T/C New Englander choke mystery

[user 52391]

A few years ago, I purchased a 12 ga New Englander barrel with a screw in choke off of eBay. I recently picked up a T/C branded full choke tube & it doesn't fit...In fact, it won't even start! Have these always used the same choke tubes? Or was there perhaps a change in choke tube style used at some point? The choke that came with the barrel is slightly longer in length & smaller in diameter, although the thread pitch appears the same.

 

[2 shots]

i have 2 of those barrels. both use the same chokes. could the threads be damaged on barrel or choke? maybe it was a fixed choke barrel that was tapped for a different thread choke tube.? was there a choke tube in it when you got it?

 

[user 52391]

My first impression was that it was a fixed choke barrel that someone had altered for screw in chokes. There was a choke tube in the barrel when I got it, it's marked SKEET.

 

[2 shots]

t/c only made full. modified and i/c tubes . do the threads and diameter of the skeet tube match the t/c tube you have?

 

[user 52391]

No the T/C choke is .012" larger in diameter & won't even start. Upon closer inspection, the threads are a finer pitch on the choke that came with the barrel as well. I'm going to have to do some research on what type of choke my barrel was threaded for?

 

[Nobade]

I think TC originally used the Win choke type. (same as Browning and Mossberg)
Yours may be Tru-Choke style, which was very popular to convert fixed choke guns to about 30 years ago.

 

[2 shots]

i think generally most aftermarket choke jobs use the common remington tubes. maybe you could try one or get the diameter of those

 

[hawkeye2]

I expect someone had a gunsmith install that choke. Take the gun and choke to a smith and he should be able to tell you what it is right off. There are a number of different choke tubes (thread, diameter, length) on the market some of which are interchangeable with other brands.

 

[THBailey]

Sounds like you have a thin wall choke tube. Back in the day gunsmiths were being asked to retrofit screw in chokes on barrels too thin for the purpose so smaller diameter tubes were used.

The Brownell's catalog has pictures and specs (diameter and thread pitch) for a number of tubes:

Choke Tubes at Brownells

The Carlson's interchange page might be some help also, but it assumes you know what you have:

https://www.choketube.com/choke-tube-interchange-guide/

 

[user 52391]

I believe that you are correct THBailey, it is indeed quite thin & none of my other choke tubes from my modern shotguns are similar, nor is the T/C choke, they're all much thicker walled...I'll have to do some more research tonight.

 

[CScott]

I bought 12ga TC New Englander with TC marked Mod. choke tube and found that my Mossberg 500 tubes were exact fit. We had a gun
smith shooting with us who was threading even double barrels for chokes but don't know which chokes. also think THBaily right.

 

[Newtire]

I think TC originally used the Win choke type. (same as Browning and Mossberg)
Yours may be Tru-Choke style, which was very popular to convert fixed choke guns to about 30 years ago.

That's what mine uses (Win-choke/Mossberg/Early Browning).

 

[Winchester97]

Mine also uses win chokes, I assume this was an aftermarket modification as others have stated