Undoing Screw In Chokes

[Mills]

I can handle a lot of issues with old guns, but draw the line at screw in chokes. I would consider a gun with screw in chokes if they could be undone

[John Hancock]

Addressed this twice, if you can buy an extended choke tube it is helpful. Make up a facing cutter to put about a 10 degree crown on the muzzle letting the OD of the crown end at about half of the wall thickness of the barrel then with the extended choke tube turned down so that it is about .150" longer than needed you can put the choke tube on a mandrel and bell it out in the lathe. Then cut the same 10 degree angle on it so it will match the cut on the muzzle, leaving it slightly long, and finally through trial and error trim the tube to length so it will seat at the step in the barrel and at the muzzle at the same time. You have to use a tapered tool to install it, like Teague uses on his English choke tubes which is easy to make. I put them in with one of the locktite products ( would have to look up the number) and when secured you can then reface the muzzle with a 90 degree cutter and the joint is pretty well invisible. Most choke cubes are a little over bore size at the entrance so the wad won't hang up so you will be able to see that step in the bore looking from the muzzle end, you can hone it to help. This isn't as good as sleeving the end of the barrel but a lot easier than boring the barrel on a double and then making a sleeve to put in it. On another one the tubes that were the extended ones had a larger OD than the tube so it was a piece of cake not having to bell out a tube to get material to work with. Of course you start with a full choke tube and you'll have material to open up to IC or Mod and everything looks nice. Just one way it can be done. JH

[Wild Skies]

Although I personally haven't had it done, I've heard of others that have had Mike Orlen install permanent choke sleeves in their guns at a reasonable cost of $95/tube. The results are virtually invisible and whatever choke constriction you want.

[Mills]

Thanks for that info Wild Skies. Ideally, I would find records of the original choke constriction and get it restored to that choke.