Chokes with slugs?

[Plisk]

I'm not an expert on shotguns, so I have a question. Do chokes interfere with shooting slugs?

http://www.remington.com/products/firearms/shotguns/model_870/model_870_express_tactical.asp

I'm interested in getting one of these Remmys, and I'm curious if its choke will allow the use of slugs.

[Banshee933]

I've heard that the finish on those new Remington 870 Express Tactical is not up to par. I wouldn't recommend it.

The choke should work fine with slugs.

[aippi]

Yes, the choke affect slugs. the worst and the one you should not shoot slugs out of is the full choke, but some do. I would not. The best is Modified as it stablizes the slug and you get great groups. Next is I/C as it does stablize the slug somewhat. The worst after full is Cyl Bore as the slug will wobble. The weapon in the link you gave has the Haskinator Tactical Choke or what Remington calls the Remington Tactical Choke. I my shop we call it the Remington Tactical Joke. It is a Cyl Bore choke and would be your worst pick for slugs. Also, as Banshee said the finish on that weapon if it is the PC coating is crap and if scratched it would start peeling off. If you get it then keep a small bottle of clear enamel paint around and touch up a scratch immediately with it....... You can also get this same weapon, take the tactical joke off and sell it on Gun Broker for $50 and get a modified tube for about $12 and you will get great patterns with buckshot and great groups with slugs.

[SAUCE]

I'm a first time SG owner so pardon the noob question, but if the barrel is threaded for a choke does it have to be fired with one installed? If the Remington choke is a joke can't he just unscrew it and shoot?

[Aznatama]

I'm assuming a cyl bore choke = cylinder bore... as in, the choke is the same dia throughout as the barrel.

In that case, SAUCE, it would not do any good to remove the rem tac choke tube as the performace wouldn't change, and one could risk damaging the choke tube threads.

the Tac Choke is for breeching doors and jabbing things (glass, drywall, people...). The shotgun we used at our entry control checkpoints during OEF had them installed.

I recently bought the 870 express tactical w/ the XS sights, and I'm looking for a different choke to use for trap shooting. Although I haven't shot anything with neither the tac nor a cyl bore choke yet , I have a feeling that the grouping would be horrible...

Can anyone who has more knowledge confirm my information? Also... why don't they make a choke that would extend the barrel by 6" or so?... turn a 18.5" barreled HD into a 24" competent clay or hunting shot in seconds??

[aippi]

You misunderstood. I did not say the Rem Choke is a joke, I was speaking about the "Tactical Rem Choke" that people think is a breeching choke and want on their weapon because it looks cool. It adds 1.5" to the weapon in lenght and does nothing for the performance, so why have it. It is usless. I breeched one door with a shotgun in my entire life and that was in SWAT class and years ago. Teams do not breech doors with shotguns any longer. they have rams and hydrolic tools that pop a door like a teenage pops a zit. Breeching chokes are a joke on a home defense weapon, Just my persoanl opionion and opinions are like, well you know......... No, You can not shoot a Rem Choke barrel without a tube in it. There are many tubes for these barrels and they are great barrels. Keep an I/C tube in it for HD or a Modified. change to a rifled tube for hunting with slugs. Install a Turkey Choke and you have a trukey gun. Great barrels to have on your weapon

[scr83jp]

I'm assuming a cyl bore choke = cylinder bore... as in, the choke is the same dia throughout as the barrel.

In that case, SAUCE, it would not do any good to remove the rem tac choke tube as the performace wouldn't change, and one could risk damaging the choke tube threads.

the Tac Choke is for breeching doors and jabbing things (glass, drywall, people...). The shotgun we used at our entry control checkpoints during OEF had them installed.

I recently bought the 870 express tactical w/ the XS sights, and I'm looking for a different choke to use for trap shooting. Although I haven't shot anything with neither the tac nor a cyl bore choke yet , I have a feeling that the grouping would be horrible...

Can anyone who has more knowledge confirm my information? Also... why don't they make a choke that would extend the barrel by 6" or so?... turn a 18.5" barreled HD into a 24" competent clay or hunting shot in seconds??

