Same thing happened to me. Gun was shot several times in Kansas this past weekend. When I got home this weekend I was gonna take the factory choke out and lean it. It unscrewed fine. But when I tried to pull it the rest of the way out, I almost couldn't pull it out with my hand. Stinks cause it slung a great pattern with the factory choke. Now I am shooting a jelly head the doesn't pattern as well but to late to do anything else mid season.