Extra-full choke on my 410 Stevens 58B tapers out towards the muzzle

[Tokarev]

When I was squaring the muzzle of this shotgun that has been pitted by smashing into something, most likely into rocks on the ground, I used a piloted counter-boring tool.
I turned the pilot bushing for it, out of brass, to the exact diameter at the muzzle. Easy-peasy, it was done, and the muzzle is now perfectly square to the bore.
But I also noticed that the .375" diameter 3/4" long bushing that I had to turn for this gets stuck further down the bore, about 1" from the muzzle, just far enough for my caliper not to reach it.
The barrel stamp says "full choke". In my books, full on 410 should be .398". What I have feels like it is extra-full by the same standard.
Should I turn the bore at the muzzle to the .398" cylinder true to the bore axis, until it tapers out toward the breach, or leave the gun the way it is?
I only ever blasted a round of trap with it, to test after buying, and it broke 20 out of 25. But now I may have to hunt with it and the proper pattern is becoming more important.

[Texas by God]

Remember the old saying " If you have a shotgun you shoot well- never pattern it"! Shoot another round of trap and see how you do. If you break 20 out of 25 again, don't fix it.......

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[Tokarev]

It was very tough. I missed the first couple rounds, then hit, and hit more, and realized that it shoots like a laser. This extra tight choke explains why.

[rking22]

Dimensions on a choke really don’t mean much, what counts is how it patterns. If you broke 20/25 on 16 yard trap then that 410 is not “broken” leave the choke alone you will not improve it!

[Tokarev]

Normally I break 22.

[Hogtamer]

That is one of the deadliest turkey guns you can shoot too.

[megasupermagnum]

I'm a little confused. You say a .375" bushing fit into the muzzle, and you faced off the barrel using it as a pilot. But that same pilot get's stuck farther down the barrel? The choke should constrict, and then hold that constriction all the way to the muzzle. The only thing I can think of that could do that is a dent in the barrel.

[Tokarev]

Exactly. It gets stuck about 1/2" further up the bore. This is not a dent. The bore is smooth.

[besk]

I wouldn't touch it.

[Drm50]

20 out of 25 with a 410 is a good gun. I have little experience with 410s and it’s because I never had one that I felt patterned well. I never shot anything smaller than #6s.

[rking22]

Normally I break 22.

A 20 of 25 on 16 yard trap with a 410 is outstanding. You normally shoot a 22 with other 410s?? That trap target is edge on at 30 to 35 yards, dang good pattern to consistently break that with a 1/2 oz of shot! If you are 22 of 25 with 28 ga of bigger, that’s probably about average for non serious shooters. Or those of us who get bored easily

DRM50, my experience is most 410s like shot no bigger than #6, don’t give up on the little crayons, try some 8 1/2 and see how it works. They really are 20 to 25 yard guns, much farther becomes very iffy. My experience anyway.

[Tokarev]

I never shot 410 until that day, only 12. Hitting with 410 was extremely difficult, compared.

[grayscale]

Factory jug-choke?

[Tokarev]

Factory jug-choke?

What does this mean?

[Texas by God]

What does this mean?

A jug choke is a overbored portion of the bore a bit back from the muzzle, usually home made with a cylinder hone or such. It's meant to improve buckshot patterns to my understanding.

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[Tokarev]

Got it! I learned something new today. I guess that the only way to get to the bottom of this is for other owners of Stevens 58B to post their bore diameters at and 1" from the muzzle.

[grayscale]

Most frequently used as a remedy for a barrel which has been shortened and is now cylinder bore. Using a brake cylinder bore or similar tool, an area one inch +/- from the muzzle is opened enough to create an zone where the shot charge can expand slightly and then is re-compressed as it passes back into the unmodified section. The re-compression acts as an ersatz choke hopefully improving patterns. This is an uncertain process, best done slowly with much testing as removing too much an make patterns worse. And when removing metal from a barrel, caution
is always warranted. My Comment about a factory jug-choke was of course a joke, but then ya never know do ya?
Stay Safe, Grayscale

[Rapidrob]

Back in the day, a uniquely shaped choke was all the rage. Browning started it with their 'Tula Choke" a Tulip shaped choke at the end ,inside of the barrel. It was designed to keep the shot in a tight pattern for very long shots.
I have a Auto-5 with one in 12 GA and have witnesses where I broke a Sporting Clays bird ( high flyer) at 80 yards.
While it makes for a great Goose and Duck hunting barrel, it tears up bunnies and others at close range.

[Tokarev]

This is my concern, Rob! If SHTF, I do not want to waste meat.

[rking22]

1/2 oz of shot dosent do a lot of damage, better a killing pattern than losing the whole animal. I have hunted many years with 410s, some very tight shooting, never get tge damage of a 20 gage even choked a bit open. Tight patterning 410s are a treasure.