Author Topic: Stuck Choke Tubes (Read 776 times)

swamprattler · « **on:** March 15, 2004, 04:39:47 PM »

I have a Stoeger side by side shotgun 12 ga. and the choke tubes seem to be frozen in the barrels. At the beginning of last years season I had the choke tubes out and I re-oiled them before putting them back in. I fired approx 6 boxes of shells and then tried to remove them and they were froze. I soaked the end of the bls in Kroil for 2 weeks but no luck. I then soaked the tubes in a jar of diesel fuel for 5 months and still no luck. If anyone could please help me with this problem I would greatly appreciate it.

Thankyou

mainehunt · « **Reply #1 on:** March 16, 2004, 02:25:21 AM »

Swamprattler,

My buddy and I just went through this same thing. We were crow hunting two weeks back and he changed choke tubes. Then this past Friday, he went to change it back and it wouldn't move. We couldn't understand it, because 2 weeks ago, he put it in with just his fingers, didn't even tighten with a wrench. well, we sprayed with WD-40 and he found that a quarter fit the notches really well. I put the quarter in some vise-grips while he hel d the rifle. It was all we could do to turn it, it would turn out about 1/4 of the way then it would freeze up. we kept adding oil and WD but it still kept locking up about 1/4 of the way out. Finally we said the hell with it and we really cranked on it. We pretty much ruined that quarter, but it helped to protect the choke tube. It finally came out, with us sweating like we sprinted a mile.

I couldn't believe it, but that choke tube was rusted pretty good. Not pitted, but rust in the threads on the tube and in the barrel. We used a very fine bronze wire brush and cleaned all of the rust off of the threads. All of our choke tubes now have anti-seize on the threads.

GOOD LUCK.

gunnut69 · « **Reply #2 on:** March 16, 2004, 06:00:48 AM »

Try freezing the barrels. This will cause the steel to shrink and break the bond between the barrels and the tubes. Never use oil on choke tubes. It doesn't supply the needed protection at the pressures experienced in the barrel of a shotgun. Us a very well fitting wrench and work with the steel cold. Clean well and use any high pressure antisieze compound. The stuff I use came from caterpillar but any will work as will the compounds sold for that purpose by the gun industry.

swamprattler · « **Reply #3 on:** March 16, 2004, 07:13:30 PM »

Thanks for the ideas, unfortunately freezing the barrels and ruining a couple of dollars worth of quarters the choke tubes held fast. Any other ideas are welcome.
Thankyou

cjcocn · « **Reply #4 on:** March 18, 2004, 11:24:20 AM »

http://www.shotgunworld.com/bbs/viewtopic.php?t=6624&highlight=

try this link above .... they discuss various forms of choke removals and should give you some good ideas.

CJ

weagle · « **Reply #5 on:** March 18, 2004, 04:36:29 PM »

Try shooting it 8 or 10 times and see if the vibration and heat break anything loose.

California Lawdawg · « **Reply #6 on:** March 18, 2004, 07:34:10 PM »

I use something called antiseize. Precents the choke tubes from locking up in the barrels

Lawdawg

gunnut69 · « **Reply #7 on:** March 18, 2004, 08:00:08 PM »

Quarters are not a well fitted wrench. You will need a good fitting wrench to remove these tubes. At bit a Kroil or other really good penetrating oil and apply the WRENCH again.., There are devises that use hardened knurled eccentricts to grip the inside of the tube and take it out by force. They generally destroy the tube in the process. I use a wrench made by Skips I believe. It grips the notches and has a rubber expansion section that grips the inside of the tube.. I advise a really good wrench, freeze the barrel(let it soak for a little while) and a good pebetrating oil. If the notches fail, better take it to a pro. If you damage the threads the repair may get pricey. To aviod this in the future, use anti sieze or choke tube lube..

wmg · « **Reply #8 on:** April 12, 2004, 09:28:23 AM »

You might try heating stuck choke with a hair dryer for 1 to 5 minutes. I tried it and it worked for me. I also suggested that to a friend and it worked for him also.

Good luck, Bill...

dakotashooter2 · « **Reply #9 on:** April 18, 2004, 01:47:17 PM »

Try freezing it with dry ice. If it is not sold in your area try get some from the local grocery when their frozen food shipments come in. They usually just throw it out anyway.It is many times colder than a freezer and may cause a little more contraction of the metal than just freezing will. use gloves when handling. touching it for only a second can cause severe freezing of the skin. Another option may be tapping downward on a snugly fitting removal tool while turning. Sometimes that will break it free.

Masterblaster1 · « **Reply #10 on:** April 20, 2004, 02:54:45 PM »

I would try soaking the barrels in automatic transmission fluid. It is very high in detergent and i regularly use it to free up seized snowmobile motors. I'm not sure what it would do to the blueing though??

gunnut69 · « **Reply #11 on:** April 20, 2004, 03:35:17 PM »

Auto transmission fluid is fine with blue. I regularly use it as a light lubricating oil(the synthetic type). It is relatively unaffected but heat or cold and doesn't gum up, or oxidize.