stuck chokes

[dogger]

whats the best way/thing to get them out? any special oil/lubricant to help free them off? there not budging with a key🙁

[button]

 

[steve_b_wales]

34 minutes ago, dogger said:

whats the best way/thing to get them out? any special oil/lubricant to help free them off? there not budging with a key🙁

WD40 sprayed on them and left for awhile sometimes works, or you could soak the ends of the barrels in diesel, although you could end up damaging the bluing. Another way, and again this could mark the bluing, is to lightly heat up the barrels using a blow lamp and then try and remove the chokes. I would try the WD40 method first.

[Gerry78]

52 minutes ago, dogger said:

whats the best way/thing to get them out? any special oil/lubricant to help free them off? there not budging with a key🙁

Bring them if u can to a competent gunsmith not a gun dealer 

[ditchman]

Mix petrol and desiel 50/50.........put into bowl and stand the barrells nose down in them overnight,,,,,,,,,,,,before you do heaat the end of the barrell up with a hairdryer..then put into mix

[Westley]

I have done several barrels with stuck chokes when I ran a shooting ground. I was amazed at just how common a complaint it was, never having it happen on any of my guns. However, I always stood the muzzles in a container with diesel oil for a few days, on all but one occasion that worked, without damage to the barrels or the blueing. Another tip is to put the choke key in a vice and turn the barrels. This allows greater pressure to be applied. IF this fails, I would take it to a gunsmith, irreparable damage can be caused by the incorrect application of heat, especially to the blueing. If this works try and avoid a repeat by correct lubricant on the choke tubes.

Edited November 27, 2023 by Westley

[enfieldspares]

1 minute ago, Westley said:

IF this fails, I would take it to a gunsmith, irreparable damage can be caused by the incorrect application of heat, especially to the blueing.

Or if far too much the rib, or ribs, fall off. Literally.

[DUNKS]

I have found the best mix for freeing things is ATF "automatic transmission fluid|" and turps or paraffin  50/50 mix. As has been said stand muzzles in the mix for a day or two.

Edited November 28, 2023 by DUNKS

[steve_b_wales]

If and when you get them off, clean the threads and smear some Copperslip grease on them. I use this on all my chokes and it works well.

[Whitebridges]

Horrible when a choke gets stuck. I've had this happen just twice. I solved one myself by sticking some WD 40 down the choke, the second one went off to the 'smith who warmed it up with a blow touch and out she popped with a little soft handling ! I followed his sage advice and now take the chokes out everytime i use these guns and wipe the choke and screw thread with Browning oil. Never had any trouble since. For me the moral of this tale is to clean them regularly or use fixed chokes saving the hassle. My three SxS guns have fixed chokes.     

[Newbie to this]

1 hour ago, Whitebridges said:

or use fixed chokes saving the hassle.

Isn't that what a stuck choke becomes  

[London Best]

Saw two inches off the barrels, crack on shooting and FORGET about choke.

[dogger]

Right all your good advice taken on board 👍🏻next question what chokes would you put in an over and under for game shooting?

[Dave at kelton]

14 minutes ago, dogger said:

Right all your good advice taken on board 👍🏻next question what chokes would you put in an over and under for game shooting?

Imp cyl and 1/4 if you are shooting out to 40 yds

[London Best]

19 minutes ago, Dave at kelton said:

Imp cyl and 1/4 if you are shooting out to 40 yds

This. Basically, as little choke as you possibly can. 
My three SxS game guns have imp/quarter, imp/3/8 and true cyl/quarter. All three seem to work well even on pheasants coming off Welsh mountains.

[Dave at kelton]

3 minutes ago, London Best said:

This. Basically, as little choke as you possibly can. 
My three SxS game guns have imp/quarter, imp/3/8 and true cyl/quarter. All three seem to work well even on pheasants coming off Welsh mountains.

My Dickson is 1/8 and 3/8 and with 28 gms 5 shot is devastating

[London Best]

Just now, Dave at kelton said:

My Dickson is 1/8 and 3/8 and with 28 gms 5 shot is devastating

Not surprised. 
My Holland has .004 thou and .015 thou and I still think the .015 thou (3/8 choke) is just a bit too much. 
Personally, I never use shot as big as your No.5.  I mostly use 7’s as I tend to shoot mainly partridge and it works just fine on pheasants too, but I will buy No.6 shot if I know I am shooting pheasants only. I never use more than 28gram loads for game.

[marlin vs]

1 hour ago, London Best said:

Saw two inches off the barrels, crack on shooting and FORGET about choke.

🤣

[wymberley]

On 27/11/2023 at 20:44, dogger said:

Right all your good advice taken on board 👍🏻next question what chokes would you put in an over and under for game shooting?

The first thing to note is that for any True Cylinder bored gun to actually print that on a pattern plate, you can be virtually certain that the gun will carry a couple of thou' or so of choke.

The more open choke needs to be able to place on average c6 strikes on any given more usually sized quarry utilising the central 20" circle of the pattern plate at a range where the majority of the birds are taken. This ensures there are sufficient to pretty much do the job with every truly aimed shot. If the idea of the tighter choke is to extend the range a little then going up two sizes can be preferable as one gains almost nothing. It is for good reason that Imp x 1/2 is traditionally regarded as 'game bored'.

Edited November 28, 2023 by wymberley

[owain]

One thing you could try would be to freeze the barrel, put your choke key in the vice, apply pressure whilst gently heating the outside of the barrel. Alternatively, I normally use boiling water on brake calliper bleed nipples, the heat seems to swell them and the water seeps in to lubricate the threads. I don’t know what affect that would have on bluing though. 

[zipdog]

First attempt - Graphite penetrating fluid (better than WD40)

Second - Try tapping the choke key with a hammer the wrong way, then the right way, you’d be surprised how often this works

Third - Put into the freezer then pour boiling water onto the outside of the barrels whilst turning the choke key

Forth - Choke key in vice (can repeat the step above if necessary)

Fifth - Stand in diesel over night 

Sixth - Oxy acetylene (carefully)

 

 

[dogger]

all good advise i,ll have a go at the weekend👍

[Gerry78]

3 hours ago, dogger said:

all good advise i,ll have a go at the weekend👍

Dogger if you like the gun and I’m sure you do take it to a competent gun SMITH and get them to get the chokes out You could do more damage messing about with the chokes &barrels etc 

[Wylye]

A few years ago I took a customers DT10 to a gunsmith to have both chokes removed. They hadn’t been out for some years. They were solid. After a few attempts with various wrenches and tools the oxy-acetylene torch was used and the end of the barrels were glowing red. Both ribs popped off and solder was bubbling from the holes. Eventually the chokes came out looking like a length of swarf from a lathe. The ribs were re-layed and the barrels blacked. The threads were re-cut and the job was absolutely perfect. I gave the gun back to the customer and he complained that he would have to find some new chokes as the gun was going back to GMK - it was sponsored. The customer was AJ Smith and the gunsmith was Patrick Croft.

[Fargo]

On 27/11/2023 at 20:44, dogger said:

Right all your good advice taken on board 👍🏻next question what chokes would you put in an over and under for game shooting?

1/4 & IC as said

with a 30g 6-7