Choke in or out?

[reblyell]

Hey all! When I clean my M4's barrel, I leave the choke installed for obvious thread protecting reasons. However ... a law enforcement acquaintance who also has an M4, indicated that he removes the choke and scrubs and cleans out the barrel in traditional fashion. He then cleans the choke seperately and reinstalls it. Personally I think he's asking for eventual trouble. Oh, both of us use Tornado brushes for what it's worth. So, any comments on this, friends? Best!

[tucker301]

I frequently clean between outings with the choke in, but I remove the choke and clean the barrel and threads about every 5 outings.

If there is exposure to rain or muck, the choke is removed and the barrel and choke are cleaned separately.

 

Cleaning without ever removing the choke can allow the choke tube to seize with heat, pressure, and accumulated gunk.

[reblyell]

Cleaning without ever removing the choke can allow the choke tube to seize with heat, pressure, and accumulated gunk.

I understand your point, friend. After the barrel is scrubbed out nicely, I remove the choke and work on the threads and inner area with a tooth brush soaked in CLP. Then she's wiped out with a rag until clean. Best!

[HOGWILD]

OUT! choke needs cleaned on both sides to prevent corrosion! also needs the threads cleaned on the tube and the barell! some good info below near bottom of this article! http://www.trulockchokes.com/cgi-bin/eShop/index.cgi?page=basic_choke_info.htm&cart_id=1654931.84089

I never tighten my tube until i am fixing to load and always take the torque off after shooting for the day.

[highwall shu]

I clean mine like reblyell does, but like the way hog wild loosens after the day, which I'll start doing. Also I use automotive antiseize which is at least as good as any choke lube, but way, way cheaper.

[splashtx556ftw]

i would highly recommend leaving it in when cleaning the barrel. not only are you killing 2 birds with 1 stone your protecting some very very fine threads, that could be damaged while cleaning with it out.then once you have cleaned the barrel, remove it and clean the outside of the choke and threads in barrel.

[highwall shu]

HOGWILD, I went to trulockchokes as you suggested and was surprised that they did not discuss antiseize compounds. Do you use them? I've never had any of the problems they discussed with seized tubes, although one of the tubes on my Ithica M37 12 ga that I bought about 25 years ago eroded completely through the wall on one side. The threads of the barrel were not affected nor were there problems with the other chokes. I put it down to poor manufacturing from this once great, but many-times defunct company.

Edited December 17, 2008 by highwall shu

[timb99]

Here's what I do when I'm giving my barrel a thorough cleaning, which is about once a year (though I do use a bore snake after each outing.)

 

AFTER MAKING SURE THE GUN IS UNLOADED!

 

1. Remove the barrel from the receiver.

 

2. Remove the choke tube from the muzzle. Put the dirty choke tube in a jar with Ed's Red Bore Cleaner to soak. Soak for days, preferably. All your plastic wad residue will probably fall off. Slip 2000 works too I'm told, as do many other cleaning solutions.

 

3. Clean the threads in the barrel with Ed's Red (or your cleaner of choice) and a bronze oversize brush, toothbrush, rag, whatever, until its clean. This may take a while to get clean. Sometimes I chuck a bronze bore brush in a drill motor and spin it at low speed in the choke tube thread area.

 

4. When the choke tube threads are clean, install a new, previously cleaned choke tube. You can use the one you took out, or another one. I usually use a clean skeet choke tube when cleaning the barrel. Use anti-seize or some other thread lubricant when installing the tube.

 

5. Clean your barrel by whatever means you like.

 

The reason I do this is I find the dirtiest part of the barrel is the choke tube. By cleaning the choke tube separately from the barrel, it seems to take less time to get the barrel clean.

 

Your mileage may vary.