Vintage New Haven made by Mossberg and sons New Haven CT. 20 gauge Bolt action Model #285 2 3/4 shells

Question
i have come across this gun at an auction and have read a previous persons questions and answers, i have a different question. how hard is it to find different chokes for this shotgun? and i always thought that slugs coming out of a full choke can damage them, so i would have to get a cylinder or improved cylinder wouldn't i? the one i am looking at has a full choke, thank you for looking answering my question if you choose too, i greatly appreciate it

Sincerely,
Ben

Answer
Ben,

There are several things to discuss based on your question.  First, the "New Haven" was a store brand name made by Mossberg.  It is actually a Mossberg 185D.  This model was produced between 1950 and 1964.  Depending on the age of the gun, it was either a "D", a "D-A", "D-B" or "D-C".  There was not a great deal of variation between them all, so it is probably not all that important to know which one you have.

All the Model 185D shotguns used choke tubes that screwed on the outside of the barrel.  This is different since most chokes are designed to go on the inside of the barrel.  The gun originally shipped with three chokes (improved, modified and full).  


To answer one of your questions, the chokes are available from Havlin Sales for $25 each.  You can find them at http://www.havlinsales.com

To address your other question regarding shooting slugs through a full choke, the short answer is that you can shoot a slug through a full choke without damaging the choke itself.  Most lead rifled slugs compress reasonably well when passing through the choke.  If you shot a bunch of slugs through a full choke, you might see some wear, but if you simply shoot the occasional slug through it, there will be no problem.  Some actually report better accuracy using a full choke than either of the other types of chokes or out of a cylinder barrel.

Since most slugs don't have really precise tolerances, there is usually some variation with most slugs being smaller than the barrel they travel through.  There are variations between individual manufacturers, with some being larger and some small, but overall it really isn't like a rifle bullet that has a tight tolerance with the barrel it travels through.

I guess the other question is why you would need to shoot a lot of slugs.  Shotgun slugs let you use your shotgun as a very poor  substitute for a rifle.  Slugs are not accurate beyond 50 yards at best and the recoil is terrible.  If hunting is your objective, a rifle is a much better choice.

Bottom line, you shouldn't have an issue shooting slugs through a full choke, but other chokes are readily available if you want them.

Hope this helps you out...

Doug Little