Nothing like a case of shells, a box of clays, and a trusty shotgun for relaxing on a beautiful
afternoon. Of course, how well you maintain your shotgun
will affect whether your session is a relaxing one, or a frustrating one.
In this video, I want to focus on the maintenance of a specific, but often overlooked part of
the shotgun, which is the choke tube. Now, most of my videos tend to focus on the Remington
870, but this video should be applicable to any shotgun with a screw-in choke system.
Interchangeable screw-in choke tubes have become popular features in modern shotguns,
offering increased versatility over shotgun barrels with fixed chokes. First introduced
on the Remington 870 in mid-1980s, the Rem Choke system has also been used to mount other
accessories like breaching stand-offs or barrel extensions.
There’s no such thing as a free lunch though. Barrels threaded for interchangeable chokes
are usually not as durable at the muzzle as their fixed-choke counterparts, and the choke
tube & barrel threads require additional maintenance to keep them intact and fully functional.
There are a number of different ways to clean choke tubes. Some are more applicable in certain
situations, but generally, it's just a matter of preference. I'll be showing my methods
in this video, but the important thing is that the choke tube gets clean. Feel free
to use whatever methods, products, or tools you like, as long as they won't damage the
parts, or harm you. Now, I’ll assume you know the basics of
taking down and cleaning your shotgun. If not, that information is in your owner’s
manual. If you want a detailed video, this one from Patriot36 shows all the parts you’ll
want to hit during a complete cleaning. But you really don’t have to scrub out every
nook and cranny each time you shoot a box of shells, though. Pump shotguns are not finicky,
and the 870 especially is a very simple, reliable, tough gun. I tend to be fastidious with my
choke tubes, and I like to keep my barrel bores clean, but for the rest of the gun,
I usually just give it a good wipe-down when I get back from shooting. I don’t pull it
all apart for intensive cleaning very often, because it really isn’t necessary.
If I’m also cleaning the barrel bore, I like to leave the tube installed, and clean
the bores of both simultaneously. I like to get most of the fouling out with
my bore brush, running it through from the breech end of the barrel to avoid scraping
up the muzzle with the cleaning rod. Once I have the bore looking mostly clean, I’ll
use a cleaning patch and a suitable solvent to wipe out the last bits of loose material.
While I’m doing this, I want to emphasize that the crud you’ll be cleaning out of
your gun will contain fine particles of lead, so be sure not to breathe any of the dust
you may scrub out, and keep your fingers out of your mouth or nose. If you have kids underfoot
while you’re doing this, you should keep an eye on them as well. A child’s body will
absorb lead three and a half times as readily as that of an adult, and things like nose-picking
or thumb-sucking increases the risk of exposure. But while lead is toxic, it’s not radioactive.
Inorganic lead is not readily absorbed through the skin, so it’s safe to handle; and most
cases of lead poisoning are due to long-term direct exposure, so a minor slip-up once in
a while isn’t something to freak out about. Just be aware of the dangers, know how to
safely handle it, and use a little common sense.
Once the bore of the barrel is clean, I’ll screw out the choke tube. You’ll notice
I’m not using a wrench for this. The truth is, you only really need those wrenches for
damaged threads or stuck tubes. If you make a habit of properly maintaining them, you
should only need your finger – or maybe a coin if it’s a little sticky. This is
especially convenient because you don’t have to pack around a wrench to switch chokes
in the field. Be careful with your barrel once you have
the choke tube out. The remainder of the muzzle is very thin metal that is easily damaged
if it gets hit or dropped, and you should NEVER fire the gun without a tube installed.
With the tube out, I’ll use a brush or rag with some solvent to clean up the rest of
the tube. If you’re dealing with a really messed up or neglected tube, you may need
to soak it in a cleaner to soften the buildup. A standard solvent, or even something as simple
as carb cleaner will work fine for that, no need to waste a lot of money on some fancy
kit or product. I clean my tubes regularly though, so they shine up pretty easily.
Now, this tube is my Improved Cylinder, which you saw me using in the intro to break (or
miss) clays. I’ve also been doing some shooting with my Full and Modified chokes, so I'll
clean them as well. A properly-installed choke tube will have
some type of lubricant on the threads. As you can see, this old lubricant has collected
grit and powder residue from all the shells sent through it. These foreign particles have
an abrasive effect on the delicate threads, so just like the engine oil in your car, you
should replace it when it gets dirty. I like to use a plastic-bristled brush (which
is basically a stiff toothbrush) dipped in solvent to get the dirty lube out of the threads,
wiping them off afterward with a rag or patch. Take care not to flick this stuff into your
eyes when using the brush. I’ll also clean out the threads inside the barrel in the same
way. These very fine threads can seize up, corrode,
or become damaged if they aren’t cleaned and lubricated properly. In extreme cases,
dry or dirty choke tubes that are installed and neglectfully left in for years can completely
lock up and become impossible to remove without damaging the barrel. A stuck choke tube can
also corrode and weaken the barrel from the inside.
Once completely clean, any remaining solvent should be wiped off. Since solvent is used
to remove oil or grease, allowing it to mix with the lubricant is counterproductive.
So now I’ve got my tubes and their threads squeaky clean. As it’s said, the squeaky
wheel gets the grease, so before I use them in the barrel, I need to re-lubricate these
threads. There are a lot of different products you
can use to lube the threads on your choke tubes. There are commercial choke tube lubricants
of course, but you can also use normal gun oil, and I’ve even heard of people using
automotive engine oil or synthetic axle grease. Generally, any high-temperature oil or grease
that won’t react with the metal will get the job done.
While my normal gun oils would do the job, the liquids need to be applied immediately
before installing the tube in the barrel, or they’ll run off. With a paste or grease,
I can re-lube all of my chokes right after I clean them, and keep them ready to go in
their storage tubes. This way, if I’m out in the field and want to change chokes, I
don’t also have to pack along a bottle of oil.
The product I like to use is Permatex Anti-Seize. This is the same thread paste you saw me use
on the receiver stud in the previous video. It’s inexpensive, and will work in temperature
ranges from -50 to around 870 degrees Celsius. I’ve used this stuff to build industrial
casting equipment, so I know it can do the job in harsh conditions.
To reinstall, I just thread the tube in, and use my finger to tighten it. Again, you don’t
need a wrench if you maintain your chokes; just save your money.
Well, that's about it. It's, uh, really not rocket science. Just remember to maintain
your choke tubes, and you’ll get years of use out of them. Abuse them, you'll end up
with a fixed choke in your barrel, and your gunsmith'll have some funny stories to tell
at parties. As always, I hope this video was helpful.
If you have any questions, I'd be happy to answer them. If you have any suggestions for
future topics, I'd love to hear them. Other than that, please stay safe, have fun shooting,
and remember to represent the shooting community in a positive light - especially now, with
all that's going on.