Help find a turkey choke for an old Ithaca/SKB 500

[basskleff]

Hi all,

I picked up a nice 70s (I think) used Ithaca/SKB 500 over-under 12 gauge from Old Glory Guns & Ammo in NH, last November for pheasant season.
Got a hen pheasant with her and my black Lab.

I've been looking for a turkey choke. I was in touch with Carlson's last fall, got a model, ordered from Amazon, and it didn't fit. Too large for the threaded bore.

These guns were originally made fixed choke in Japan as I understand, but this one came with removable chokes. Apparently, the previous owner had the barrels gunsmithed.
The chokes that are in there are Colonial Arms, Inc. improved cylinder and modified. They look like stainless steel.

I've been waiting for Paradis Arms in New Braintree to open their new location. I met him for black powder ammo and primers, and he's nice guy.

It seems the threading is oddball.
Any ideas how I can fit a turkey choke on this one?

Thanks- B

 

[pupchow]

FB is evil but there're some knowledgeable folks there Facebook

 

[RDG]

Colonial Choke and Tool, LLC

THE MOST COMPLETE LINE OF SHOTGUN CHOKE TUBES, TOOLING & ACCESSORIES AVAILABLE TO THE SHOOTING INDUSTRY

www.colonialchokeandtool.com

Colonial Arms still sells choke tubes and installs them.
I’d bet they would know what chokes belongs in that gun.
or maybe you could ship them one of your current chokes that fit and they could tell you what choke thread pattern it matches.

 

[Mark from MA]

If your from that area its very possible that the tubes were put in by
Michael Orlen
79 Amherst Street, Amherst, MA 01002
(413) 256-1630
[email protected]

He used the colonial thin wall tubes in my browning citori. I would start as RDG says by sending Colonial a pic, or a tube and Im sure they can guide you.

 

[basskleff]

Thanks, Mark, RDG & pupchow.
Mark, that pic looks just like one of them.

I'll try contacting Colonial. I had tried them around the holidays 2022, through their web form. But I'm sure it's worth trying again.

 

[Asaltweapon]

My Amazon experience was an expensive lesson.

The first one blew out of the barrel within 5 rounds. Yes, it was threaded and installed correctly. This particular replacement choke also fit just fine and looked fine in the bore. This choke is pealed like a banana in the bore and is not coming out.

I swear the package looked like it was printed in China to the point I wished I saved them both.
Now I have a useless shotgun that I really loved. It had a lot of range and field time and if I can’t find another barrel it’s one expensive behind the door sawed off.

Pissed is an understatement.

 

[AFAR/PFAR]

Now I have a useless shotgun that I really loved. It had a lot of range and field time and if I can’t find another barrel it’s one expensive behind the door sawed off.

What shotgun?

 

[Asaltweapon]

Beretta 391 Teknys Trap. Discontinued by Beretta, poked around the shotgun sites with no luck. Likely going to take it to Cole Gun in Harpswell ME one of these days when I head south. I gotta head south to pick up a live edge slab for a table project I’m planning.

 

[KMM696]

If Mike Orlen is still in business, he'd know if it could be saved. He's been doing mostly choke work forever. The link is to an out of date price list, but it has his contact info.

Updated Mike Orlen price list

Hope it can be saved, hate seeing a good gun go bad.

 

[HorizontalHunter]

I can’t help you with a turkey choke but my question would be: Do you really need one?? Have you patterned it with Turkey loads to see what it does as it is?

Just a thought . You might be surprised.

Bob

 

[greencobra]

don't know exactly the damage but a decent smith should be able to cut that barrel back and rethread for your turkey choke of choice.

 

[basskleff]

I just got in and installed Colonial Choke & Tool of Spanish Fort, AL thin wall chokes. Colonial Choke and Tool, LLC
As mentioned above, this is the manufacturer of the pheasant chokes ( IC & modified) that came with my "new" used Ithaca.

And they threaded and fit perfectly.
I was looking for a full turkey choke, or two, but while Colonial didn't have exactly that constriction(for my unusual thin wall Ithaca), these two new extra fulls come close.
It was good guidance. I spoke with Caryn Buchanan.

I'll mention again, my gun is a 70s (probably) Ithaca-SKB 500 Over-Under 12 gauge 28" vented rib barrel.

So I bought one flush Colonial Thin Wall extra full (lead shot only) and one extended thin wall extra full (steel shot).

I shot some rounds onto a standard splash target and busted up some clays. They look great. I thought the flush might have looked even a little denser with #6 field load.

So I have 2 #4 heavy field load ready for the turkey.

This will be the year. I went out yesterday, day after opening day. I heard a tom gobbling 5 minutes after I setup decoys at 5am. Ware river watershed WMA, Oakham-Rutland. But he shut up quickly. There are birds in there, but they're use to so much clumsy calling, shooting & human activity, so they stay in the woods and shut up. I'll hit another spot tomorrow.

 

[RDG]

This will be the year. I went out yesterday, day after opening day. I heard a tom gobbling 5 minutes after I setup decoys at 5am. Ware river watershed WMA, Oakham-Rutland. But he shut up quickly. There are birds in there, but they're use to so much clumsy calling, shooting & human activity, so they stay in the woods and shut up. I'll hit another spot tomorrow.

Don't be afraid to go after them in the woods.. I shoot almost all my birds in the woods.
Don't believe all the YouTube videos with guys shooting gobblers in huge fields. Hunt the birds where they are.

 

[basskleff]

Don't be afraid to go after them in the woods.. I shoot almost all my birds in the woods.
Don't believe all the YouTube videos with guys shooting gobblers in huge fields. Hunt the birds where they are.

I was just thinking that today. Changing the strategy.
But you still have to sit down in one spot and call in, no?
You might be able to move in a little in really thick cover. I've done some of that.
It's a good suggestion. Mass turkeys love the cover of the woods.
It's still a good hunt if you're close and have him answering for a while.