jimmyw, if the 20 ga in question were still in original condition you'd be right about altering the choke. but it isn't. one that's already a total refinish from one end to the other isn't original and opening the choke isn't going to make it any less original than it already is. the gun's a shooter already. it may as well be a shooter that's what he wants it to be. that's why i said leave the 16 alone: it still is original. 2 entirely different situations.
and besides that, i've come to believe it's sad to have a gun you've never shot. of the several dozen colt sa's i had the only ones i remember now from this point in time are the ones i shot. the others were just things in boxes stuck in a safe. yeah, the fired ones brought a little less than they could have but not a very significant percentage. it was worth the $$ to me to have actually fired and enjoyed them.
if you like the gun, make the gun suit you and enjoy it. you can't take $$ to your grave with you but - barring alzheimers - you'll have your memories right up to the last. i'd rather remember shooting and enjoying guns than "ooooh! i made $300 on that shotgun!"
i've had 870's and i've had 12's. there's nothing wrong with 870's. they're a piece of shooting machinery. but - to me, and i doubt i'm alone in this - they'll never be more than that. if we only used guns that were recent mfg, had spare parts readily availabe, etcetc i don't guess anyone on this board would shoot foxes, parkers, elsies, 100 yr old british guns, etcetc.
to a lot of us, there's more to a gun than it's $-value or it's pure function as a machine for firing shells.
