Will deep cleaning a choke damage it?

[Claybirdd]

So I have been patterning my new Carlson longbeard choke and I was getting great numbers but some significant gaps.  So I decided to deep clean and polish my choke using the same method recommended for barrels.  Now all of the sudden my numbers are abysmal.  Like only around 50 pellets in the 10".  Does anyone have any advice or word of wisdom?

[ShootingABN!]

Couple of things.....

Are you shooting at a large piece of paper?
Are you using a leadsled?
Are you cleaning the barrel with a boar snake after each shot?
Is the weather the same.... Temp/ wind....

Do you think you opened up the choke? Micrometer to check it

Any one of those could be the factor.

[Claybirdd]

After thinking about it, I'm betting temp and wind are the issue.  Also I magazine end cap torque is a possibility I'm considering.   Will check the bore with some mics when I get to work tomorrow night ( am a machinist.)  I was shooting a standard size target in the sitting position, no leads led though.  Guess I'll just have to experiment more but I was pretty shocked

[ShootingABN!]

Right on wind can really play with it. Also at 40 yards I like minimum 3'x3" paper. Even If I know my gun is shooting point of aim. If I'm helping others I try and layer 4'x4'. The circle the 10" and 20" at the greatest part of the shot.

It's easy to flinch also. Small targets don't always show you that.....

Good luck. 

[1iagobblergetter]

I've always just cleaned the choke thoroughly and never polished. I've polished the barrel on two guns.One it made a difference and one it didn't. I've heard on some guns it can actually make patterns worse. Myself personally.. I wouldn't do anything more than clean the choke thoroughly. Polishing takes metal away. I'm no gunsmith though and just my opinion.
I'd also tighten the cap,shoot on a calm day preferably from a gun rest and some type of Lead sled or equivalent to take human error out of the equation as much as possible.

[mightyjoeyoung]

I had a couple of the original Primos Jellyhead for the 835.  They had a visible ring just before the parallel section of the choke. I got it in my head to polish one of them. RUINED that choke.   The rings in the longbeard chokes are there for a reason and removing any metal or softening the edges of those rings basically cancels out their purpose of why they're there-to slow the wad and compress the shot column.   Cleaning is fine, but you just might have ruined your choke...

[Claybirdd]

For my numbers to drop from the 180's and 190's to 53, yeah I'm thinking I just killed my choke blew 50 bucks. 

[mightyjoeyoung]

Sounds like it.  Sucks man.  At least you know now. 

[Marc]

In order to ruin a choke by cleaning, you would have to use something that was able to take the metal off...

I use a bore brush with a drill, and it has not opened my choke...  What exactly did you do to clean the choke?  What do you think you would have done to actually physically open the choke by cleaning it?

You are more likely to open a choke using hard metal shot than by cleaning.

[Claybirdd]

I used JB bore cleaner and JB bore Brite with Kroil oil and a Scott Brite pad

[1iagobblergetter]

I used JB bore cleaner and JB bore Brite with Kroil oil and a Scott Brite pad

When I polished my barrel with the items you listed along with marcs I would assume brass borebrush and drill I removed my good expensive chokes and replaced them with inexpensive chokes so I wouldn't remove metal out of my good ones or alter them in any way.
All you can do is shoot it in good conditions and if your numbers aren't up to par use it for your choke when you want to polish again. Lesson learned at least it wasn't 100$

[bbcoach]

From what I understand, it's not a good idea to polish your choke.  When polishing your barrel, it is recommended that you take out your turkey choke and use a smooth bore choke (improved cylinder) to polish the barrel.  Internal geometry is built into most turkey chokes to strip the wad from the shot to get better patterns.  If you have damaged that then.....  The only thing I have ever done to my turkey chokes is clean them with a toothbrush and some bore cleaner and spray them with brake cleaner to remove the plastic that gets stripped from the wad.  I hope some of the choke manufacturers will chime in on this post.

[redjones]

Some guns shoot better with the barrel a little dirty,so you might try putting 2-3 rounds thru a clean bbl. then change to your Clean Turkey choke and see how it does.
I clean my turkey choke after every shot or two and my bbl when the pattern starts to fade,probably every 10-12 shots.
The choke gets either a brass or stainless brush depending on what the choke is made of,then after every 10-12 shots it gets soaked in Goof Off overnight,then brushed,that will take care of any plastic etc. that is lodged in the choke.
In my bbl. I use pre soaked pads made for cleaning Muzzleloader bbl's.,then dry patches,then a couple of oily patches then at least one more dry patch for excess oil.


       Greg

[Claybirdd]

I plan on calling carlson's tomorrow and talking with them.  Also I'm gonna go to the range and put a whole box of heavy dove loads through the longbeard choke.  I'll try it dirty and clean just to see if it makes a difference.
   If all else fails and I did dull the edges on my rings/grooves, then I'll just put it in a lathe and see what I can do. 

[ShootingABN!]

Keep us posted!