doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Shorten barrels to remove choke: Any experience?

Well, with a high grade Fox, one might assume it shot where it was supposed to before the barrel surgery. Because of the longer Fox choke tapers, it does retain some constriction. Not sure how much. I'm not the guy interested in it.

Thanks for the comments.

Before you give such a flip, smart-alec answer maybe you should reread Mike's comment. He did say MEASUREMENTS. Some people actually want to know how much, in 1000ths. I would, too. You apparently missed that in your eagerness to make a condescending remark.........fella.

SRH

For interested parties

About 2008 I issued a request for 16g choke measurements and a number of respondents provided data for Parker, Fox, Baker, Ithaca, and Smith guns. Almost all had a choke length of 1 1/2 to 2 inches with a very short parallel section at the muzzle.
16g Parker guns made from 1891 to 1927 with chokes from .002 to .040 all demonstrated a choke length of 1 1/2" to 2".

Fox 16g doubles made in 28', 33', and 37' were found to have chokes about 3 1/2 inches long in the tighter choked barrels BUT a 36' 32-inch barrel A-grade had full chokes of only 2 1/2 inches.

I have no data for 20g

Dave Miles provided some excellent data from the PGCA showing that in full choke 12g. Parkers, the choke was bored with between .007-.010 constriction between 4 and 2 inches with the remainder of the constriction in the last 2 inches.
This is similar to what was found in a limited sample of 12g. Lefever, Remington, and Ithaca guns.

From Austin Hogan
Parker Chokes prior to sometime during Remington's ownership were cut with the adjustable nut borer and had the characteristic "OGEE" shape, with a parallel section 1/8 to 1/4 inch long. Late Remington barrels were reamed from the muzzle end, and have longer parallel sections.

P. 394 of L.C. Smith "The Legend Lives" shows the 12g choke specifications; a 1 9/16" taper segment with a 1" parallel segment.

I'm currently shooting a 1906 Smith 0E 16g shortened from 30" to 29" without apparent POI issues.

Larry,

Once had a Fox AE 12 ga that had been shortened from 30 inches to 28 inches. Also the pistol grip had been removed making a straight grip. Guessing it was originally Mod and Full. Both barrels shot to point of aim and still had plenty of choke for grouse and woodcock. Had no way of measuring at the time but would guess IC and Light MOd from my limited pattern testing at the time.

Hope to see you at Medford. tim

I will be there, Tim! Longer drive now that I'm back in Iowa, but I'm already registered.

Take a hack saw to the Vouzelaud, and get back to us, Larry.

Best,
Ted

Only with single barrel low value repeaters, I took off about a 8th of an at a time until I got the pattern I wanted, then filed the cut barrel square. The exception was a Boito (SP) SxS my Son wanted to use for a truck gun. The barrels would center patterns 10 inches apart at 20 yards afterwards just as they did before.

I would never cut a halfway decent gun, I promise.

Lefever bored their guns with a taper choke. On the taper choke there is no parallel at the muzzle, the choke being a taper for its entire length. Their full chokes normally run to around 4" in length with lesser chokes being shorter. I have often wondered if they didn't cut them all with the same reamer, the choke being determined by how far they ran the reamer. hus if a 4" long choke had a constriction of .032" then for .010" constriction the choke would be 1.25" long.

Chokes are already where I want them, Ted. And the front end of the barrels is in good shape. No reason to perform barrel surgery.