Home Forums Birds & Dogs Shotguns boring for choke tubes

I have a browning A-5 light in a 20 gage. It has a mod. barrel and I am thinking of having it bored for choke tubes. Any thoughts??

It really depends on what choke you think you need to hunt your way, and whether you really think that the ability to change chokes is worth the cost and bother. It might also be good to check with somebody about how it will affect the gun's value (I wouldn't know about that).

Choke tubes are great, and at least half of my shotguns have them. The possibility of using any level of constriction you want seems liberating. However, in reality, many people find that they use only one or at most a few of the many tubes available to them, and could get by just fine with one if they were pressed. For example, in my primary upland gun, a 12 ga Citori Lightning Feather, I really only use IC and Modified. I very seldom change them anymore. On my primary waterfowl gun, an 870, I use Modified all the time. Either of these could be fixed choke guns and my hunting and shooting would not be affected one bit.

For sporting clays some people do switch chokes to suite conditions. But, there are better clays guns than your Browning A5. I wouldn't add choke tubes just to use it in clays competition. If I were serious enough to think that changing chokes might get me a few more birds, I'd buy a dedicated clays gun (like a Beretta 391). They come with choke tubes and you can buy as many others in as many constrictions as you can think of-- and some you'd never think of.

You should also consider that choke tubes add weight to the end of the gun. This can substantially change its balance. You probably won't be able to guess whether this will affect your gun or not, and how you will feel about it, until after the deed is done. It might not matter. Or it might matter a lot.

If I wanted more versatility from a fixed choke gun, and modified wasn't doing it for me, instead of installing tubes I'd consider having a good gunsmith open the existing modified choke to Improved Cylinder. I think for most purposes under 40 yds IC is the most useful constriction. You'd give up a few yards away from you (where, if you're like most hunters, you probably don't shoot much anyway), but gain much greater efficiency up to 35-40 yds or so. I think that's a good trade. It would also be considerably cheaper than installing choke tubes.

Good luck with your decision. Let us know what you decide and how it turns out.

Carlson's does a good job-- it adds no weight I can feel.

I will give them a call for pricing and turnaround. Thanks. I also have a Browning 16 A-5 - old model with the safety on the front of the trigger gaurd. It has a poly-choke. Works great just does not look that great.

They don't do 16 ga.-- but, let me look up who did my last 870 16 ga. w/ Tru-Chokes for you.

that would be great. Thanks Randy.

Before you send it off to anyone, have the ID and OD of the muzzle miked. The measurements must fall within certain limits for the gauge. The 'light-20' model may have a barrel too thin to install standard tubes; i.e., it may require 'thinwalls' if possible at all.

Get the measurements first, then call for options.

Good idea, I will take a caliper home and get the measurements.

It most certainly will require thin wall tubes. Before you have this done, you might want to talk to a few people who have had it done. Most I�ve talked to wouldn�t do it again.

Chinook gave some great advice. For me, you can choke a shotgun Skeet, IC or Modified and I can make it work for just about anything by varying my loads. I have made 55+ yard shots on clays with IC chokes. 9 times out of 10, if you missed, it�s not because of the choke, it�s just that you missed.

In Sporting Clays, the top shooters rarely if ever swap chokes anymore. It�s your call, but don�t let yourself get caught up in the choke tube hype. I shoot sporting clays on a regular basis with a fixed choke gun (skeet/skeet 2) and I never miss due to a choke issue�It�s always the loose nut behind the trigger.

FWIW � adding thin wall choke tubes will not increase the weight to any measurable degree.

I was told today that George Trulock is doing them-- actually son Jerrod, so there's a winner.

I've used Mike Orlen (out of MA) in the past-- good work!

well, lots of great ideas. Most of the time I use this gun for woodcock. Close shots. BY the time they get out it is too thick too shoot anyway. Maybe the idea of going to IC fixed would do it. I have time the woodcock season is about over up here for this year.

Polywad spreaders can save your gun from the "grim reamer"....... HTH, Dutch.

I have never heard of "polywad spreaders". Could I get a quick education?

http://www.polywad.com/

The Polywad spreader is a shell that uses an X shaped partition in the middle of the shot which keeps shot pressed toward the outside of the shot column. When it exits the barrel, it presses shot outward for much more rapid shot spread. It�s great for incoming shots or when you have a full choke gun you want to use for Quail or Dove. Patters are a bit patchy, but for the most part it works pretty well.

Personally, I find it much easier to tighten patters in an open choke than to open patters in a tight choke, but the Polywad is an option.

With that in mind, IC or even Cyl. is all you need. My son and I were scouting our deer hunting area yesterday and we saw three ruffed grouse in the trees just 20 feet away before they took off. IC or C would have been all we would have needed out to 25-30 yards. By then, they're swallowed up in the brush.

I second the polywad idea, especially for woodcock. I have an old 16 gauge model 12 in full choke that throws a deadly timberdoodle pattern with these shells. For grouse I load a spreader in the chamber and a regular load in the magazine -- works great! By the way, I have also used the Polywad loads my modified choke Sweet 16 and they work fine with similar results.

Great, the only problem is I cannot get the websight to open. Maybe I got IMac web problems. I'll try home on a PC later.

I have also had great results using the Polywad spreaders on Grouse, Pheasants, and woodcocks. I use them in a Lefever Nitro SXS in 20 gage choked mod and Full. I have made some amazing crossing shots on birds. Went I took the gun to the skeet range, I verified that my score went dramatically up to 22 broken clays vs. 15 with conventinal shells. I highly recommend them.

I got on their websight at home last night. I think I will order some and give that a try first. I like the idea of having that shot first then a regular shotshell second for the follow-up shot. That might have to wait till after Nov. Deer hunting next week. First year with 99F in a 308.

Have a number of guns with thin-wall tubes and see no issues with them. Many have a substatial amount of use behind them also. Steel shot requires an extended tube which I also see as problem-free.

If there were a weight issue with the tubes it would be a good thing. Most shooters would profit from a little muzzle-weight on standard factory guns because they run to butt-heavy and sluggish.
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