks try to dumb down the shotgun as a beginners weapon or troglodyte stick. I think it's quite the opposite. The shotgun is very much an enthusiasts weapon. The only gun lower capacity than a shotgun is a revolver (or a muzzle-loader I guess), so you need to be proficient at loading it, which is it's own exercise in dexterity. Manual of arms offers lots of opportunity for doing wrong and inducing malfunctions. They're usually picky with ammo, patterning, and POI, even from gun to gun.

I love shotguns, but because they're an enthusiast's weapon, I'd rather have chokes so I have the opportunity to tune it to my desired use.

[ubervic]

I have zero experience with defensive-use shotguns or ammo. On the other hand, I shot skeet and clays for over 20 years, where chokes----either fixed or removable----are definitely the standard, including 'Cylinder' chokes.

I fully understand that shooting moving clay targets at an average distance of 20 yds does not compare with the use of defensive shotguns against active threats. Still, I struggle to see how chokes would bring any negative impact. After all, chokes simply tune your pattern density for any given load to the intended target distance.

[willie]

At least one shotgun specialist offers a permanently installed choke tube. Those of us who own several shotguns might have the luxury of selecting one without choke tubes if that were our preference. Or the man with only one shotgun could buy an extra barrel and have it both ways. Once I forgot to replace a choke tube after cleaning, and shot doves with it at least once. I noticed that my hitting had improved, and then I found out that I was shooting the gun without a choke tube. Not my intent. I didn't fret too much about damage because a shotgun competition guru of that time shot in competition without a tube installed. I don't recommend doing that.

[farscott]

I may be confused, but there seem to be two topics: the proper choke constriction for a "serious" shotgun and whether choke tubes are needed. Those two items seem to be conflated in the discussion.

I am a strong believer in the former and indifferent on the latter. My preferred choke constriction is Modified, and I can adjust patterns by choosing loads with harder or softer shot. Harder shot provides patterns closer to "Full choke" and softer shot provides patterns closer to "Improved Cylinder". Modified choke in the 870 also allows slugs to be used in Remington barrels with no concerns about too much constriction.

Since Remington only offers 870P barrels with fixed "Improved Cylinder" or "Cylinder" choke constriction and I usually cannot get FC loads, I have spent a lot of time selecting loads that pattern with those constrictions and settled on IC. While each gun is a bit different, promo #00 Buck loads that are on sale at this time of the year pattern with closer to Cylinder percentages out of my 870P guns while premium loads are closer to Improved Modified percentages. The soft shot in promo loads is too soft and tends to produce flyers, so I would not recommend using that ammo.

In any event, the pattern board is a great tool for load selection.

[TGS]

True...they work pretty good out of improved cylinder and modified, too. At least in my guns.

Does that hold true for hardened sligs as well, like the Brenneke or Truball DP? I thought those + chokes were a no-go.

[OlongJohnson]

https://www.brennekeusa.com/service/faq/

The purpose of the ribs on the outside diameter of the slug (with the exception of the 3- inch Gold Magnum/Magnum Crush and the all brass Super Sabot which are designed for rifle barrel shotguns only) allows them, unlike most competitors slugs, to be used with any choke. As the slug passes through the three constricted areas, inside of the barrel, the Forcing Cone, Inside Bore, and then the Choke, the excess lead is squeezed into the gaps between the ribs with no damage to the barrel. Somewhat better accuracy may be noted when using the more open choke - Improved Cylinder.

[Lon]

Does that hold true for hardened sligs as well, like the Brenneke or Truball DP? I thought those + chokes were a no-go.

I’ve used both with mod chokes during gun games. Many times.

[TCinVA]

Does that hold true for hardened sligs as well, like the Brenneke or Truball DP? I thought those + chokes were a no-go.

I've fired a few dozen out of the Federal Tru-Ball DP slugs from my 870 with the Improved Cylinder with no noticeable impact on accuracy. Same for my Wilson customized gun with a modified RemChoke in it.

I haven't fired any Brenneke brand slugs through my guns, but I've used some other Brenneke style slugs from Fiocchi without noting any accuracy issues.

The Federal TBDP's are pretty potent on the recoil side of things, but that's true from my cylinder bore 870's too.

Every gun is different, of course, but on my choked guns I haven't seen any problems.