threading for a choke?

[scratchmark]

I've got a shorty 12 tracker II barrel that i'm thinking about having threaded for a choke tube. Thought this would make a great turkey gun. Has anyone ever had this and if so, who would you recommend? Any other thoughts on this would be appreciated as well. Oh yeah , the barrel is rifled even tho it states cylinder bore.

[jpshaw]

I say don't do it.  Find a normal shotgun barrel to choke since the choke wouldn't help a slug coming down the barrel and a load of shot spinning down the same barrel would spray all over the place regardless of the choke.
 
I've always felt a smooth bore would shoot a slug a whole lot better then a rifled barrel would throw shot.

[cwlongshot]

I have not done this to a H&R but I HAVE on a couple 870 Barrels!!

I pruned one 870 to 19'' and had it done by a local GS to Rem Choke  the seconds was a fixed 28ga, Briley did that one for me.

I say its a great addition! BUT will likely cost more then the barrel does, just saying.

CW

[scratchmark]

all good points. i've got a shotgun barrel i could cut down and have done. would a short barrel with choke spread faster than a long barrel with the same choke?

[cwlongshot]

all good points. i've got a shotgun barrel i could cut down and have done. would a short barrel with choke spread faster than a long barrel with the same choke?

Thats pretty much been debunked as a wives tale...  Old time thinking was a longer barrel patterened better for long ranges... What a longer barrel does is swing smoother, while a shorter barrel swings faster. Follow thru in enhansed with a langer barrel and there for many people hit better with it. But its shooting form and fundamantals, not barrel length.

Look at modern turkey guns, these guns NEED tight patterns and if there where better with long barrels you can bet your last $$ they would have them.

If your gonna shorten it, be sure its square or have the GS square the barrel first!!

Good luck, CW

[spruce]

CW were your 870 barrels rifled?  I've always heard rifled barrels gave "doughnut" patterns with shot loads, but have never tried it myself.
 
OP said Tracker II barrel.

[cwlongshot]

CW were your 870 barrels rifled?  I've always heard rifled barrels gave "doughnut" patterns with shot loads, but have never tried it myself.
 
OP said Tracker II barrel.

OOH..  I just caught that its a RIFLED BARREL!!! 

Adding screw in chokes to a rifled barrel is NOT a good idea..  The rifling will spin the shot and spray it all over the place!! The choke will restrict this a TINY amount and NOT gonna stop or produce any appreciable increase in range or patterns.

Both my barrels are smooth bores!  Thanks for the wake up Spruce!!  YES BAD patterns will result from firing shot thru rifled barrels. Donuts likely!! NO HARM in doing it, other than bad pattens. 

Apologies Scratch Mark, I miss read your first post. 

CW

[cudatruck]

I bought the reamer and a tap and have done my own. only smooth barrels though, choking a rifled barrel is not a good idea. also bought the forcing cone reamer and that has turned out really well. after pricing these services online and counting my barrels and familys i figured it was a worth wile investment in the tooling.

[quickdtoo]

That first DIY ream and thread job is kinda spendy at $270! 

Tim

http://www.brownells.com/gunsmith-tools-supplies/shotgun-tools/choke-tube-tools/win-choke-style-tooling-prod25287.aspx

[cudatruck]

that's right Tim, but at barrel 7 or 8 they get alot more in expensive! lol

[quickdtoo]