barrel/tube clamps/brackets

[SMSI]

It seems like point of aim would be changed depending on how tight, position, etc. What purpose do they serve other than providing a place for a sling stud? I have never used one on a 21" 1187 with 9 round mag tube.

[mscott]

I use one for piece of mind if nothing else. Some say you don't need one with the Nordic tube, but if a $30 part can prevent a real bad day I'm all for it. I've never seen a broken tube, but could see how it could happen if a barricade was struck or something. Zero slugs with it on and forget about it. I doubt it is that sensitive to torque or absolute exact placement.

[StealthyBlagga]

I have run clamps on all my shotguns for the past 28 years. I never had one affect my slug zero. I have, however, seen several magazine extensions come loose, shear off or snap off over the years. In my opinion there are lots of good reasons to use a clamp, and no reasons not to.

I currently run a Remington 11-87 with a light contour barrel, so I had to modify a Choate clamp to get a good fit - I bent it to conform to the narrow barrel, then I welded on a load of steel to stiffen the contraption up... Choate clamps tend to distort over time. Lastly, I apply a layer of epoxy resin on the inside of the clamp to stop it sliding around under recoil.

Edited September 19, 2010 by StealthyBlagga

[Steveo]

You can also use the clamp to attach a light/lazer to your gun,if that floats your boat,I like the look of thse but have never tried one.

http://www.cdmgear.com/default.html

[SMSI]

It seems to me that we go to a lot of trouble to have free float rifle barrels and avoid resting rifle barrels on anything, so the same concept should apply to some degree to shotguns. Not to the same degree of course. However, putting a clamp on the barrel and tube that will be taken off and put back on every time it is cleaned should affect point of impact. Also, if you do whack your tube on a barricade or port and it is clamped to the barrel, the barrel will be affected. Or is this not an excuse for poor slug shooting? I need to know, since I need a good excuse!

[StealthyBlagga]

It seems to me that we go to a lot of trouble to have free float rifle barrels and avoid resting rifle barrels on anything, so the same concept should apply to some degree to shotguns. Not to the same degree of course. However, putting a clamp on the barrel and tube that will be taken off and put back on every time it is cleaned should affect point of impact. Also, if you do whack your tube on a barricade or port and it is clamped to the barrel, the barrel will be affected. Or is this not an excuse for poor slug shooting? I need to know, since I need a good excuse!

When I go to a 3-gun match that has me engaging 12" steel targets with shotgun slugs out to 400+ yards, then I'll start to worry. My experience is that the clamp on my shotgun does not significantly affect slug accuracy out to 100 yards. YMMV.

[TRUBL]

As a rule of thumb.....I personally do not like running clamps on a shotgun. If they move, you slug zero will move. I do believe that of all the clamps out there. Ours is the best one for NOT moving. It can be a little finiky to get on properly so that it does not move under recoil; we will recommend some of that black friction tape between the tube and clamp, then hand tight with the 'long end' of the allen wrench in the socket.

HOWEVER......if you have a Remington 870, 1100, 1187 and you are running ANYONES extension.....USE A CLAMP!!! Remington factory tubes stick out the least amount of any shotgun out there. I've seen Choates, Brilley's, DMV's, Nordic's get launched down range at various 3 gun matches due to the tube loosening up a little and hammering back and forth on the factory tube till it lets loose. If you run a Remmy with an extension and no clamp....and this has'nt happened yet, it will. I know this not because I work for a company that makes extension tubes (although I've gotten calls on it).....I know this because I've RO'd a number of 3 gun matches and have seen it happen; with anyones tube. Kinda funny, never seen it happen on a Benelli yet.

I am talking 12 gauge, by the way.....where Remington factory tubes are about 1" dia, they only have about 3/8" of exposed thread.....Benelli's have about 7/8" (or more) of exposed thread on their shotguns.

