DROP IN VALUE FOR OPENED CHOKES

[J. A. EARLY]

Originally Posted by John Campbell

Perhaps you were not entirely accurate in this statement? "All the way" from where to where? If the walls measure .020 within the first 18 inches from the breech, you should be VERY concerned. Beyond that point, you might get away with it. Maybe.

I was referring to "all the way" in the typical 3 to 4 inches of choke area at the muzzle. The left barrel which had some choke remaining (.006) measured about .030 in the typical choke area. The .676 bore diameter tells me they have been honed.

Again, as I said "I do not suspect they left the factory this way."

[mobirdhunter]

Originally Posted by Brian Dudley

Unless a letter says otherwise or the work was done poorly, who says they are opened?

I personally believe that opened chokes dont effect value all that much.

I have a really nice GH 16, O frame. It has no choke in the right barrel. The letter confirms it was ordered that way. My thanks to the original owner from the late 19th C.!! Nice to find them as ordered...the way you want them.

[C.O.B.]

I think it depends on the gun. If the chokes were opened on the gun you describe I wouldn't be as concerned as say a 32 inch target gun that was F/F is now opened to something else. With the gun you describe I'd be much more concerned with the bore diameter. There are plenty of VH/VHE 16's available and the O frame isn't always lighter than a #1 frame.

[Bob Jurewicz]

0 Frame 16 GA guns should be 6-8 oz lighter than 1 Frame guns. That has been my experience.
I have 1's and 0's sitting side by side in the safe and the O's look noticeably smaller.
Bob Jurewicz

[mobirdhunter]

Originally Posted by Bob Jurewicz

0 Frame 16 GA guns should be 6-8 oz lighter than 1 Frame guns. That has been my experience.
I have 1's and 0's sitting side by side in the safe and the O's look noticeably smaller.
Bob Jurewicz

The slim frame of my GH is what attracted me to it. It was sitting amid several other 16s and was noticeably smaller. It is just under the 6lbs. 8oz. weight you mention (6 lbs. 4 oz.). I like my shotguns light...at least when I'm following bird dogs.

[C.O.B.]

Bob I have an 0 frame 16 that is considerably heavier than a couple of 1 frame 16's.

[Mike Poindexter]

The 0 frames are, by definition, smaller than the 1 frames. Undisputed. The guns they are on are not, however, always lighter than their 1 frame counterparts. Barrel weight and stock variance play a role too.

[mobirdhunter]

Originally Posted by Mike Poindexter

The 0 frames are, by definition, smaller than the 1 frames. Undisputed. The guns they are on are not, however, always lighter than their 1 frame counterparts. Barrel weight and stock variance play a role too.

Agreed, but when you can find a 0 frame that is lightweight, it's a jewell. A nicely balanced 16 gauge is a delight no matter it's grade or frame size. If you can point it "right," it will take wild quail like nobody's business...and is great to look at between coveys.

[Dean Romig]

If I had a nice Parker 20 or 28 gauge with 26" barrels and F/F chokes that was pretty useless to me for grouse and woodcock in tight cover and spreader loads only gave me the equivalent of Mod/Mod at best, and I chose to open the chokes to Skeet/Skeet or Skeet/LtMod would I be devaluing the gun or making it more of my value for my purposes? Granted, a letter would show F/F but it isn't a 90% gun in anyone's definition anyway.





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[mobirdhunter]

Originally Posted by Dean Romig

If I had a nice Parker 20 or 28 gauge with 26" barrels and F/F chokes that was pretty useless to me for grouse and woodcock in tight cover and spreader loads only gave me the equivalent of Mod/Mod at best, and I chose to open the chokes to Skeet/Skeet or Skeet/LtMod would I be devaluing the gun or making it more of my value for my purposes? Granted, a letter would show F/F but it isn't a 90% gun in anyone's definition anyway.
.

And the funny thing is that if we had a factory record that the gun had been returned to have the chokes opened in the past, we would value the gun highly. There's great irony in collecting. Things evolve. We've all seen the rise in value of Damascus barrels, and now I see restored/reconditioned guns by certain gunsmiths are being valued well. The guns are gems, and we value what they hold for us as our link to the past.