Big Country,
We need to see the proof marks on the guns in question.
It could be that the guns you saw were made between 1875 & 1887.During this time frame, "choke" was denoted as follows: 12B 14 M accompanied by the words," not for ball." Guns with these and other accompanying proof marks are safe to shoot with the appropriate cartridges, provided that the guns measure in proof and are sound condition,

Roy Hebbes