choke full and full

[Dave Smith]

we have two 16 gauge LC Smith oo grade field guns both have been reblued and case colored at some time in the past. The barrel lengths are 28 inches in both guns and do not show signs of being cut. Using a brass CSMC choke tube device I can't get the device to enter the bores does this indicate extra full choke in all four tubes ? Is this common with some guns and if so what would the user have wanted with such tight chokes? Thank you for any sage thoughts on this pair of guns.

[Frank Cronin]

Hi Dave,

I have one of those gauges you mentioned but I do not find it very reliable. I have a Skeeter's bore gauge which is very handy to measure chokes relative to bore diameter. You can get one from Brownwell's for under 100 bucks.

I have a couple LC Smiths that have extra full chokes in 12 and in 10 ga. The Ideal Damascus 10 I have I guess you can call it has extra, extra full with constrictions of 50 thousands. Both bores are original at .775

[Mark Ouellette]

Most lower grade vintage guns were delivered to retailers with constrictions that would produce full choke patterns. I own a good number of LC Smith 12 gauges and most have very close to .729" bore diameters and .040" choke constrictions. With the softer shot, single base powders, and fiber wads of 100 years constrictions of .040" seemed to be required to produce full choke patterns of at least 70% of the shot in a 30 inch circle at 40 yards.

I do admit to opening up a few lower grade LC Smith barrels to more shoot more open and usable patterns.

[Steve McCarty]

My GH is full and full and I'm not going to touch it. At the time 1896, full chokes were all the rage. They had just learned how to make a real choke and they took long shots. My old Win 97 is very tight.

My Sterlingworth, Lefever and Spanish double are all Full and Mod, and I'm going to keep them that way. If I want to shoot an open choke I shoot a Remington 11 with a Polychoke, or an ancient M37 that I put choke tubes in.

I think my GH in F and F would make a good trap gun, which is probably what it was intended for.

[Eric Grims]

I have a GH 12 full and full and took it to the trap range for a round. I usuall shoot trap with a model 12 Winchester or a 4E Ithaca flues. Both full. Win shoots a high 70/30 pattern and the 4E about 60/40 and I love to float my birds above the barrel in this game. Usually shoot 20 to 25. With the Parker I was a little hesitant and was hoping to do about a 16 or so as it shoots flat. Felt like I was shooting by the seat of my pants covering and not seeing many of the straight always when i pulled the trigger. I was real pleased though with a 21 after missing the first 4. The real pleasure is seeing all three full choke guns really smash the birds!

[Steve McCarty]

I have a GH 12 full and full and took it to the trap range for a round. I usuall shoot trap with a model 12 Winchester or a 4E Ithaca flues. Both full. Win shoots a high 70/30 pattern and the 4E about 60/40 and I love to float my birds above the barrel in this game. Usually shoot 20 to 25. With the Parker I was a little hesitant and was hoping to do about a 16 or so as it shoots flat. Felt like I was shooting by the seat of my pants covering and not seeing many of the straight always when i pulled the trigger. I was real pleased though with a 21 after missing the first 4. The real pleasure is seeing all three full choke guns really smash the birds!

Hi Eric: Is your GH damascus? What shells were you shooting? I'm using my Parker SC trapgun to shoot trap...duh! Haven't tried my GH yet, but I will eventually. For me, my SC hits floating birds and I do pretty well with it. The GH has a much lower comb that the SC so I suspect it will cover the going away bird like yours does.

[Eric Grims]

Steve , my Parker is not Damascus but steel. I shoot a one ounce load , AA Winchester hull! CB 1100-12 wad, 18.5 gr. green dot powder for a 7100 PSI as per the book for a light but pretty standard load. My friends complain the green dot does not through consistently but I seem to be pretty uniform with a Mec grabber. Nothing exotic with the load but I have shot thousands I don't know what powders or pressures are appropriate to the Damascus guns
Good luck