Question: How do you know what the original chokes and chambers were? I recently acquired a 12ga Ithaca Flues, Grade 2, made in 1920. On that one I do know that the chokes are original, because they're stamped 0 and 2 (cyl/mod) on the flats (although Ithaca was the only maker of classic doubles to do that)--and that's what my bore and choke gauge currently reads. Chambers are 2 3/4", and do not look as if they've been lengthened. (If they have, the forcing cones haven't been lengthened to the extent that they are on many modern guns.) So I asked Walter Snyder to check the factory records for me, which he was kind enough to do. No indication of original chamber length, and Walt indicated that they might well have been factory 2 3/4" from that time period. Similar story on my Army & Navy 12's, on which I have the order sheet from the A&N log book: no indication of original choke, and the Brits didn't stamp choke markings on the barrel flats.
So, assuming the job is done properly . . . who's to know, in most cases, whether chokes and chambers have been altered??
