Choate Shotgun Upgrades

Just like everything else firearms related, shotguns have seen a huge boost in popularity over the last several years. Many purchased new ones while others looked to what they already owned to fit their needs. Some had to settle for whatever was available at the time of purchase. Many of these shotgun owners will be interested in upgrades.

If you are working on or planning upgrades on shotguns, Choate Machine & Tool has easy-to-install accessories and components to make scatterguns better for tactical or sporting use. Founded by Garth Choate in 1972 as a one-man tool and die shop, Choate Machine & Tool (RifleStock.com, has been in the firearms accessory business for over 40 years.

Starting by providing gunsmithing and machine repair in Central Arkansas, Choate’s first commercial prod- Below and This unit boosts capacity by two extra shotshells and has an indexable Picatinny rail section to add a light or laser as needed.

Above and The extensions from +2 to +8 capacity are available in scores of options for Benelli, Browning, CZ, Fabarm, Franchi, H&R 1871, Mossberg, Remington, Smith & Wesson, Steven, Stoeger, Weatherby, and Winchester shotguns. ucts were magazine extensions for shotguns, which were the first aftermarket magazine extensions available to the public.

Beginning with magazine tube extensions for Remington 870, 1100, and Browning A5 shotguns, Choate has been making OEM parts for firearms manufacturers such Smith & Wesson, Remington, Mossberg, Savage, H&K, Winchester, Anschutz, Marlin, Harrington & Richardson, Nighthawk, Ruger, Beretta, Springfield Armory, and Kahr Arms since 1981.

Above and These stocks include a spacer system to adjust length of pull and can be had in conventional configuration (left), standard length pistol grip (center), and short length of pull (right) for youth or to accommodate body armor. Choate Machine & Tool is still one of the largest manufactures of OEM parts for the firearms industry.

Originally started in a 1,200 square foot building, Choate Machine and tool now operates out of three separate factories, an Injection Molding plant, an Investment Casting plant, and a Final Assembly plant with a total of 95,000 square feet under roof. Accessory Options Increasing capacity is a common shotgun customization project, especially when adapting a sporting shotgun for home defense or tactical use.

Back when Choate first offered magazine extensions, shotguns using detachable magazines were largely unheard of. Yes, given James Paris Lee’s patented idea had been in common use for a These can be ordered in orange to indicated less-lethal munitions. century by then, shotguns taking a box magazine had been attempted but nothing in common use.

The plastic hull common in shotgun ammunition coupled with the very wide and flat front nearly the same width as the chamber make reliable feeding from a box magazine much more challenging than metallic rifle and pistol cartridges having nicely pointed and tapering projectiles. Shotguns with detachable box magazines are now available from companies such as Remington and Mossberg as commercial options after considerable work.

For example, only recently have Research and Development teams been able to use modern computer modeling and high speed photography to identify problems and then create a working solutions. Tube magazines normally loaded one shotshell at a time remain the norm. Choate offers magazine tube extensions for Benelli, Browning, CZ, Fabarm, Franchi, H&R 1871, Mossberg, Remington, Smith & Wesson, Steven, Stoeger, Weatherby, and Winchester shotguns.

The company has scores of options in extension lengths to increase capacity from +2 to +8 sizes. These units include a magazine spring, base clamp, and High Visibility Shell Follower to easily see when the magazine is empty. Firearm-mounted lighting is another useful accessory, especially with long guns. The Choate Night Manager is a magazine tube extension with an aluminum shroud that is drilled and tapped along the bottom and sides for mounting Picatinny rail sections.

These magazine tube extensions can mount lights, lasers, and other Picatinny accessories. The Night Manager also boosts capacity by two extra shotshells and has an indexable Picatinny rail section to add a light or laser as needed. The Night Manager is an all steel construction magazine tube extension with an aluminum shroud that is drilled and tapped along

the bottom and sides for mounting Picatinny rail sections. The shroud can rotate to orient the attached Picatinny rails where needed and uses an AR-15 castle nut to lock it down in the desired location. By mounting accessories on the magazine tube extension it allows use of the full length of the shotgun’s fore end, which often can be short on law enforcement type models. The Night Manager also includes a sling mounting plate that can be installed to attach the sling on the right, left or bottom of the shotgun.

