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<  16ga. General Discussion  ~  Determing Choke on Fixed Choke Gun
DougK
PostPosted: Thu Sep 21, 2006 8:42 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 28 Dec 2005
Posts: 62
Location: Driftwood, TX

Is there a way to determine the choke in fixed choke guns without purchasing a choke gauge. I would only use this gauge once then never use it as I only have 1 fixed choke shotgun.

Thanks
Doug
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Dave Miles
PostPosted: Fri Sep 22, 2006 2:52 am  Reply with quote
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Joined: 27 Jun 2005
Posts: 1545
Location: Michigan

You could pattern the gun.

TOTAL SPREAD (inches)
From Field and Stream Sept 1964

YARDS
CHOKE 10 15 20 25 30 35 40

Full 9 12 16 21 26 33 40 inches

Modified 12 16 20 26 32 38 46 inches

Improved Cyl 15 20 26 32 38 44 51 inches

Cylinder 19 26 32 38 44 51 57 inches

Per the good Rev's post. Wink
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16gaugeguy
PostPosted: Fri Sep 22, 2006 5:02 am  Reply with quote
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Joined: 12 Mar 2005
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Location: massachusetts

Doug, you can make an inexpensive choke gauge out of an old cheap pair of wire kitchen tongs. Cut off the handles and the grip jaws. Straighten out and trim the legs on each side of the hinge pin to equal lengths and bend the very ends of each leg up at divergent right angles. Its important to keep all four legs equal in length on each side of the hinge pin when you do this. File the 4 ends down so each pair of ends reads exactly the same distance between as the other when the gauge is spread open. It also helps to peen the hinge pin a bit so the legs are snug and will hold a setting.

Insert one end in your gun barrel past the choke on into the main bore. Place a piece of elastic material between the legs outside the barrel to hold the setting. Now use a set of verniers to read the distance between the ends outside the bore. Do the same at the very end of the choke. then subtract the choke reading from that of the bore. the difference will be your gun's choke in thousandthe of an inch.

By taking readings up and down the bore and choke, you can get an idea of how your gun's choke is shaped. This can be useful information when altering the choke to a more open setting.
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revdocdrew
PostPosted: Fri Sep 22, 2006 6:24 am  Reply with quote
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Joined: 28 Dec 2005
Posts: 2016
Location: Glendale, AZ

Dave is certainly correct-how the gun patterns with the load you intend to use is what matters. You can get a rough idea with the All-Gauge Choke Checker Item PALGA1 from Shotgun Sports 800-676-8920 for $7.95 + shipping or a better quality Key Ring Choke Gauge for $22.95.
Galazan has them also www.connecticutshotgun.com

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16gaugeguy
PostPosted: Fri Sep 22, 2006 7:14 am  Reply with quote
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Joined: 12 Mar 2005
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Location: massachusetts

Rev, you are correct about the reality of how a gun patterns with the choke thats in it. However, it is very useful to know how many points of choke there are and what the bore size is. Knowing what the barrel dimensions are will give you a solid guideline about what you can expect and what you might need to do to alter the bore or choke to get the results you want.

Having an inexpensive scissors type tube gauge handy in your kit can also help you make an informed decision whether a prospective gun might be suitable and if the chokes have already been altered from the original configuration. This is especially true when buying older classic guns like Sterlingworths or foreign made guns.

My little bore gauge goes with me to every gun show or auction I attend. It has saved me many times from making a bad purchase.

Plug type gauges will give only a rough idea of what the constriction at the muzzle is. However a small scissors type inside diameter gauge like I've described will give you all the info you need and will be a lot more accurate too. Mine was not at all hard to make. you can buy a professionally made one for under $30 if you want too.
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fin2feather
PostPosted: Fri Sep 22, 2006 9:24 am  Reply with quote
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Joined: 06 Aug 2004
Posts: 2171
Location: Kansas High Plains

16gaugeguy wrote:
you can buy a professionally made one for under $30 if you want too.


Where?

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