Tim

[Charles Bond]

As a rule of thumb.....I personally do not like running clamps on a shotgun. If they move, you slug zero will move. I do believe that of all the clamps out there. Ours is the best one for NOT moving. It can be a little finiky to get on properly so that it does not move under recoil; we will recommend some of that black friction tape between the tube and clamp, then hand tight with the 'long end' of the allen wrench in the socket.

HOWEVER......if you have a Remington 870, 1100, 1187 and you are running ANYONES extension.....USE A CLAMP!!! Remington factory tubes stick out the least amount of any shotgun out there. I've seen Choates, Brilley's, DMV's, Nordic's get launched down range at various 3 gun matches due to the tube loosening up a little and hammering back and forth on the factory tube till it lets loose. If you run a Remmy with an extension and no clamp....and this has'nt happened yet, it will. I know this not because I work for a company that makes extension tubes (although I've gotten calls on it).....I know this because I've RO'd a number of 3 gun matches and have seen it happen; with anyones tube. Kinda funny, never seen it happen on a Benelli yet.

I am talking 12 gauge, by the way.....where Remington factory tubes are about 1" dia, they only have about 3/8" of exposed thread.....Benelli's have about 7/8" (or more) of exposed thread on their shotguns.

Tim

Guys listen to Tim. I do not work for Nordic and I am not sponsored by them. Their extensions are the best on the market by a mile or better. The money you save by using a lesser product is going to seem insignificant the first time your other brand of extension fails. And clamps? The one Nordic makes is so much better than everyone else's that it constitutes a competitive advantage.

Edited September 24, 2010 by Charles Bond

[mpeltier]

It seems to me that we go to a lot of trouble to have free float rifle barrels and avoid resting rifle barrels on anything, so the same concept should apply to some degree to shotguns. Not to the same degree of course. However, putting a clamp on the barrel and tube that will be taken off and put back on every time it is cleaned should affect point of impact. Also, if you do whack your tube on a barricade or port and it is clamped to the barrel, the barrel will be affected. Or is this not an excuse for poor slug shooting? I need to know, since I need a good excuse!

There are a couple of things you can do to prevent the tube clamp from affecting point of impact with slugs.

1) When installing the tube into the tube nut, back it off slightly after you fully tighten it.

2) Use a small piece of bicycle innertube, cut the same size as the clamp for both the bbl and the tube. Put these between the clamp and bbl/tube as a cushion. This also keeps the clamp from sliding during recoil.

Also, if you use a clamp, you can blame IT instead of yourself for any crappy slug shooting.

[GorillaTactical]

It seems to me that we go to a lot of trouble to have free float rifle barrels and avoid resting rifle barrels on anything, so the same concept should apply to some degree to shotguns. Not to the same degree of course. However, putting a clamp on the barrel and tube that will be taken off and put back on every time it is cleaned should affect point of impact. Also, if you do whack your tube on a barricade or port and it is clamped to the barrel, the barrel will be affected. Or is this not an excuse for poor slug shooting? I need to know, since I need a good excuse!

When I go to a 3-gun match that has me engaging 12" steel targets with shotgun slugs out to 400+ yards, then I'll start to worry. My experience is that the clamp on my shotgun does not significantly affect slug accuracy out to 100 yards. YMMV.

haha ya I agree....I ran a clamp on my 1100 until I upgraded to the SLP and actually had better accuracy with slugs in that thing than I do my SLP.

[ChristianHE]

One more question on this thread... Is my thinking flawed on this? I was thinking that I don't like removing the clamp each time I clean my shotgun either, then I thought "why even have it unless I need a sling?". Then I searched, found this thread. My question is: my fiber optic sights are attached directly to the barrel, how could my slug zero change from using my clamp? Does a clamp actually put some bow in the barrel?!

[fastmtnbiker33w]

My gun must be a bit different in that the distance between the barrel and mag tube is greater. I put a Mesa TActical clamp on it and I thought I was going to bend the tube. I went with a Choate because I was able to shape it to fit better. POI didn't change.