Mossberg 500 choke help.

I bought a Mossberg 500, 20 GA. shotgun with 3 barrels. One barrel is a 24" Slugster; self explanatory. One is a 26" Accu-choke with no chokes for it, just a vent-rib barrel with a white BB on the end for the sight. Now, there's a 26" barrel called "C-lect Choke." I can't find diddly squat on the net about it, and customer service said that wasn't with the gun. I did find something about a different brand shotgun with c-lect choke, an older brand Mosssberg doesn't seem to make anymore, but the barrel fits just fine. I can't turn the adjustable choke by hand & I don't want to mess it up with the tools I have. Of course the gunshop doesn't know anything. I don't hunt or shoot clay, I just bought the gun for I don't know why...home defense? And, of course all the 18.5" barrels are out of stock. Info on the C-Lect Choke is basically needed. The gun was built in 2018, for what it's worth, and it's all plastic or whatever, not wood.
Maybe I can get a shop to cut that barrel to 18 1/2"?

I ordered my 18.5 barrel direct from mossberg couple years ago about 75.00.In the 26 barrel smooth bore slugs shoot great with imp cyl and i got a super extra full turkey choke only 2 chokes i use.If barrel is threaded i would use a choke to protect threads.You are going to need to soak the choke in kroil so yo can turn it.

As mentioned above, soak the choke in Kroil. It might take a few days to loosen up. While not aesthetically pleasing, the things actually work pretty well. I pulled these photos from a 1974 Mossberg catalog. Having a barrel cut and crowned and the bead replaced can be costly and may exceed the price of a new or lightly used barrel.

The C-lect-choke used to come with the older Model 500.
It was also used on the Mossberg bolt action shotguns for many years.

It works about the same as a PolyChoke.

If the tube is jammed, try some oil on the joint inside and out.
Wra the tube in some leather. Clamp tight enough to keep it from turning in a vise and try unscrewing (RH thread)
Or use a large pliers to do same.

Maybe someone jammed the tube down all the way hard thinking they'd get an Xtr'ee Full Choke that way.

Once it's off..clean the threads on the tube and the bbl base off. Also the 3 or 4 'fingers that are on the bbl base. Make sure there is no damage or anything jammed inbetw the fingers.

Reassemble it and screw the tube down almost to the bottom.
Factory instruction for the choke below....

AFAIRemember,,the chokes are NOT rated for Steel Shot. I don't think the Mossberg bbls in general ar Steel Rated

Here's Mossberg instructions:

The C-LECT-CHOKE adjustment is instant and positive. Heretofore, the average shooter had the selection of buying guns with four different degrees of choke; the FULL CHOKE, for long range shooting of 40 yards or over; the MODIFIED, for medium range shooting from 30 to 35 yards; the IMPROVED CYLINDER, for close range shooting of 20 to 30 yards; and the FULL CYLINDER, for very close range shooting up to 20 yards. The C-LECT-CHOKE gives you the choice of these four degrees of choke plus any in between adjustment that may be desired.

To set the C-LECT-CHOKE for FULL CHOKE (FULL) turn the adjusting sleeve until the rear edge of the sleeve "A" touches the front edge of the line just ahead of the word "FULL" on the index plate "B". For MODIFIED (MOD) or IMPROVED CYLINDER (I. CYL.) settings turn the sleeve "A" to the lines ahead of these words on the index plate. The sleeve may be set to any of these chokes or to any point in between to obtain any degree of choke desired. To adjust to FULL CYLINDER BORE, which is for extra close shooting, turn the adjusting sleeve one full turn beyond IMPROVED CYLINDER. NEVER SHOOT THE GUN WITH THE CHOKE TURNED ANY FURTHER THAN CYLINDER BORE AND NEVER SHOOT THE GUN WITHOUT THE ADJUSTING SLEEVE IN PLACE. NEVER ADJUST CHOKE WHEN GUN IS LOADED.

Rifled slugs and buckshot can be used in the C-LECT-CHOKE at any setting. For best results we recommend that it be set at CYLINDER BORE.

For cleaning and oiling, the adjustment sleeve can he removed by turning it all the way off the threads and pulling off.

Removing any accumulation of lead assures better patterns.

HOW TO MAKE YOUR OWN SETTINGS

If, for any reason, the index plate "B" is removed and you lose your setting, you will find underneath the index plate, a scratch mark which was put on at the factory. By turning the adjusting sleeve "A" up to this scratch mark, you automatically have a FULL CHOKE setting. You can then insert the index plate under the sleeve "A" until the FULL CHOKE line comes even to the edge of sleeve "A" and then put in and tighten sight "C".

FORM NO. 1686

I'll try the Kroil. I'm just (displeased) off that their CS didn't give me any info on the choke I have. Thanks guys.

jeffrefrig said:

I'll try the Kroil. I'm just (displeased) off that their CS didn't give me any info on the choke I have. Thanks guys.

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Bear in mind that is an ancient device and Mossberg may not have a single employee old enough to have ever seen a C-lect choke.

ColbyBruce said:

Bear in mind that is an ancient device and Mossberg may not have a single employee old enough to have ever seen a C-lect choke.

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Had one when I was a teenager, suddenly I feel old!

As for the screw in chokes, you should be able to order from factory or other sources

The standard M500 screw in chokes are the same threads as the Original Winchoke , with is also shared by buncha other brands .


