RemChoke Rifling Tube: Anybody Have Experience With It?

[Blaine]

Supposed to impart spin on the slugs. That would be nice for my 870 Tactical, if they really work. There are a few good deer hunts around here where only BP, Archery, or shotgun is allowed.

[TedH]

I use one in my Mossberg. It makes a noticable difference with my home made Lee slug loads, but it still doesn't shoot like a rifled barrel would.

[Newtmaker]

Just out of curiosity, Can slugs be shot with the normal choke as supplied in place? I have an 870 in 20 ga and bought some slugs but haven't shot them yet. I may have to hunt down one of those rifled chokes for mine if they are made for the 20 ga.

Walt

[Blaine]

Just out of curiosity, Can slugs be shot with the normal choke as supplied in place? I have an 870 in 20 ga and bought some slugs but haven't shot them yet. I may have to hunt down one of those rifled chokes for mine if they are made for the 20 ga.

Walt

Every shotgun is different. I had an old 20ga Deerslayer that couldn't hit a barn, but, my little H&R would shoot as good as I could hold it out to about 50 yards or so.

[86er]

This is timely for me because I have just begun deciding whether or not a rifled choke tube is the way to go in my 870s. I recently parted with a certain shotgun that was slug-ready and I'm back to my two 870's (12b) for that task. I used 7 kinds of slugs and found the Federal Tru-Ball Low Recoil (a full bore slug) grouped best with the standard IC choke. 3 shots would do 2" at 50 yards and 5 inches at 100 yards (this is with rifle sights installed on the rib and off a bench). I tried two rifled choke tubes, the Carlson and the Colonial Arms (both about $50). The Carlson does not stick out as much as the Colonial and it seems to have wider, deeper rifling. The difference between IC choke and the Carlson tube was insignificant at 50 yds and 4" groups @ 100 yds or roughly 20-25% improvement. One other slug came to group better, good enough with the Carlson that it could be used (but the recoil was fierce) and that is the Remginton Buck-Hammer (sabotted slug). It would do 3" @ 50 yds and 6" @ 100 yds where it was totally inconsistent from the IC choke. Next I used the Colonial Arms rifled choke tube. The Federal Tru-Ball liked this choke and did 3 shots touching at 50 yds for 2" groups. At 100 yards they grouped 3.25". This was not much improvement at 50 yds but about 45% improvement over the IC choke at 100 yds. The Rem Buck Hammer did 3" @ 50 and 5" @ 100, so only 1" better @ 100 yards and the same at 50 yards as the Carlson choke. However, the Colonial Arms choke made another slug viable and that is the Remington Slugger 1 oz. Where this would not group with the IC choke or the Carlson, it held 2.5" @ 50 yards and 5" @ 100 yards out of the Colonial Arms choke tube. I plan to try at least 5 more types of slugs before I finalize a decision. I am going to use plain ol' Winchester Pumpkin Ball 1 oz. due the low price and availability. Then I want to use one of the Brenekke's in 2.75" with a full bore diameter. I am also hoping to try the Remington Accu-Tip (recommended for the Colonial Arms rifled choke by a friend that has one) and another sabotted slug of moderate price. Please share your experiences as I am open to suggestions as well.

[junkbug]

I have fired traditional "Foster" rifled slugs (Remington brand) out of my Remington 870, full choke vent rib barrel, made in 1980. Hollow base slugs are designed to be able to be used out of choked barrels without harming (most of) them. It has been so long, I don't remember how accurate it was, but I was not impressed. Not having a rear sight didn't help any.

I would hesitate to shoot slugs out of full choke double barrel shotguns, especially older ones with thin barrel. Might bulge a barrel. I was OK in the Rem 870 though (12 gauge).

Is your barrel threaded for choke tubes? Mine is not. My solution, years ago, was to snap up a 20" smooth bore slug barrel for the 870, which has iron sights. These barrels were to be had on the cheap when rifled slug barrels first started being popular in the mid 80's. I probably bought mine in 1989 or 1990.

I understand slugs are better than they were 25 years ago. I will have to give the old smooth bore slug barrel (improved cylinder choke) another try. Man, it kicks hard!!

[EdinCT]

Years ago I had to use slugs in CT and found Super X fosters were the best in my guns. I then bought a 870 with the Rem choke and tried a rifled tube,what I found was fosters were ok for 5-6 shots and then the rifled tube was leaded badly, and accuracy was gone. Then I tried the BRI's at 1350 fps and they shot 5" or less at 100 yards. When I tried the faster sabot slugs the tube didn't seem to cut it I think they skid through the choke.
Then I bought a Hastings full rifled and stayed with the BRI's at 1350 because I could hit to 125 yards and I never had a slug stay in the deer I shot, so why kill air.The Hastings only shaved a 1" or 2" off my 100 yard groups, think hard about the money outlay if your on a budget.
Of late I tried the Federal trueballs in a youth 20ga 870 with the Colonial rifled choke and I have to tell you my 12 with the Hastings stays home alot. The trueballs shot into 4-5 inchs at 100 like Joe says and in CT brush thats about all I need. But it will lead after 5-6, but I kill my two deer with 2-3 shots:)
So slower sabots through the tubes and Trueballs in smooth and out to a 100 yards find another excuse if you don't kill your game.

[Old Time Hunter]

Find a rifled barrel, for a hundred bucks or so, you can not go wrong.

Would have sold you mine (870 Super Magnum), but it was stolen three weeks ago...along with eight other guns, three bows, two chain saws, two sets of brand new snow shoes, and every extension cord I had hidden at my second home in northern Wisconsin. Did not steal one TV (have four), not one bottle of booze, not one beer missing from the frig...but did steal every paper plate, all paper towels, all the toliet paper, all the boxed staple foods, all canned goods (except my Popeye spinach, left it on the counter), and every tool on the property. First time in over thirty-five years that my place was broken into. Did not even break the doors, took their time and pried the trim off and then took the whole door out, frame and all.

Since I am five miles from the nearest paved road, the Sheriff thinks someone I know let someone they know about the location. He warned me not to booby trap the place, as that would be criminal on my part...so that is what I did, only used land mines filled with paint balls.