Why titanium chokes?

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?

 

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.

 

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

 

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.

 

snake oil

 

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

 

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

 

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.

 

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...

 

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) ...

 

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.

 

It's a marketing gimmick.

 

Same here, I agree.

GB....................................DLS

 

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.

 

Got graph?

 

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.

 

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

 

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.

 

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 !

 

Not many.

 

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

 

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

 

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.

 

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

 

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

 

You did well.

 

Trapshooters love something new.