Shotgun Choke options

[Dziner]

While I know about the different "chokes" (meaning cylinder, modified, full, etc, etc) I wanted to know your thoughts on specific brand chokes vs brand shotty.

I picked up a Mossberg 500, and inadvertantly thought there was a chance that this shotgun would come with interchangeable "Accu-chokes". Wrongo (shotgun noob mistake I suppose). Anyway, I want a few chokes just for consideration of target shooting, skeet-or-trap-or-sporting clay, and HD.

For HD I figure I can stick with the cylinder, but would almost prefer something a little tighter maybe modified?

for target shooting for the sake of shooting, well I am fine with just sticking with the cylinder as I am not shooting long range at the moment.

For maybe getting into clays I figure a skeet or improved cylinder.

That all being said, how the hell do I install them? I do not feel any threads in the existing barrel so I assume screw-ins are out of the question. Clearly there is no "fixed choke" other than the cylinder bore.

So, do I need a whole new barrel in order to use chokes or are there chokes that can be installed into this smooth barrel? Also, since I know some Mossy's come with "Accu-chokes" am I to assume ONLY Accu-chokes are fully compatible with Mossberg? or can I use another brand, say Remington?

 

[mac1911]

You will need to have the barrel fitted for choke tubes, also somewhere on the barrel either spelled out or special marks should tell you the restriction of the fixed choke barrel.
It would be easier and cheaper to buy a removable choke barrel.

 

[Dziner]

How do you mean fitted? would it be fitted with a fixed choke permanently secured in there or would they basically fix a connector to the existing barrel to receive the screw-in or adjustable chokes?

So would you suggest picking up a threaded barrel and getting some screw-in chokes?

 

[mac1911]

You can pick up mossberg barrels, many different types. 100-150...find them used for less.

You can have a "fixed choke barrel" threaded for use with removalbe chokes. Best bet buy a barrel with accu choke system and some chokes.

Modified will serve you well for most clays,trap,skeet shooting until you find yourself addicted.....then like any addiction you will be looking for more,different,better.

My "TRAP" shotgun is set up to shoot alot higher than your field grade shotgun.

Trap the ideal time to take the target is while it is on the rise. So a gun woth a tendecy to shoot high is ideal.

 

[vellnueve]

You have a cylinder bore barrel that cannot accept chokes. It is fine for HD and is actually my choke of choice for HD. At short HD ranges, the spread is negligible.

 

[zerodown]

I would get another barrel for the 500. The 18" is going to be a little short for trap anyway and the cost to have the end threaded to accept chokes will probably be equal to picking up another barrel. You may want to look at something in the 24", 26" range for shooting trap.

 

[Dziner]

Is it safe to say I am looking at about another $100-150 as mac1911 suggested for a 26" already set up to accept the accu-choke's?

 

[xEnDoNx]

Is it safe to say I am looking at about another $100-150 as mac1911 suggested for a 26" already set up to accept the accu-choke's?

Get the 28" vented ribbed barrel, comes with chokes.

Cheaperthandirt.com has the lowest price for the barrel.
http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/46293-1.html

 

[zerodown]

I would say that's a reasonable range you could expect. Kittery, for example, has a couple barrels for sale now ranging between $75-$110 for the Mossberg 500.

 

[amb]

Is it safe to say I am looking at about another $100-150 as mac1911 suggested for a 26" already set up to accept the accu-choke's?

The going price for a new barrel with a set of chokes is $150-170. (http://www.midwayusa.com/viewproduct/?productnumber=742385) Used is lots cheaper; last time I was in Guns and Gun Parts they had a bunch of 500 barrels for around $50, and most gun shops seem to have a few kicking around. Corson's (http://www.corsonsbarrels.com/) has some for $85 and up, but they charge a fair bit for shipping and you can probably find one locally.

There are only a couple of standards for chokes, and once you have the barrel you can use most brands of choke with it; no need to stick with Mossberg. (Browning, Winchester, no-name, etc.)

There are two sizes of 500, standard and extended magazine; if you're doing mail-order make sure you get the right one, since the barrels are different and don't interchange.

There are two styles of muzzle, ported and not; older barrels will not be ported, new ones will. (I could never figure much of a difference except that the ported ones are louder and the older unported barrels are cheaper.)

There are two styles of sighting rib, raised+vented or not. I like the raised and vented ones just because that's where my eye wants the sights.

You'll also see older 500 barrels that don't take interchangeable chokes, but instead have a fixed choke built into the barrel. Those are no good for steel shot, at least according to Mossberg.

More info than you asked for, but since I went down the same path a couple of years ago I thought it might be useful. For my 500 I have both a 28" barrel with a fixed "modified" choke and another 28" with an accu-choke setup and vented rib. I picked up the second one when I started shooting at Mass Rifle (where the trap field allows steel shot only), but I found I liked the higher vented rib a whole lot.

Shotgun target sports are a hoot, and you don't need a kilobuck over/under to go out and have fun. I've yet to try shooting doubles, though; I hear it's doable, just kinda busy.

 

[Dziner]

you guys have been most helpful. and amb, there is no such thing as "too much info" when it comes to guns. especially since I can learn from you past experience without fouling up along the way and having to learn the hard way. where is this "gun and gun parts" place you mentioned?

 

[amb]

where is this "gun and gun parts" place you mentioned?

Guns and Gun Parts is a shop in West Springfield that sells exactly what you'd expect. It's pretty small, but the place is floor-to-ceiling with all kinds of oddball guns, gun parts, and ammo for calibers I've never heard of.

It's quite a haul from where you are, though. It's a great shop, but maybe not so great it's worth a four-hour round trip. If you're driving down the Mass Pike anyway, though, they're not far off of Exit 4. (Fairly close to the Springfield Armory National History Site, also worth a visit.)

NES review thread: http://www.northeastshooters.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=15914
Store URL: http://www.gunsnparts.com/

PS: just noticed his web site includes his inventory of barrels, including a half-dozen for a Mossberg 500. It's dated a year ago, though. ("Moss. 500 .12ga. 30'' v/r 2 3/4 & 3'' 95% $65.00 MV-32" looks like a good bet if it's still around.)