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What was the standard or “usual” factory constriction for a modified choked Winchester 16 gauge? Guns in question are are two Model 12’s, one from 1926, the other one 1936 and one model 1897 circa 1914. All three guns seem to be original and un-altered, all three a marked as “Mod” on the barrels.

All three guns are measuring chokes that are what would normally be considered to be in the IC/Skeet 1 range. Two model 12’s are .008 and the 1897 is .009.
Bore diameters are almost identical…..668 on the 1897, .669 on the 1936, .668 on the 1926.

According to all I've learned and seen over the years I would not expect .008" and .009" constrictions to throw modified patterns out of a 16 gauge, Dustin. In a 16 gauge I consider modified constrictions to be in the .013" to .018" range. In a 16, .008" to .009" would usually be considered IC.

Schwing's Model 21 book lists 16 ga. Model 21 modified choke constriction as .010" to .015".

Note that he lists variance in bore diameter of (.005") for all gauges & choke constriction variance of (.002 to .010") depending on gauge & choke.

My assumption is that choke constriction changed with improvements in shotshells.

The only modified choke 16-gauge Winchester I have is a NIB very late Model 12 Standard Grade and the choke measures .020". Your chokes are closer to my 1953 Model 12 16-gauge that is marked imp. cyl.

This is all I have, and things may certainly have changed between 1914 and the publication of Jack O'Connor's The Shotgun Book in 1965
16 gauge bore and choke
……..…..……Browning……….Remington…….Winchester
Bore………...…0.665”…………..0.673”…………..0.664”
Full Choke…..0.037”…………..0.033”…………..0.031”
Modified….….0.025”…………..0.017”…………..0.016”
Imp. Cyl..…..0.016”…………..0.008”……..……0.007”

Certainly the British standard for "Half-choke" would be 1/2 of the Full constriction

If you can stomach it, pattern some of those vintage 16-gauge shells I gave you and compare their patterns to moderns shells as KY Jon noted. Modern plastic wads and progressive powders were game changers.

I have a 1940's model 12 16 gauge with 0.667 bore and 0.008 choke marked MOD. I believe the choke is factory unaltered. I agree that that seems light for a MOD choke but have had several others tell me it was normal from Winchester? I have never had enough confidence in it (based on some 16 yard trap shooting) to use it as my late season long range pheasant gun. I need to pattern it on paper. Just yesterday I passed on a model 12 16 gauge solid rib marked Imp.Mod. (really looking for same in full). I didn't have bore gauge to measure the constriction but close inspection showed that the choke had been probably opened up. I did score 3 boxes of Win Super X paper shells 2-16 gauge 2 9/16" roll crimped and 1 - 12 gauge 2 3/4" for all $40! Happy to get them.

And then there is this: https://shotgunreport.com/2016/11/28/altitude-effect/

Are you patterning on one of your chukar mountains?

Dustin:

In the FWIW column here, having just cut 1 1/2 inch of barrel off of a circa 1927 M12 16 bore, it patterns quite nicely at 9 points of choke (which I'd have thought was slightly-tight IC) . During the process of getting to the end of the crack we were eliminating, it seemed like there was at least 3-inches of constriction going on in it's tube. Not sure what that means, except that I'm even-more impressed with the build quality of these older Winchesters. As far as a comparison, was also shooing my English 16 as well that day and it's right tube is choked IC (7-8 thousand) and the patterns (which were side by side) were comparable. Looking forward to using it on something other than a grease board soon, maybe the local pet & shoot?