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Forums10
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Jul 28th, 2025
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Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 447
Sidelock
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OP
Sidelock
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 447 |
I have an old Charles Boswell SxS Pigeon gun with tight fixed chokes (probably F/F or tighter if possible, but haven't measured). I'm thinking about sending to Briley to open them up a bit. I use this mostly for trap but would like to use for Sporting Clays too. I obviously don't want sub-gauge inserts and/or multi chokes in this gun. I'm not a competition shooter and screw-in chokes just doesn't seem "right".
What would you recommend opening these up to IC/M or M/IM or leave them (it's a refurbished gun so no collectors value)?
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Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 190
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 190 |
I'd leave the gun's chokes alone. It is a lot easier to "open up" chokes using different types of ammo (including "spreader loads") than it is to tighten them. Especially if the gun is to be used for trapshooting, before I did anything else with the gun, I would pattern the thing using good-quality trap loads. Unless I miss my guess, I suspect that, after this is done, you will most likely not have the heart to mess with this fine old gun's chokes.
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Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 447
Sidelock
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OP
Sidelock
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 447 |
Who makes good Spreader loads?
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Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 335 Likes: 7
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 335 Likes: 7 |
Charles Boswell was a pigeon shooter. I had a nice 12 BLNE Boswell pigeon gun that I couldn't hit a thing with. When I patterned it, both barrels shot 18" above point of aim. 18" is about how far a pigeon could get up out of the trap. It took a good knowledge of how to choke /regulate the barrels for such a specific purpose. Someone may have requested it. After my patterning lesson, I just floated the clays high and enjoyed shooting it much more.
I'd say pattern it first, see if it has "pigeon chokes". I left my chokes alone and used it for trap. The next owner sent it to Briley to make it more flexible at Sporting Clays.
If your serial number is greated than 13000 (1898-99 or newer), Chris may have the gun's record in his ledgers.
Joe
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Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 447
Sidelock
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OP
Sidelock
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 447 |
Charles Boswell was a pigeon shooter. I had a nice 12 BLNE Boswell pigeon gun that I couldn't hit a thing with. When I patterned it, both barrels shot 18" above point of aim. 18" is about how far a pigeon could get up out of the trap. It took a good knowledge of how to choke /regulate the barrels for such a specific purpose. Someone may have requested it. After my patterning lesson, I just floated the clays high and enjoyed shooting it much more.
I'd say pattern it first, see if it has "pigeon chokes". I left my chokes alone and used it for trap. The next owner sent it to Briley to make it more flexible at Sporting Clays.
If your serial number is greated than 13000 (1898-99 or newer), Chris may have the gun's record in his ledgers.
Joe Thanks Joe. Who's Chris?
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 1,531 Likes: 20
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 1,531 Likes: 20 |
Hoser:
Polywad used to make an excellent spreader load (called "Spred-R" if I recall correctly). Don't know if they still do, but that's where I'd start. I used them for a while in a long since gone Winchester Model 21 and they killed pheasants with considerable effectiveness. At least in that particular gun, they seemed to open the pattern about one degree of choke (full to modified, modified to improved cylinder).
I found a box in the back of my ammo cabinet recently and used them on a preserve hunt, shooting them out of a Miroku sxs choked M/F. They performed exactly as I recalled - hammering birds. The three guys I who were with me were most impressed at their performance.
Rem
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Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 335 Likes: 7
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 335 Likes: 7 |
Chris Batha the sporting clays instructor and author. He owns the Boswell name, records and is making new guns. He is easy to find with Google. He is a great guy. He'll be at the Southern SxS in Sanford next month. You can email him your SN. If he has anything he'll let you know. He stays busy, so don't expect an immediate reply.
Hoser, I have 5 Boswells laying about. One of them is a once nice 8 1/2 lbs 12 hammer pigeon gun proofed 13 bore 14 muzzle. It is one of the stranger proof markings of any of my guns.
Joe
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Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 531 Likes: 18
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 531 Likes: 18 |
Boswell records above about serial number 13,000 can be obtained by writing to -
Garfield R. Beckstead
7092 Placida Road
Cape Haze, Florida 33946
Attn: Chris Finck
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Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 447
Sidelock
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OP
Sidelock
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 447 |
Found them. Interesting! Would you recommend the lower pressure round or standard for clays (my gun could handle both). http://www.polywad.com/spredr-shells.html
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 1,531 Likes: 20
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 1,531 Likes: 20 |
Hoser:
The ones I used were the standard pressure round, but they were the only ones being manufactured when I bought them more than 10 years ago. I'd probably go for the lower pressure one ounce loads today, as I don't see the need for maximum anything and I've seen just how well 24 grams of 7-1/2s break clay birds at some ridiculous distances on an international trap field.
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