Home Forums Birds & Dogs Shotguns Polychokes?

Anyone have experience with polychokes? Do they pattern well? Are there maintenance issues? Just bought a Rem 20 gauge Wingmaster and thought this might be a good choice but I know very little about them.

Thanks.

Years ago, I bought a new Remington 1100 semi-auto 12 ga. It had a 26" barrel, vent rib, improved cylinder choke on it.

I had a Poly Choke put on it, and have used it ever since, with extremely satisfactory results. It is very versatile. Adjust it to whatever shells you're using and whatever game birds you're hunting. (Also has a slug setting but I have not used it for slugs.)

That's my experience. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Good luck.

Have several older guns with them on them. I really like them. They are very handy in the field and easy to clean. Unscrew the sleeve and wipe down the spring fingers inside, screw the sleeve back on. I would not hesitate to pick one up. I have gotten several shotguns cheaper because they had been installed, their loss is my gain. Ryan

Are you inquiring about the older system that was a permanent installation on the gun, or, the new screw in choke tube which is adjustable? The new screw in choke is interesting. Much sleeker than the old swelled knot on the end of the barrel and if it works as advertised could prove very, very, useful.

MOGC,

I'm interested in the screw in model I saw on their website.

Thanks to everyone for their input. Looks like a polychoke might be a good choice for me. Most of the time one choke will work just fine but sometimes(less than 10% I'm guessing) having a choice would be nice.

other than being ugly, the PolyChoke works very well. I have one on an ancient Model 11 Remington, and its the bomb.

Not sure what this means but there were about nine of them (rewrapped like returns) in the Bargain Cave at the Phoenix Cabela's. Somebody decided they didn't like them.

Screw In:

Will change balance of any given barrel, even the Ti one is heavier than would have thought. Don't remember exact, sold it, but right at under 3 ounces on the END of barrel.

The tightening, and loosening notches and wrench could be better designed, Very easy to mar surfaces, and can be difficult to remove.

The profile is the same as old type with Polychoke type, and the Ti brand, will look like a big weiner on the end of your tube. Your decision as to asthetics suit you.

They pretty much perform as claimed, and in comparison to the old permanent mount type.

They will require periodic cleaning of collets for best pattern performance.

As with all shotgun barrels, will require patterning to know for certain, how setting and load will perform for you. So, you will need to be able to repeat that choke setting for your preferred load.

All in all, I prefer the old permanent mount Polychoke WITHOUT the ported vents in choke. I hear that Polychoke is now installing the original to barrels again. Have not checked about that though.

Yes, they will shoot slugs as per makers innstructions.

I would suspect if Cabela's has returns, it was probably because of the weight at end of barrel issue. With a shorter barrel may not be problem for an individual's taste.

The can also be very difficult to achieve REAL full choke patterns of 75% or more. But it can be done with enough home work on the pattern board. Most seem to throw the farther, even patterns in I.M. area.

Just experience with one of two different screw in adjustables.
Others may experience different.

Thanks for that info. That's enough to prevent me from fiddling around with one.

I have a TruGlo Titan that I use on my BGH, and am quite pleased with it. It does change the balance a tad, but not enough to bother me. It does pattern well, with many of the loads I tried. I have had mine for about 5 years.

sactoller

If you send the gun to Polychoke for a permanent installation, they ask you how long you want the bbl to end up. Tell them 22" or so and it won't be nose-heavy.

I had one put on a ratty, old Stevens single shot 12ga, for a proof-of-concept trunk-gun project. I'm sure the the Polychoke guys wept while they were installing it. The cost of the choke was more than what I paid for the shotgun.

Bird shot to buck shot. It's ugly, but it's packable and it'll do the job. One day, I'll come across another Stevens in better shape and do it again.

I also have an Ithaca 37 in 12ga that I bought used with a twist choke on it made by a company called Hartford. Works the same way as the Polychoke. Very well.

- TJM