Choke tube in a shortened barrel

[PeteH]

This isn't so much a "how-to" question as it is a "will-it-work"... I have a shotgun with a moderate-length barrel that I'd like to cut back to 19" or so. It presently has a screw-in choke tube.

Question: If I reinstall the screw-in tube into the shortened barrel, will it still function properly, i.e. provide the labelled choking action ?

Seems like it should, but I'm totally ignorant of such things.

Thanks...

[hammermill]

to my understanding it will function the same. some guns are proported to have a bit of freebore before the choke.. remember the usa thing of do not get to short..


here is a muti page discussion with lots of detail

http://www.nevadashooters.com/showthread.php?t=7719

also when done take the gun to the pattern board for a health check

[PeteH]

Thanks, glad to hear a more knowledgeable opinion.

And yes, I know about the NFA rules: 18" barrel, measured muzzle-to-bolt-face; and 26" overall, measured muzzle-to-most-distant-part-of-the-stock. Which is why I'm thinking of 19"-20". Even with a pistolgrip in place of the buttstock it still will be substantially more than 26" long.

[steamin10]

Look at shot shell loading tables to get the right powder for this thing, as it will require custom loads to prevent 'blowout' of the pattern. It is what happens when the propellant burns outside the barrel and tends to scatter the load. Not so bad with shot cups now, but a bear with card wads.

You will be in pistol powder territory to get the burn done by the end of a 20 inch barrell. I had a single trigger 20 guage shot pistol, and found the recoil to be vindictive. It was handy for country packing, and could shoot slugs on down to birdshot. It had a dismal pattern tho, nothing close to a long barrel. Commercial slugs had to be pulled and toned down to keep from paralizing your hand, (nearly), but short range it was a brutal weapon for bear defense, or survival type for close in birds.