Anyone on here know anything about reworking shotgun barrels and opening up the choking on them.

If they are not crome lined it is easy.

I opened up several by wrapping fine steel wool around a brass brush putting the brush on a rod putting into hand drill and insterting brush into barrel and let her spin in the choke area.

The trick is to pattern offten polish until you get the pattern you want.

quote:

Originally posted by p dog shooter:
If they are not crome lined it is easy.

I opened up several by wrapping fine steel wool around a brass brush putting the brush on a rod putting into hand drill and insterting brush into barrel and let her spin in the choke area.

The trick is to pattern offten polish until you get the pattern you want.

With steel wool????

As far as I know, the barrels are not chrome lined. What I am looking at, is my 10 gauge double. It has 32 inch barrels choked Full & Full.

I have been toying with the idea of having the barrels shortened to 30 inches and the choke opened up to either modified in both barrels or modified and improved modified. One of my reasons for doing this is because I have heard, not read, just heard, that steel shot loads produce better patterns out of guns that are not choked Full. I do not know if that is true or not. I also don't know but what trimming two inches off the muzzles wouldn't achieve the results I am interested in.

IMHO you would be removing all of the choke in the barrels if you remove two inches. probably your best option in that csae would be to have scre in chokes installed, The existing chokes can be modified with a series of reaming and polishing to suit.

ACGG may still have in print a Wm Nittler book dealing with chokes..not really geared for the novice, but shows what's needed.

I used to do a fair amount of choke work; no time anymore, but I'd seek out a skilled man or firm for the job. Lotsa tricks can pull off what you need including overboring or jug choking. These days, screw in chokes would probably be your best bet

From what I've come to understand, when using steel shot in a full choke barrel, the steel doesn't compress well like lead. Therefore you run the risk of bulging the barrel due to pressure. Might happen on the first shot, might happen on the 10,001'st shot. I don't know this to be a fact but it seems to be the general thought around these parts. Unless you have a choke that's actually stamped 'full steel' I wouldn't use steel in a 'Full' barrel.

Personally, I would send it to Briley and have it cut and tubes installed.

Thanks for all the comments. Again it is just an idea I am kicking around. I had heard the concerns about steel bulging a barrel, but do not remember seeing any actual proof of it happening. I may find out the hard way. It may have been a common occurrence when steel first came on the scene and folks were using older guns.

If I decide to undertake this project it will be done thru a gunsmith. Not knowing for sure where/how far the choking extends in the barrel, to achieve the results I am after, removing the first half inch/inch of the muzzles might produce the results I am looking for. If the choking goes farther down the barrels, then having them rebored and removing the two inches of barrel might be the answer.

ive got a richland arms 10 ga SxS, with 32" bbls, full/full... thought seriously about doing what you're talke about, but dont want to run the risk of bulging barrels or splitting the solder joints... i talked to several barrel places, skeets in okla and brileys in houston, both advised against it... my .02$ worth... if you do decide to do it, use the choke that are threaded at the bottom, and not the top, you'll be less apt to peel 1 of them out... i'm gonna buy a rem/ithica 10 ga auto later.. and keep my 10 as it is... its great with OO buck...

I have had Tip Burns in Canyon Lake open the chokes on a SxS of mine. Excellent work.

I used to do a lot of choke work but it just doesn't make sense anymore when you can send it off to Briley and have them put their Choke system in it and have whatever you want at a very fair price. They are set up to do choke work and probably do more jobs in a week than most do in a year.

Everyone I asked told me to go to Briley...I just haven;t gotten the barrels off yet, but that's where they are going.

I will probably go the direction I am looking at, simply because I am not a fan of the choke tubes as is one single barreled guns and I definitely don't want them on a SXS double.

I tend to be a traditionalist on some things, choke tubes and anything other than SXS on a double barreled gun, are just not in my realm of thinking.

IMO, if God had meant for double barreled firearms to have been stacked one on top of the other, he would have stacked our eyeballs one on top of the other. Last time I checked, he did not do that.

I do appreciate all the comments and suggestions, but it will be after this duck season closes before I make any real decision on the course I will take.

THANKS for all the input.

all the barrels I need done will be fixed as well. Briley does that as well and takes into consideration the bore diameter, not just a standard diameter per choke. Good luck!

Crazyhorse, If you are looking at your method, I would suggest you make a small investment in some inside calipers, if you do not have any. You can get manual types for $10 and digital readout for $25. They will tell you how much the choke is at various distances inside the barrel.

Inside Calipers

Many Thanks for the info. This is going to be an after duck season project on both guns. Even though I enjoy duck hunting more, I also hunt doves with both guns, and finding the information about Ballistic Products on here, I am looking at setting up to load 2 7/8ths. inch 10 gauge shells, and full choke makes hitting those birds problematic for at least two reasons from my experience. First it is harder to hit one with the tight pattern and second, if you did center one in that pattern you get ground dove, feathers/meat and all.

I have opened up the chokes on a few guns and it isn't too difficult. I have an Italian 10 ga o&u that was made to be used with steel and it came f+f. I opened the lower bbl. to give me 55% patterns with the steel loads I was using. The full bbl. has had several hundred rounds thru it with no problems. I also did a 1950's Spanish 12 ga. s&s and it did develop a very slight bulge in the left bbl. choke. So I would be cautious if your gun is an older Spanish gun as the steel in some of these is questionable. Have the chokes opened to your liking and try some tungsten polymer or bismuth for the ducks. I like it way better than the steel and no problems with the older guns. It can be expensive but for the few ducks I am getting these days the gas bill is way more than the cost of the shells.
C.G.B.