Rem870.com, Copyright 2009-2021. Here is new infogpraphic about shotgun choke tubes. They were each designed to provide users with tighter shooting patterns that are a lot denser than what you would find with traditional choke tubes. I just want to buy some full choke for my Remington 870 12Ga Steel shots also don’t spread as much, which is another reason why an open choke is better to use than any other type of choke. The only chokes that are not safe for slugs are extra-full turkey chokes -- they are usually roll marked with warnings about safe use with lead shot only. Also, there are many types of ammunition which also influences choke pattern. you will figure out what your gun likes. #1 or #4 works the best, I like #1. Most widely used choke types are: Cylinder, Imp Cylinder, Modified and Full. All but the plain “unrifled slug” are designed and intended to be shot out of Modified Chokes and some will actually permanently damage a Full Choke barrel. This company manufactures barrels for Remington 870. Also, an extended choke has a longer parallel section of the extended choke, so it provides consistent shot patterns. Best to avoid steel shot altogether – but it might be alright to shoot in an improved cylinder. All you need to do to change the constriction is just twist the choke. But it is recommended to unscrew and clean/lube chokes regularly. A Very Good site. All shotguns are different and choke pattern depends on type of your shotgun, length of your barrel. If you over choke buckshot the incompressible nature of the balls in the column will lead to flat spots being rubbed onto the outside edges of the balls and this will make flyers more likely. Your older SKB has beautiful thin roto-forged barrels that can be damaged by shooting steel shot through it. There are so many factors that go into making good chokes such as the length of the shotgun barrel, the material of the choke, the geometry of the choke, and the finish of the choke. Yes, shooting without choke will damage the threads. Therefore, what you want to do is choose a choke that has little to no constriction whatsoever. you can shoot a rifled slug or buckshot through a full choke gun, but you shouldn't, a slug and large buckshot will be deformed by the constriction in the barrel, which will make it like a musket, basically inaccurate after 50 yards. Remember that all chokes are different. The improved cylinder choke has a small amount of restriction while the cylinder choke does not have any restriction. Some of the Benelli and Beretta chokes are interchangeable but you need to check if it’s true for your particular shotgun.  Recommended for short distances using birdshot and buckshot (20-30 yards) and self-defense. Question: are there specialty chokes that produce a flat band, i.e. You can shoot slugs thru modified choke tubes but gun companies needed to sell barrels and tubes so it’s not suggested. If someone breaks into your home or is on your property, chances are you will be shooting at a short range because they are close to you. My name is Vitaly Pedchenko, I started this blog and forum to share information, tips, photos, and advice about the Remington 870 shotgun, accessories, and upgrades. The only way to rectify this situation is to replace the entire barrel. The only way you should have a full choke is if it’s specifically approved for steel shots by the manufacturer. You can shoot lead number 4 buckshot through a Full or Modified chokes that are rated for lead. New to turkey hunting, I bought a used NEF 12 GA single shot with a full choke. If you currently have another type of choke on your weapon, then you can easily replace it with a cylinder choke tube. However, the one convenient thing about extended skeet chokes is that you can screw them right into the bore of the shotgun’s barrel without any tools. With the choke chosen we then proceeded out … You can use either of the two choke tubes in the kit to upgrade your Remington 870, 11-87 or 1100 shotguns. Mainly due to the fact that when I checked the old barrel, I found that the muzzle was heavily worn and was actually a NEGATIVE choke rather than the cylinder bore the barrel was marked for. The only choke that you receive with Remington 870 Combo is a Modified Choke. You could be a hunter and find the convenience of being able to quickly change your choke tube to be an asset in a many situations. Also, they’re priced at around $50 each so it won’t hurt your wallet that much and they can last you for many years. This is the symbol for a modified choke. Those are better for birdshot or buckshot type ammunition. I just bought a shotgun and it’s a steep freakin learning curve! This is very good info for all of us that are new to shotguns. Both the Breneke Slug and the later Foster Slug were specifically designed to be fired through a choke to enable people to use their trusty shotgun to hunt deer and other large game. Ideally you would not use a choke at all for slugs, slugs are designed to fill the entire barrel like a bullet from a rifle, just without the rifling (in most cases). Yes, there is the Gator Shotgun Spreader choke that spreads the pattern on horizontal axis. Definitely! The choke restriction won’t make any difference on recoil. Remington 870, Accessories, Upgrades, Tactical, Reviews, Forum, Italian Firearms Year of Manufacture Look Up, Get Remington Skeet Choke Review on Brownells, Get Rem-choke, Win-choke or Tru-choke style tooling on Brownells, Get 12-Gauge 3-Gun Remington Choke Tube Set on Brownells, Remington 870 for Competition Shooting (IPSC), WATERFOWL FLOODED TIMBER (IMPROVED CYLINDER). I receive many questions about chokes and decided to make an infographic which explains basics. That is why you should always look at the manufacturer’s manual so that you know what the markings are supposed to mean on the choke that you purchased. In situations where two chokes appear to give nearly identical results it is best to chose the more open of the two as less is more when it comes to buckshot choke choice. The modified choke will provide a lighter amount of constriction and the improved cylinder choke will be even lighter than that. This will make flyers more likely. The great thing about these chokes is that they’re interchangeable. To measure this more accurately, we’ll look at the percentage of lead pellets there are within a 30-inch radius after the pellets have traveled 40 yards. This ensures that you are getting a quality product that will last you for a very long time. It all depends on what you feel more comfortable with. My cousins shoot slugs thru the full with no problems. Pellets are much safer for a gun user because they spread in multiple directions after they are shot. The choke is really a choke in that there is no constriction; rather, there are little fingers machined into the tube that grab the shot … If you have screw-in chokes, there are lengthened chokes that have the constriction not in the part of the choke that is adjacent to the threads, but rather outside the barrel. Of course, the exact number of inches will depend on the type of firearm in which your choke tube was manufactured for. But be careful, if you ever put a full choke in your gun it would limit you to lead shot only. Thanks! Carlson’s Tactical Muzzle Brake choke tube. In addition, they give you medium constriction and medium accuracy as well. Therefore, the full choke maintains almost twice as many pellets within a short radius than the cylinder choke. If you choose a choke that is very constricted, such as a full choke, and try to shoot a slug out of it, you could end up hurting yourself and permanently damaging your shotgun. Rather than spreading like pellets, a slug does not spread. Once you can get a pie plate pattern at 30-40 yards. For distances beyond 40 yards. If your choke is specifically made for lead shots then you should never use a steel shot with your shotgun either. Many hunters and competitive shooters have used them for years without any problems. But with adjustable choke, you don’t need to do this. So you will need to check it yourself. Great, informative article. Steel does not compress like lead – additionally, larger shot size is used compared to lead for the same applications.