Steel shot out of a Non-steel specific choke

lanole

lanole

Member
I was out this afternoon patterning my 1187 with some #4 buck shot and some Black Cloud BBBs. I got my best patterns using a 23" barrel with a Kick's GT .660 choke with both loads out to 50 yards. My 26" modified barrel threw good patterns as well, but not as good as the GT. My question is...What harm do I risk causing shooting the Black Cloud BBBs out of the GT choke? I noticed on the Kicks website it says "not for steel". Why? It's made out of the same material as the chokes designed for Black Cloud loads. Does steel shot harm a barrel? After how many shots? If I'm only shooting about 25 rounds out of it a year, can I expect damage to my barrel/gun? Will the copper plated #4 buckshot be okay to shoot out of the Kicks tube? This tube throws an absolutely deadly pattern of Remington Duplex 4x6s at Turkeys, so I don't want to mess that up. Any advice?
 
I'm gonna take a stab and say that it's too constrictive to use with steel shot. Steel shot doesn't compress or deform like lead so you risk bulging your barrel. I don't know what the minimum restriction is with steel, but I've never shot any out of a choke tighter than .690.
 
You shouldn't be running bbb out of anything smaller than a modified
choke. Eventually you are going to ruin your barrel. Chokes for steel that
are tighter than a modified do all their constricting after leaving the bore
into the extended area of the choke.
 
Thanks for the advice guys. Think I'm going to stay with the modified choke in the 26" barrel for the Black Clouds and the Buckshot. Just to stay on the safe side and keep from ruining my sweet turkey setup.
 
I would be careful shooting steel out of a barrel/choke combination not intended for it. I have a friend whose SKB double has a barrel badly bulged from shooting steel. It seems to me I've seen a couple others too, can't recall at the moment.
 
My 26" barrel with a modified choke says steel or lead on the choke so I'm guessing it'll be ok. This 1187 is only a couple of years old so I am assuming the barrel that came with it when I bought it new is rated for steel shot.
 
Think of steel BBB as a bar going through the choke. Large steel pellets will bridge. In effect creating a solid mass going through the choke, once the pellets reach the point they will not fit together any tighter they rub through the wad. Chase down some of the wads you shot and inspect them for this rub through. If you see it your over choked.
 
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That's advice I can use right there. Thanks guys.
 
Your Kick's will work fine with the lead shot of the No. Four Buck, but as others have said I wouldn't be shooting that large steel shot through it. Besides, there are much better loads than steel for predators. The "denser than lead" stuff like the Wingmaster HD in BB or T size shot is harder than lead but softer than steel and can work well with about .050" of constriction.
 
Thanks GC. I'll keep my eye out for some of the HD stuff. Had some Winchester Supreme Elite Xtended Range Hi-Density Coyote loads coming from Midway, but received an email saying it had been backordered. From what I gather on this thread, I should shelf the Black Clouds till next Duck season and go with the good ole' standby #4 buck. Just looking to try something different. I guess, if it ain't broke don't fix it.
 
Originally Posted By: baltz526Think of steel BBB as a bar going through the choke. Large steel pellets will bridge. In effect creating a solid mass going through the choke, once the pellets reach the point they will not fit together any tighter they rub through the wad. Chase down some of the wads you shot and inspect them for this rub through. If you see it your over choked.

Did this and you hit the nail on the head. The wad from what I'm guessing came out of the GT choke had holes all in it and looked all chewed up. The one from the modified choke looked ok. Never heard of this before, but it holds true. I learned something in this process.
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