Why titanium chokes?

Discussion in 'Trapshooting Forum - Americantrapshooter.com' started by mallard2, Sep 2, 2019.

  1. mallard2

    mallard2 Active Member

    If there ever was a great marketing strategy for an unnecessary product, it is the various providers of titanium chokes.
    Do they actually do anything that a steel choke doesn't, except cost 50% more, often to shooters that have the same thing in steel already in their shooting bag.
    Did I miss something? Are they really better?
     
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  2. Vpimine

    Vpimine Active Member

    Titanium choke comes in to play more for sporting clays and skeet… They make a small amount of difference when it comes to swing dynamics. Depending on the choke (extended chokes) you can change the barrel swing by changing brands. Examples (Full Choke Three different chokes for a C/T choke Perazzi, Extreme Titanium Choke(0.040) 30 grams, Mueller 4 ~21 grams, Perazzi Flush choke (0.040) 30 grams, Krieghoff factory Titanium 20 grams, Wilkinson (.035) 20 grams, Briley Extended Beretta (0.015) 28 grams) The difference can approach ¾ of an ounce at the end of the muzzle. That amount of change is noticeable for a sporting clays shooter. But as you can see from the about, there can be a big difference in choke weight from brand to brand and gun to gun. Just because you purchase titanium doesn’t mean lighter if the choke is bigger then you didn’t gain anything but a shiny choke. From my testing, there is minimal difference between all the good choke manufacturers at the same constriction.
     
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  3. bsd

    bsd Active Member

    They don't rust, and they are easier to clean
     
  4. mudpack

    mudpack Mega Poster Founding Member

    I wonder why titanium choke tubes would be easier to clean? As a metal, titanium is not easier to clean than, say, stainless steel.
    I worked with titanium for 30 years in the aerospace industry. Heat treated it, hot formed it, superplastic-formed it, welded it, machined it. It's not magic, just a different metal. While it does not rust, neither does the 17-4 stainless steel that most chokes are made of today.
    To address that first question; ease of cleaning would be more related to surface finish than material type. Perhaps the extra amount of MSRP the makers of ti chokes add to the price lets them feel they can spend a few more minutes devoted to improving the ID's surface finish.
    If so, that might make them easier to clean.
    I don't know, I've never had any problem cleaning my factory or aftermarket SS choke tubes, and have not felt the need for ti choke tubes....so I can't compare them.
     
  5. ljutic329

    ljutic329 Mega Poster Founding Member

  6. mallard2

    mallard2 Active Member

    I think you are right, 329, but boy do we buy them up, at 150 bucks a throw.
     
  7. rrisum

    rrisum Mega Poster

    Paid 50% more because I can --Scores didn't go up --Takes just as long to clean --Sure looks good sitting on the rack -Snake oil ? -- probably rite
     
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  8. mallard2

    mallard2 Active Member

    They do look good in the rack. And that right there is probably a damn good reason to buy them. Just like an upgraded piece of wood. It doesn't hurt the eyes.
     
  9. Vpimine

    Vpimine Active Member

    I agree I have not found them easier to clean than other chokes.They can lighter and in some case look better... It is all about personal preference... Ex: Factory or aftermarket wheels on a truck... Both do the same job but one may or may not look better...
     
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  10. wpt

    wpt Forum Leader Founding Member Forum Leader

    I am not a choke tube guy, never was a fan of them and sold the only gun I ever owned with them at a loss to get rid of it ... I have witnessed many of them fly out of barrels over the years, my Fathers Perazzi took the end of the barrel with it ... WPT ... (YAC) ...
     
  11. ljutic329

    ljutic329 Mega Poster Founding Member

    I'm not either but had no choice on a K-80 T Special. The chokes do stay tight in a K-80, but not much on the cleaning.

    I only clean the threads and the barrel threads. Never worried about the I.D. of the choke.

    I still feel they are snake oil. Every gun I've owned, and I have owned a bunch, I always opted for the fixed chokes.
     
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  12. Maser

    Maser ∞ Based ∞

    It's a marketing gimmick.
     
  13. dr.longshot

    dr.longshot Grudge Match Champion Founding Member Forum Leader Grudge Match Champion

    Same here, I agree.

    GB....................................DLS
     
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  14. mudpack

    mudpack Mega Poster Founding Member

    Choke tubes are a useful development, there is no doubt. Choke tubes made out of costly materials are no better in performance than those made of ferrous alloys.
     
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  15. Family Guy

    Family Guy Mega Poster Founding Member

    Got graph?
     
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  16. Michael McGee

    Michael McGee Mega Poster Founding Member

    If you think titanium chokes are over priced, buy a piece of titanium stock and have fun machining it! Other than weight reduction I see no advantage over stainless steel if they are made to the same quality. Many times stronger than aluminum, but also much costlier.
     
  17. mallard2

    mallard2 Active Member

    Kind of like the dentist, right? If you think he's too expensive, ask him for the materials and do it yourself.
     
  18. mudpack

    mudpack Mega Poster Founding Member

    That depends on the alloy of the titanium and the alloy of the aluminum, and the heat treatment of each alloy.
    You can find examples of each that are close to the same strength. You can also find examples of aluminum that are stronger (UTS) than commercially pure titanium.
    Machining titanium is no more difficult than machining stainless steel. It just requires a different technique.
    titanium certainly IS more costly.
     
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  19. ccridr

    ccridr 101st

    How many shooters do you think could tell the difference of 3/4 ounce when swinging thier gun ? I think I could make a lot of money betting they could not tell the difference !
     
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  20. mudpack

    mudpack Mega Poster Founding Member

    Not many.
     
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  21. Roger Coveleskie

    Roger Coveleskie State HOF Founding Member Member State Hall of Fame

    What would be the weight difference between a regular choke and a titanium one that were exact duplicates? Roger C.
     
  22. wpt

    wpt Forum Leader Founding Member Forum Leader

    Roger , the amount of money you have to pay out for them ... WPT ... (YAC) ...
     
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  23. mudpack

    mudpack Mega Poster Founding Member

    I weighed my 12 ga Midas extended tube: 1.6oz.
    Since Ti is .58 the density of 400 series stainless steel, that means an equivalent Ti choke tube would weigh .935 oz....which is .66 oz or (2/3's of an ounce) less than the Stainless steel tube.
     
  24. Roger Coveleskie

    Roger Coveleskie State HOF Founding Member Member State Hall of Fame

    Weight does not seem to be a factor in going with the titanium. Must be a man thing. Roger C.
     
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  25. goose2

    goose2 Well-Known Member Founding Member

    All I know is I sold 12 used titanium Krieghoff chokes for $1200.
     
  26. mudpack

    mudpack Mega Poster Founding Member

    You did well.
     
  27. mallard2

    mallard2 Active Member

    Trapshooters love something new.