doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Need you technical advise regard cutting chokes.

Hello Gentlemen:

I need to open the chokes of an old P. Beretta S x S shotgun.
The shotgun will be used for quail and dove hunting, but it have 0.020" of choke in the right barrel and 0.040" in the left.
I want to cut it and left 0.005" in the right and 0.010" in the left.
I have the proper and good quality tools (adjutable reamers) but the problem is that the inside barrels are chrome plated and the reamer simply do not cut.

Is there a way to remove the chrome prior to make the cut?

Please I really need good technical advise to perform this work on the shotgun.

Best,

Jose:
The best advice I can give you (especially with chrome lined bores) is to send the barrels off to a TOP double gunsmith. He will charge you far less than the price of ruined barrels. No slight to any skills you may wish to apply to the job.

Best, Kensal

Kensal: logical advise, but I live in Mexico city; perhaps I am the best "double gunsmith" around here.
The local "professional gunsmiths" I know mostly change parts in pumps and autoloaders, or solder broken parts when a spare is not available.

I really need the advise.

Could be a good idea to remove the chrome with coarse emery paper?

Best,

Hola Jos�,

You'll probably not find a good gunsmith over there as it happens to me here.

I remember -correct me if I am wrong- a thread where you asked about spreader
loads that gave a lot of information as to how to make your own. Maybe that's
the way you should go.

I'd leave chromed barrels alone if they were mine. JMHO.

Saludos,

JC

P.S.: you posted while I was writing this.jc

I'm no expert, so I ought not to even comment on this question, but I believe there are reamers available which will cut through the chrome lining. However, of course once you do that you will not have any chrome lining in the choke(for whatever that may be worth)...Geo

Jose,
It's a slow process, but you can cut through the chrome at the chokes with an automotive wheel cylinder hone and cutting oil. You may have to change the stones in the hone several times before all of the chrome is ground away. I've successfully done this job on chromed barrels on a Garbi. The pattern placement was not affected. After the chrome is removed, then use your reamer to open the chokes to the desired 0.005 and 0.010. Take your time.
George

Gentlemen:

Thank you for your answers.

Juan Carlos: I have the time and patience to slowly modify some shotshells and made spreader loads with a plastic post in the center of the pellet charge. With those spreaders I "open" the choke from full to mod in my P. Arrizabalaga 20ga left barrel.
The Beretta shotgun in question is not mine and belongs to a friend that prefers a permanent change in the chokes.

Two Georges: Both comments very usefull. The special reamer to cut chrome is, as I know very expensive. I will learn more about the automotive device to hone with stones and decide if is a posible option.

Any other advise to my question?

Best,

Don't mean this as a stupid question, but could a hard chrome company reverse the current used in plating and remove the chrome? This is so far beyond my realm of knowledge I know it's laughable.

The chrome can certainly be removed by a plating shop. It's simply the reverse of the process that plated the barrels in the beginning and is commonly done in plating shops. However, the bluing on the outside of the barrels could be also blemished or removed unless that area is shielded by a coating of plating masking lacquer.

OB