Best Choke for tactical Rem870

[bandit3072]

Wondering what everyone would recommend for the best all around Choke to be used for a tactical/home defense shotgun; ie Cyl, Imp Cyl, Modified Etc. thanks

[Synchronizor]

Anything will do the job for HD. A lot of HD models just run a straight fixed Cylinder to maximize spread at short, across-the-room ranges, but you still have to aim in order to hit anything. IC is popular in police shotguns because they may need to be used at slightly longer ranges, and Modified is used as well, but doesn't seem as common as IC (be aware this is just based on what I've personally seen offered in police models). All three show up on military shotguns, 590A1s use Cylinder, M1014s use Modified (I think), and military-contract 870s come in all three flavors.

If your barrel is threaded for screw-in choke tubes, some other options are Skeet (between CYL and IC) and Light Modified (between IC and MOD). Experiment and find what works best with your HD ammo. For a dedicated combat shotgun though, a fixed choke is tougher and requires less maintenance than a removable one, and for fixed chokes you're usually limited to CYL, IC, & MOD - sort of the Neapolitan of combat chokes.

If you want a catch-all combat/HD choke, IC is probably what you're looking for. A little constriction for buckshot, but not enough to hurt performance with slugs and other specialty stuff (it's usually safe to shoot slugs through a Modified choke, but doing so can degrade accuracy with some ammo).

[bandit3072]

thanks for the reply Synch. i appreciate your knowledge and insight. I think the Imp Cylinder is the way i want to go. i have checked out your channel and sub'd by the way.

[Scarab]

Where does the Remington ProBore Tactical Extended Choke fall on the spectrum of chokes? Full? Modified? Improved? Something else or inbetween?

Scarab

[Synchronizor]

Both the Rem Choke and ProBore breacher chokes are straight Cylinder tubes. They're pretty much just "tacti-cool" eye candy, they won't tighten up the pattern at all (and they won't do anything about recoil or muzzle rise either, despite the claims of some).

[Pigiron]

Send the barrel to Vang Comp.

[Scarab]

So an Improved Cylinder choke would be tighter than the ProBore Tactical Breach Choke, right?

Scarab

[Synchronizor]

Yes. Actual constrictions vary depending on the manufacturer and bore diameter, and names aren't always consistent, but here're a bunch of common chokes in order from from most open to tightest.

Cylinder
Skeet
Improved Skeet
Improved Cylinder
Light Modified
Modified
Improved Modified
Light Full
Full
Extra Full
Super Full

There are others, especially when you get into specialized clay and waterfowl chokes, and you can always get custom-cut tubes with whatever constriction you want.

[Scarab]

And the whole choke thing is a trade off right?

Less Choke = Less distance but more spread

More Choke = Greater distance but less spread.

I'm sure that's an elementary way to look at it because there are probably all kinds of inbetweens and caveats but that's the basic gist of it, right?

Scarab

[Synchronizor]

Depends on what you mean by "distance". A choke shouldn't affect muzzle velocity much, but a shot pattern will lose effectiveness once it spreads too much. The whole point of a choke is to limit spread to give you the optimal pattern for the task at hand. The choke isn't the only thing that affects the pattern, though. The wad construction, shot material, muzzle velocity, buffering, even the gun itself all play a part. When you get into really large or hard shot, sometimes an overly-tight choke will actually open up patterns.

For buckshot at HD ranges, anything between Cylinder and Modified will usually produce an effective pattern, and that's a good place to start. Whatever you pick, you need to test your ammo and choke combination yourself to see how it'll pattern at anticipated ranges, and try a different choke or load if necessary.

Also, while you're experimenting with chokes, make sure to keep them clean and lubricated. Neglected choke tubes can become a problem pretty quick.