The people who built the guns didn’t mark the chokes, to my knowledge. When you see a gun marked it was typically done by the importer, and I’d bet dollars to donuts that they just looked at the box or paperwork and marked what it said. Again, if you ordered the gun you could specify how many thousandths of choke you wanted. Again, few ever did that. Box and paperwork markings for choke for European guns are notoriously wrong, maybe more often than they are correct. Not just in France, either.
I looked at that gun on GI, and the photo that shows the barrel flats has a few clues for you. You can actually see the trigger guard extension is well fitted in that picture. It is marked “Non pour le balle”, telling us it is choked at least modified in that tube, and the folks at the proof house didn’t want you using pumpkin ball slugs in it. I’d bet you get pretty close representations of modified and full chokes in that gun. The guy has offered to open them for you. DONT let anyone touch those chokes. Those are very long, slow chokes that were ground lengthwise and barrel making art as delivered. The seller is calling it at IC and Modified, it might be, but, measure them if you want to know for sure. My own guns run tighter than industry standard for chokes.
A few people here will tell you they don’t like that grip on a Darne, a sentiment I agree with, but, that is subjective. Other guys prefer it.
I’m not sure how firm he is on price. The last three or so years the prices for all guns seemed to have jumped to levels I am frankly shocked to see. At that kind of money, if it were me, I’d probably hang tight, save a bit more, and keep my eyes open for a Bruchet built gun, which, are true custom guns, and always finished better. That said, I have no doubt that gun would be a great bird gun for a guy it fit, and who took the time to get using it down pat.
Good luck.
Best,
Ted
