While shooting slugs one of the choke tubes was ripped up a little. Only 6 slugs were fired through this 20 gauge Imp Cyl tube, three Winchester followed by three Federal. I stopped shooting after that in order to change to a Modified choke, but the IC choke was stuck so I decided to leave. I didn't notice the damage inside the tube until I was back home. Lucky thing I decided to leave. Here's a couple pics.
An easy-out removed the tube, and I fooled around with it and other tubes and think I found what may have caused it. Instead the barrel-to-tube mating surfaces forming a consistent step down into the tube (about 4-5 hours on a clock or 135 degrees), part of the choke steps the wrong direction INTO the bore causing a trip hazard for anything coming down the barrel...kind of like a revolver being out of time. I'm guessing that the IC tube protruded into the bore enough that the slugs snagged and pulled the tube further and further into the bore until it ripped. I guess the center line of the choke tube was not the same as the bore axis, and that's what caused the misalignment.
I was wondering if it would be okay trim the inside of the tube so it doesn't hang into the bore, or would thinning out the tube cause other problems? Looks like about .020" thick. Seems like a little less would be better than being a speed bump.
An easy-out removed the tube, and I fooled around with it and other tubes and think I found what may have caused it. Instead the barrel-to-tube mating surfaces forming a consistent step down into the tube (about 4-5 hours on a clock or 135 degrees), part of the choke steps the wrong direction INTO the bore causing a trip hazard for anything coming down the barrel...kind of like a revolver being out of time. I'm guessing that the IC tube protruded into the bore enough that the slugs snagged and pulled the tube further and further into the bore until it ripped. I guess the center line of the choke tube was not the same as the bore axis, and that's what caused the misalignment.
I was wondering if it would be okay trim the inside of the tube so it doesn't hang into the bore, or would thinning out the tube cause other problems? Looks like about .020" thick. Seems like a little less would be better than being a speed bump.