Shotgun chokes safety FYI

[shoalsfugro]

I just wanted to post that with the new steel shot restriction for hunting fowl to make sure your barrel is rated for steel. Older shotguns are not rated. Also keep reading to never shoot steel shot through full, special and extended chokes. Slugs should not be shot through full chokes and extended. It can cause damage by bulge in barrels and high pressure damage.

Experts, chime in if any of this infomation is incorrect.

 

[Barney88PDC]

There are some tight chokes designed for steel shot. Pattern Master comes to mind. But yes unless specificly designed for steel shot you should stay away from tight or special chokes when using steel shot.

 

[jimdana1942]

I just wanted to post that with the new steel shot restriction for hunting fowl to make sure your barrel is rated for steel. Older shotguns are not rated. Also keep reading to never shoot steel shot through full, special and extended chokes. Slugs should not be shot through full chokes and extended. It can cause damage by bulge in barrels and high pressure damage.

Experts, chime in if any of this infomation is incorrect.

Can you shoot a slug in a modified barrel?

 

[dmiculek]

Can you shoot a slug in a modified barrel?

yep

 

[SKYWLKR]

Wait, Steel for all fowl hunting?

All I could find was this:

Nontoxic Shot
Regulations & Zone
Descriptions
No person shall take migratory
game birds while possessing shot other
than steel or other approved shot. This
restriction applies only to ducks, geese,
brant, swans and coots.

 

[Richard in LA]

I just wanted to post that with the new steel shot restriction for hunting fowl to make sure your barrel is rated for steel. Older shotguns are not rated. Also keep reading to never shoot steel shot through full, special and extended chokes. Slugs should not be shot through full chokes and extended. It can cause damage by bulge in barrels and high pressure damage.

Experts, chime in if any of this infomation is incorrect.

Which "new" steel shot restriction are you talking about?

I have never heard of Barrels rated for steel. It is a bad thing to use a fixed, full choke or tighter constriction with steel shot though. Some newer screw in full chokes are steel proofed. Back when the steel shot changeover was mandated, manufacturers just took existing hulls/wads/powder and used steel pellets instead of lead, and the steel was coming in contact with the walls of the barrel itself, which is bad. Newer steel shot has a thick shot cup specially designed to keep the steel from touching the walls of the barrel.

oh, and BTW, Patternmasters are the SHIZNIT! I don't feel like typing out what they do,and how, but they are worth every penny, just don't get a ported one.

 

[shoalsfugro]

Which "new" steel shot restriction are you talking about?
I have never heard of Barrels rated for steel.

Accordingly, our recommendations concerning the use of steel shot in Browning shotguns is as follows:


1. WILL ACCEPT ALL CURRENT FACTORY STEEL SHOT LOADS: All Browning shotguns with the Invector choke or Invector-Plus tube systems, However, we do not recommend the use of Invector full or extra full chokes with steel shot. They pattern too tightly, and sometimes result in a "blown" pattern.
2. WILL ACCEPT ALL CURRENT FACTORY STEEL SHOT LOADS EXCEPT THOSE WITH T, F, BB AND BBB SIZE SHOT: The B-2000 and B-80 shotguns with conventional chokes (Non-Invector)
3. DO NO USE ANY STEEL SHOT LOADS: The Belgian-made A-5, Superposed, Leige, and other Belgian Over/Under models, Double Automatic, American-made A-5 and all other models not listed in category 1 or 2. Note: Belgian Auto-5 barrels are interchangeable with the new Invector barrels which are made in Japan. With this new Invector barrel installed on the Belgian-made Auto-5 receiver, steel shot loads can be used.


DAMAGE: In not all, but a number of instances a very slight ring will develop about 1 1/2" to 3" rearward of the muzzle. This ring is about .005 of an inch above the plane of the barrel, completely encircling the barrel. From our tests we could determine no adverse effect on pattern or shot velocity because of this ring. Our conclusion is that the most significant objection, the slight ring, is entirely cosmetic. This "ring" effect does not affect the function or safety of the firearm.


YEAR OF PRODUCTION: Nearly all Browning firearms manufactured after 1975 have two letters in the serial number. The two letters indicate the year of manufacture: M=0, Z=1, Y=2, X=3, W=4, V=5, T=6, R=7, P=8, N=9.


FUTURE: Obviously, we have no control over the ammunition companies and the loads they will produce in the future. So, if in doubt, please check with us or the ammunition company before using new loads in your shotgun.

 

[Richard in LA]

Ok, that is pretty much what I knew, not to use steel in full or tighter chokes, not necessarily the barrel itself. General rule of thumb is that with a fixed choke, and steel shot, since it does not compress like lead, whichever choke you are using with steel is like using 1 tighter than if it were lead. I.E. modified w/ steel = full , IC w/ steel= mod. I do know that my beretta chokes are proofed for steel shot, and are marked with SP after the constriction.
FWIW, I use an A5 16 gauge 28" fixed-modified choke barrel for Teal, and it throws a great pattern.

Still, by the "new" steel shot mandate, are you talking about the one from the mid 80's or is there some breaking news I am unaware of?