Only Slightly oversimplified , the C - Lect choke was an in house knock off of the Poly Choke .

At one time, many cheaper shotguns came from the factory with some type of adjustable choke device. In a moment of stupidity many years ago, I sent off a perfectly good Remington Model 11 full choke 12 Gauge barrel to Herter’s to have one added. I later regretted it because of how it looked with that blob of metal on the muzzle, but I will say that it seemed to work OK.

Back then (late 1960s) Herter’s did some kinds of gunsmithing work.

At one time I thought about getting a Cutts Comp with tubes added to a Model 12 barrel, but that was a fairly expensive job, a little beyond my means. Removable choke tubes like most of today’s shotguns have pretty well wiped out those kinds of adjustable choke things. I seem to remember that there was even an adjustable choke tube made for the Cutts Comp. Is the Cutts still made?

I have a 20 gauge Mossberg 500 with C-lekt choke. It has been shot enough to wear out the extractors and the ejector tension. Replacing those 3 parts has it back shooting just as good as ever. It is really quite a nice little gun. I use it for wood ducks in the swamp behind my house (Federal 3" steel #2 shot) with the choke set on cylinder; no ill effects as of yet.

Buick said:

I have a 20 gauge Mossberg 500 with C-lekt choke. It has been shot enough to wear out the extractors and the ejector tension. Replacing those 3 parts has it back shooting just as good as ever. It is really quite a nice little gun. I use it for wood ducks in the swamp behind my house (Federal 3" steel #2 shot) with the choke set on cylinder; no ill effects as of yet.

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I do like this shotgun. I sprayed the choke with Kroil and it came loose by hand. I think somewhere up above it said to use lead shot only, as steel will hurt the barrel. I thought all shotguns made recently (this one 2018) are good to go for steel, as lead is outlawed for birds in most places. Maybe this barrel with the ancient C-lect choke can't be used, I don't know its age, but I really just want to find an 18.5" barrel for a house gun, and maybe take up rabbit hunting again. Apparently Buick has no problems with steel, so I'm cool with that.
Plus, I can clean out the shot with a magnet when I make Hasenpfeffer.

The Accu-Choke (Mossberg) is factory rated for Lead & Steel shot.
They however do not warrentee the bbl or choke if Steel is fired through it with the X Full & XX Full Turkey choke tubes in place. These are rated Lead only.

The C-Lec-choke was never rated for Steel Shot.
Mossbergs shotgun bbls including those on the Model 500 at the time were not either.

Your shotgun made in 2018 was likely rated for steel with it's orig bbl at the time of mfg'r .
The older bbl (the bbl itself) with the C-Lec-Choke was not rated for steel when mfg'rd.
Just a difference in era of mfg betw the components.

The Model 500 came around starting in the mid 60's or there about.
They have gone thru a lot of changes to keep up with the times.

Likely many have used Steel in those older bbls and the C-Lec-Choke w/o much happening. People do stuff..
But that's the msg Mossberg used to put in their factory paperwork when the chokes were still in use and Steel shot was coming onto the market.

They are a decent adj choke. I had a Mossb Model 185k a 20ga boltaction with that choke on it and never gave any problems. Fired a lot of rounds through it in 20+ yrs. Great gun for the $50 I paid for it.
My brother has the same gun but with the slightly earlier choke.
It uses the short, slim, separate tubes that screw on and off externally on the muzzle.
I think the gun sold w/ 3 different choke tubes. His came with one(full). So I found another at a show,,another Full tube, and I reamed it out to IC and re-marked it as such.

Countrycuz said:

Had one when I was a teenager, suddenly I feel old!

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I've never owned one, but I drooled over shotguns equipped with them in the Sears Catalong as a yute.

I used to see a lot of them around the hunt club.

Bought a Mossberg 500 with the C-lect Choke in 1975. First 12 ga. I owned. Still have it and have harvested more game with that shotgun, (everything from squirrels to deer) than any other shotgun I own with one exception ( that is my Browning 16 ga bird gun - it has a poly choke).
I have since bought a slug barrel with rifle sights for deer, but still hunt with the original adjustable choke. It may not be sleek, but it is functional and has been putting meat in my freezer for 47 years.
Enjoy your M500, it will give you years of service.

To clarify my statement on shooting steel, I dont shoot more than a couple of boxes of steel a year through my Mossberg, and only on a cylinder or possibly improved cylinder setting. I dont recommend the practice. My gun seems to take it in stride. On the other side of that coin, I am old enough to have waterfowl hunted before the use of steel was mandated in 81or 82? Hi brass lead sixes and fours knocked ducks and geese kicking. I have in my possession my fathers early vintage fixed choke Browning Citori 12 gauge over and under. It has digested cases and cases of 3" magnum steel shotshells, and to this day is as tight and fit for duty as ever. It is not rated for steel either. I dont shoot steel through it anymore; I should probably pattern the barrels to see the degree of choke it still has. But I dont believe a few rounds of steel through an open choked barrel will do any harm.

But to answer the OP's question about cutting down a shotgun barrel, certainly any gunsmith or machine shop can do a good job, but so can you; its just steel tubing.

Having chopped several 12 gauge barrels, the best way is to tighten a small hose clamp around the barrel where you want to make the cut. It will act as a guide for making a straight cut using a hacksaw. Clean up the cut with a file. Do not cut shorter than 18.5” to stay legal. Save the front sight bead to replace - attach (drill and tap a hole) to the barrel.