Currently the Night Manager is available for the Remington 870, 1100, 11-87, H&R Pardner pumps, and the Hawk 982. For Mossberg shotguns the Night Manager is available for the 500 (no extra shell capacity) 590, 835, 5500, and 9200. As the company’s domain name implies, Choate makes a number of stocks for all types of long guns. Shotgun options range from more Side folders accomodate receiver sights but may need a compatible forend.

This allows for length of pull, height, and cant adjustments. simple fixed polymer stocks to offer a more durable upgrade from a factory wood stock, orange stocks for use of designated less-lethal munitions, folding stocks, and stocks that carry extra ammunition and others. The Mark 5 models are conventional fixed stocks with a spacer system.

Originally designed for police and military for use to adjust overall length to accommodate body armor, the Mark 5 spacers also work great for hunters and recreational shooters. Mark 5 stocks are available in standard, conventional length pistol grip, and a shortened pistol grip model for youth shooters or for shooters wearing body armor and other bulky gear. The spacer system includes two half-inch spacers which adjusts the length of pull from 13" to 14".

Additional spacers can be purchased in 1/4, 1/2, and 3/4-inch sizes and the length of the stock can be changed by adding or removing spacers and longer screws as needed. The Mark 5 also reduces felt recoil and muzzle climb to make follow-up shots with a one-inch recoil pad. The stock is made of a tough fiberglass-filled plastic and comes a recoil pad and quick detach swivel stud. The Mark 6 stock is a fixed stock system holding five rounds in the bottom.

It also uses Choate’s adjustable length of pull spacer system and includes a one-inch thick recoil pad. The Mark 6 holds 2 3/4 to 3 1/2-inch 12 gauge shotshells and the shooter can adjust how hard it is to remove the shells by tightening the adjustment screws on the side of the shell holder. The Mark 6 can also be ordered in orange to indicate less-lethal usage. If stock adjustability beyond the length of pull is wanted, Choate offers their 3-Way Aluminum Recoil Pad.

Made of 6061 T6, this adjustable butt plate fits Choate’s Tactical stocks, Varmint stocks, Mark 5 and Mark 6 conventional stocks, and others. In addition to adding a useradjustable length of pull between 1 11/16 inches to 2 3/4 inches, the butt plate also has a horizontal adjustment of 1 1/8 inches up or down and cant. All adjustments to the 3-way butt plate are made with an 5/32 Allen wrench. The butt plate is completed with a rubber butt pad and the aluminum pieces are hard anodized black.

For shotgun builds needing more compact storage, a folding stock can be added. Choate offers models for Fabarm, Ithaca, Mossberg, Remington, and Winchester shotguns. Folding stocks can be had as top folding or side folding. For compactness, top folding stock is a good choice. These stocks are made of solid steel and operated by pushing a thumb button to lock it in

Above and either the open or closed position. This stock fits shotguns with rifle sights and ventilated rib barrels but may not fit shotguns with receiver sights (especially ghost ring-style sights) or optics. Side folding stock models shorten the overall length of the gun by 11 inches when folded. The side folding stocks are made of 4140 steel and fiberglass filled plastic.

A 1/2 inch steel hinge pin locks the stock in open and closed position, making for a solid unit built to take heavy recoil such as from 3 1/2-inch shotshells. They come with a oneinch recoil pad, sling loops, and a minimum-length forend which must be used to get the stocking into its fully closed position. The third folding option is also aside folder but it features a telescoping butt stock like the M4.

The M4 Telescoping Side Fold Stock offers a compact long gun for easy storage as well as the option of adjustable length of pull. The folding housing, hinge, and hinge pin are made of steel. The telescoping M4 stock is made with a heavy tube designed to take the recoil of 3 1/2 inch 12 gauge. The length of pull adjusts from 13 3/4 to 16 3/4 inches.

The This kit includes the pistol grip and side folding housing, allowing you to add a telescoping M4 stock, tube, and castle nut of your choice. stock includes a forend that fits the unit with fully closed. As an additional option, Choate offers the M4 Telescoping Side Folder Housing as a build-it-yourself unit. This kit includes the pistol grip and side folding housing, allowing you to add a telescoping M4 stock, tube, and castle nut of your choice. AG