My trap shooting barrels are 30" full choke on my Win Model 12 & Rem 870 ,my Rem 11-87 has a 28" barrel with rem chokes.I use my fixed choke 870 trap barrel for squirrel & bird hunting.I have a skeet barrel for the 870 but haven't fired any slugs thru it.I haven't used slugs since leaving nys in 1968.

[randy]

I use a IC choke for most of my shooting slugs, steel and clays. Generally slug shots aren't farther than 80 yards most in the 30 to 50 range. IC works for me with a FO front site.

[tpuig]

There is a rifled choke that is ideal for slugs. However, it's probably not as good for other shot. I doubt there is a perfect single choke for all applications, it really depends on what type of shell you normally intend on putting through the barrel.

The slug will make it's way out of the barrel with most chokes, but eventually will damage a narrower choke and not give you the best performance.


[QUOTE=Plisk;2758575]I'm not an expert on shotguns, so I have a question. Do chokes interfere with shooting slugs?

[Jonathan Doe]

Cyliner or Improved Cylinder choke should be fine for the slugs. I hit a 16" steel target with Ithca model 37 shotgun with cylinder choke using rifled slugs without a problem.

[PEBKAC]

Modified chokes seem to work just fine for slugs on my shotgun...100+ slugs later and have yet to have any kind issue.

[kalguns]

You can get rifled chokes.

http://www.remington.com/products/accessories/gun_parts/remChoke_tubes.asp

I just swap out shot barrel for a rifled slug barrel. It takes about 15 seconds to do.

[gun toting monkeyboy]

Ok, if you have a screw-in choke set up on your barrel, screw a choke in it. Even if you are only putting in an open cylinder one as a place holder. It protects the threads from being damaged by the shot/slug. As for which choke works best, it varies from gun to gun and brand of slug. There is no "magic combination". Modern shotgun slugs are ALWAYS one gauge under-sized. So a 12 ga is actually shooting a 13 ga slug. And they normally have grooves on the slugs that both impart a spin to the slug (I have already talked to the ammo companies and an aerospace engineer on this to confirm it, so refrain from the tin-foil-hat responses that they don't spin the slug. That is bunk.) and serve as crush zones allowing the slug to pass through just about any choke out there. They make the slugs this way because there is no industry standard size for a specific choke. And there are a great many guns out there still with rather arbitrary choke designations from manufacturers all over the world. I have one older shotgun that is marked "IC" on it's barrel, with no screw-in tubes or anything else. It is the same diameter as my full choke on a modern Mossberg. I would hate to imagine what a Full by that company would have been. But the ammo companies take all that into account. You should be able to fire a slug through any shotgun of the correct gauge with anything up to full choke, assuming it is safe to shoot in the first place. Your accuracy may go down the tubes, and if you put an ultra-restrictive super tight choke on it you may have some pressure issues eventually. But it is unlikely to do anything more than shoot badly.

-Mb

[randy]

Ok, if you have a screw-in choke set up on your barrel, screw a choke in it. Even if you are only putting in an open cylinder one as a place holder. It protects the threads from being damaged by the shot/slug. As for which choke works best, it varies from gun to gun and brand of slug. There is no "magic combination". Modern shotgun slugs are ALWAYS one gauge under-sized. So a 12 ga is actually shooting a 13 ga slug. And they normally have grooves on the slugs that both impart a spin to the slug (I have already talked to the ammo companies and an aerospace engineer on this to confirm it, so refrain from the tin-foil-hat responses that they don't spin the slug. That is bunk.) and serve as crush zones allowing the slug to pass through just about any choke out there. They make the slugs this way because there is no industry standard size for a specific choke. And there are a great many guns out there still with rather arbitrary choke designations from manufacturers all over the world. I have one older shotgun that is marked "IC" on it's barrel, with no screw-in tubes or anything else. It is the same diameter as my full choke on a modern Mossberg. I would hate to imagine what a Full by that company would have been. But the ammo companies take all that into account. You should be able to fire a slug through any shotgun of the correct gauge with anything up to full choke, assuming it is safe to shoot in the first place. Your accuracy may go down the tubes, and if you put an ultra-restrictive super tight choke on it you may have some pressure issues eventually. But it is unlikely to do anything more than shoot badly.

-Mb

Do some research on jug chokes and you will understand the reason the end of the barrels are the same.

Great write up by the way, I've tried to explain this many times you did it great.