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<  16ga. Guns  ~  Steel shot through a 16 gauge choke?
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PostPosted: Sun Mar 06, 2022 8:11 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 12 Mar 2012
Posts: 684
Location: Ontario

It's generally suggested that steel shot is manageable in a gun with chokes opened at least to modified. However, I think that is generally referring to 12 gauge.

What is the collective wisdom here regarding safe choke dimensions for steel in a 16 gauge barrel. Modified still, or should it be more open?

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1921 Pieper 29" 6 lbs 10 oz
2003 Citori White Lightning 26" 6 lbs 10 oz
1932 Husqvarna 310AS 29.5" 6 lbs 7 oz
1925 Ferlach 29" 6 lbs 7 oz
1923 Greifelt 29" 6 lbs 1 oz
1928 Simson 29.5" 6 lbs
1893 Lindner Daly FW 28” 5 lb 11oz
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Charlie16ga
PostPosted: Sun Mar 06, 2022 8:18 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 28 Aug 2014
Posts: 924
Location: Eastern Tennessee

Been a while since I tried, but for #4 or larger shot I found anything beyond Light Modified didn’t improve my patterns.

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MSM2019
PostPosted: Sun Mar 06, 2022 8:33 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 04 Mar 2019
Posts: 1819
Location: Central ND

Depends on the gun and if it was made for steel shot. Modified choke works with steel on the newer guns.

Wyochukar, shoots steel in older guns. He can answer this question.

IMHO for a 16, Bismuth is a better idea. If the gun will handle it TSS for the long range stuff.

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PostPosted: Sun Mar 06, 2022 9:38 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 12 Mar 2012
Posts: 684
Location: Ontario

It's not a newer gun built for steel. If it was, I wouldn't be asking the question.

My specific question is in regards to creating a barrel bulge if steel was used. Not patterns, not if bismuth or TM or TSS is better.

_________________
1921 Pieper 29" 6 lbs 10 oz
2003 Citori White Lightning 26" 6 lbs 10 oz
1932 Husqvarna 310AS 29.5" 6 lbs 7 oz
1925 Ferlach 29" 6 lbs 7 oz
1923 Greifelt 29" 6 lbs 1 oz
1928 Simson 29.5" 6 lbs
1893 Lindner Daly FW 28” 5 lb 11oz
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madtrapper143
PostPosted: Sun Mar 06, 2022 2:30 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 28 Jan 2007
Posts: 82
Location: Steep Rock Lake, North Western Ontario

I have put a lot of Federal and Remington #2 and #4 steel through Remington model 1100 and model 58 semis choked factory modified. Also fired a lot of the same cartridges through a Remington 870 choked full. These are all fixed choke guns built in the late 1950's and mid 1960's. I also put a lot of handloaded steel #3's and #4's @1450 fps through a Savage model 755 semi choked modified. Absolutely no damage or even scratches after all of this shooting in vintage older guns. Unless you are shooting a very thin walled super tight choked English or possibly Spanish made double I would have no worries. All noted guns are 16 gauge.

Darryl

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" 2 1/2 drams of powder, 1 ounce of shot, should be good for all upland use, that's the 16"
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WyoChukar
PostPosted: Tue Mar 08, 2022 6:53 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 16 Jul 2015
Posts: 2124
Location: Hudson,Wy

I've been doing it for years now. The smaller the shot size, the tighter the choke can be. #6 can go through a full choke, #2 should never be run through a full choke. Mod is a good rule of thumb and I've never had trouble going that route.

I have seen minor peening in forcing cones after firing many hundreds of rounds through some older guns with softer barrel steels. Most barrel "bulging" due to steel is only a few thousandths of an inch, often undetectable to the naked eye. But I have seen photos of noticeable bulges, usually attributed to very large sizes of steel shot run through very tight chokes.

I am unsure what gun you are considering; I do know that older Brownings were well known for choke issues when using steel shot, especially with full choke.

Truth be known, I/C is a tough choke to beat for use with steel. I like open borings for steel, even cylinder. Back in my college days my favorite duck gun was a cheap Italian O/U cut back to 24" with no choke at all. Sometimes I wish I had kept it.

Something else to consider. Just what is I/C or Mod, etc. according to the manufacturer? This varies a lot more than people think. in a 16 ga. it seems that .020" of constriction or less is good, no matter what is stamped on the barrels.

The only other thing I would be looking into is whether the old gun can safely handle modern ammunition chamber pressures. Like I said, not sure what gun you are dealing with.

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PostPosted: Thu Mar 10, 2022 4:39 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 12 Mar 2012
Posts: 684
Location: Ontario

Thanks very much for the responses, especially Madtrapper and Wyochukar. Just what I had hoped to hear.

It’s a late 1920s Pieper Bayard SxS of reasonable quality. Not one of their very cheap guns. Barrels are in excellent condition with plenty of BWT and stock has been refinished and glass bedded.

_________________
1921 Pieper 29" 6 lbs 10 oz
2003 Citori White Lightning 26" 6 lbs 10 oz
1932 Husqvarna 310AS 29.5" 6 lbs 7 oz
1925 Ferlach 29" 6 lbs 7 oz
1923 Greifelt 29" 6 lbs 1 oz
1928 Simson 29.5" 6 lbs
1893 Lindner Daly FW 28” 5 lb 11oz
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WyoChukar
PostPosted: Sat Mar 12, 2022 7:49 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 16 Jul 2015
Posts: 2124
Location: Hudson,Wy

Fluid steel barrels? All of my above comments apply to guns with fluid steel barrels. Damascus lacks the elasticity of fluid steel, and steel shot would likely cause cracking of the choke.

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PostPosted: Sun Mar 13, 2022 10:45 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 12 Mar 2012
Posts: 684
Location: Ontario

WyoChukar wrote:
Fluid steel barrels? All of my above comments apply to guns with fluid steel barrels. Damascus lacks the elasticity of fluid steel, and steel shot would likely cause cracking of the choke.


Good quality chopper lump fluid steel barrels.

_________________
1921 Pieper 29" 6 lbs 10 oz
2003 Citori White Lightning 26" 6 lbs 10 oz
1932 Husqvarna 310AS 29.5" 6 lbs 7 oz
1925 Ferlach 29" 6 lbs 7 oz
1923 Greifelt 29" 6 lbs 1 oz
1928 Simson 29.5" 6 lbs
1893 Lindner Daly FW 28” 5 lb 11oz
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View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
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