Choke Grease

[Martinj]

It is worth noting that the threads used on chokes (mine at least) are not a standard 60 degree thread form. It might stay tight if it were. The screw threads on my 692 and my old Silver pig are square or squarish, like an Acme thread used on a lathe leadscrew. I'm sure that there are very good reasons for this, added strength possibly?

 

[Luke_(NL)]

I'd venture that is to make them (1) less likely to be damaged and (2) less likely to seize up. The less of an angle, the less material moves if they take a bump of some kind.

I’m considering using PTFE gas tape and Boss White pipe jointing compound .

You are j/k right?

Personally loose chokes haven't ever been an issue on any of my (three) Beretta's and I cannot imagine using PTFE tape on chokes. Both the old mobilchokes and the new OCHP seem way too tight for any tape between the threads. I'd worry that would not stay in the right places and cause undue stress where it would end up. Also, will the chokes screw all the way down with tape on them? Maybe I am missing the joke, but to me tape and jointing compound is akin to using an M10 bolt to put up your kids schoolfoto. I bet both will hold securely though

 

[MartynB]

Yes I am joking . Just comparing the Miroku / Browning Invector plus chokes to industrial pipe fittings . Next to my Teague converted guns with their long thin wall chokes they look like something made in first year metal work at school . Just bought an MK11 game gun , and out of choice I would have liked it to have been fixed choke to avoid the flare at the end of the barrels where the female thread is . Steel shot proofing has seen the end of guns leaving the factory at 1/4 and 3/4 fixed .

 

[trem86]

I use the Briley grease on choke tubes and the box lok's on O/U's

 

[Davetn]

I clean my gun after every shoot and remove the chokes, clean the threads with some kitchen roll and put a couple of drops of gun oil on the threads before replacing them. It's worked fine for me for the last 20+ years.

What is "kitchen roll"? Paper towels?

 

[Luke_(NL)]

Sturdier version of bog roll.

 

[Oldblaster]

What is "kitchen roll"? Paper towels?

Spot on! do the same with my chokes but not every time l shoot about once a month and never had a problem in over 20 years.

 

[Figgy]

I use either ceramic paste grease or Schmierfix grease, whichever I pick up first. Never had a problem with these even leaving chokes in for thousands of rounds. Only get cleaned if gun got soaked or I can feel any grittiness when checking them. I do wipe a thin coating on the inside of the barrels below the threads to protect the bare metal too.

 

[Will Hewland]

Just feel I need to pop back in to this post to hopefully give some useful advice and save somebody a nasty experience.

Jeez. Always used to put chokes in with just a little oil on the threads. Never had an issue, loads of guns over 20 years. Last time, I used some proper Teague grease on my 694. Thought I’d take chokes out today for a routine clean. I knew they weren’t stuck tight so had been happy leaving them in for a long time, probably 7000 shots as I don’t change chokes. What a nightmare just now. They unscrewed with a firm twist, but what a sight. Threads coked with a nasty hard crust. Took ages to clean it all up with various chemicals, brushes and finally a steel pick between threads. Won’t use grease again. Perhaps the Teague stuff is the worst, or maybe all greases break down in a barrel and go nasty over time. Oil for me!

 

[Bavarian]

I use oil, too. But i regularly put them out and clean them.
Choke tubes never seal up 100% at the bottom, so there is always debris around them.
So cleaning them before they "bake" in
is a good advice.

 

[AW13]

The manuals for my Browning and Miroku guns say just put a little oil on the choke threads. No grease mentioned.

I do just that and clean the gun after shooting and pop out the chokes, wipe clean, oil, put back in.

Never had a stuck choke to date

 

[Westward]

I've never used oil on choke threads but then I always loosen or remove them before storage. My CG chokes do seal really well at the bottom so there's never any crud building up which helps.

I've used Schmierfix grease from Alan Rhone for years now. It's basically LiquiMoly which is a sort of gel, half grease half oil. If it's good enough for Krieghoff it's good enough for me!

 

[Martinj]

I do use grease on my chokes because I found it stops them rattling loose on a couple of Berettas.
You have all seen people constantly checking their chokes? well that was me because they kept working loose.
I have found that they don't work loose with grease in the threads and I have had no nasty hard crud issues, I tend to leave them in for months rather than weeks.
If the chokes stayed put I would use oil too.

edit:
p.s. I have used Lithium grease for no reason other than that it comes in a handy little tube, it's a bit messy but works fine, also the red sticky stuff with no issues at all.

 

[Freddypip]

I would agree with Martin. As above I use Rocol Sapphire which is messy stuff but the choke is fast until removed when it comes out nice & easy with a friction key. No rattling out during a round.

I would not leave them in for the 7000 rounds Will referred to above !!!! I have got up to 2,000 and they needed a decent clean then.