Ruger Red Label question...

C

chilly460

Inactive
I've broken down my new (to me) RRL for cleaning. I didn't receive a choke wrench with the gun and it takes an oddball size, the "normal" size choke wrench has tangs which are too large to fit in the Ruger choke. Is this normal?

Also, the barrels say Imp Cyl and Modified on them. The gun has removeable choke tubes...so I don't understand why the barrels would have different chokes? If I put a Modified choke in both barrels, would they not both shoot the "modified" pattern? It's a bit confusing, and the owner's manual says nothing to clear it up.
 
http://www.ruger.com/webapp/wcs/sto...Id=-1&parent_category_rn=11954&lastCatId=null

That is for the 12 gauge red label shotgun (choke tube wrench)

Did you buy the gun used?

Traditionally older shotguns never had screw-in choke tubes like my Wingmaster, it has a modified barrel which means there is no choke tube necessary as long as you want to use a modified choke.

I also owned a 28 gauge side-by-side which had a modified, and full barrel on it. The barrels were the choke tubes (if that makes anymore sense?)

Some guns can be threaded for choke tubes I do believe this way you can constrict the pattern more, but you wouldn't be able to go less than what the barrel is.

Modified could be Xtra Full, or Full, probably Skeet too but it couldn't be IC
IC could be all of the above.

My other suggestion is perhaps the choke tube wrench you have is for the wrong gauge of the shotgun because Ruger created a specific wrench for each gauge.

http://www.ruger.com/webapp/wcs/sto..._category_rn=11954&lastCategory=10703&faPar=y

That is the site for all of the choke tubes and wrenches through Ruger. I'm sure you can find it cheaper but it will be easier to locate if you have an item number or something to go buy. There might even be an aftermarket wrench somewhere.
 
It may be that your shotgun had been threaded for choke tubes as an aftermarket action. If you have choke tubes, the markings on the barrels don't mean anything. The choke you are shooting is totally dependent on the tubes you have in the gun. DO NOT shoot without a choke tube installed. You would either damage the internal threads, or possibly destroy the end of the gun.

Sometimes, you can use the edge of a quarter as a "wrench", if the tubes are not too tightly wound in.

vr - Charlie
 
If the Barrels have Imp Cyl and Mod stamped on the barrel than the barrels probably originally came with fixed chokes. A previous owner probably had aftermarket chokes installed. Briley among others does this.

You can have any barrels modified to accept choke tubes. You can use more open tubes because the barrels are reamed out and tapped to accept the choke tubes.

The original Ruger Red Labels used different tubes than the current guns, which use tubes made by Briley.

I was under the misconception that all Ruger O/U's came with tubes but a check of the Blue Book indicates choke tubes were optional untill 1990! So you have a gun that was mfd'ed prior to 90 and most likely have aftermarket tubes installed.

This could be a problem if you want additional tubes. Are there any markings on the tubes? Do the tubes have notches in the rim?
 
Thanks for the replys.

These chokes will not even come close to working with a quarter, the slots are much narrower then the profile on a quarter. I ordered a choke wrench from Ruger, it's for thinwall chokes so I'm hoping this does the trick.

I'm actually going to the shop today to look at a new Red Label to see if I can discern the differences...definitely has me wondering.

I'd have to pull the serial number, but I don't believe this gun was originally fitted with fixed choke. If I read correctly, the fixed choke guns did not have the stainless receiver? This gun has the stainless.
 
They also make friction type choke wrenches. As long as they have not been overtightend these work pretty good.

It really sounds like the barrels were installed with aftermarket chokes. I'm sure I have seen a one or two stainless receivers with non-tubed barrels but it is possible they may have had replacement barrels.
 
You guys are on the money. Just looked at a new RRL, they do not have any kind of choke designation stamped on the barrels.

Now I need to get the chokes out of it and figure out what is installed...

Thanks!
 
The Blue Book states that stainless receivers came to 12 ga guns in 1985. Choke tubes were not standard untill 1990.

Narrow slots in the rim might be Briley thinwall tubes. A Briley wrench might work.
 
I have a Briley thinwall on it's way. I didn't find a friction wrench locally so I'm going to try running a 1/4" bolt through a rubber stopper and using that to expand the stopper in the choke. We'll see how it goes.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top