Barrels Full/Full

[Gary Weaver]

Is it possible to open up the barrels a bit on Damascus or Twisted Steel barrels?
Im not talking Cyl/Skeet but maybe IC/IM.. or MOD/FULL Barrel thickness is good and are nice and shinny with no pitting.

I shoot a lot of Skeet, SC and 5 Stand, no hunting.
Thanks.

[Chuck Bishop]

Yes, as long as there is sufficient wall thickness in the choke area. IC and Mod is a good combo for SC and 5 stand.

[Daryl Corona]

Gary;
Is it possible...yes. My opinion is not to destroy those wonderful chokes on those guns. Get comfortable shooting tight chokes and I promise you you'll grow to love them. Parker chokes, in my humble opinion, are the most unique part of those guns. Just keep in mind that once you remove that metal from those 100 or so year old barrels it's gone for good. The barrel man at Parker, was to me, more important than the engraver. It's your gun of course but remember that you are only taking care of it for a short time. Just my 2 cents.

[Bill Murphy]

Will your family miss any meals if you miss a few extra sporting clays birds? My friends think I'm a great shot because I shoot average skeet with full choke guns. The truth is, I shoot average skeet with skeet choked guns.

[Mills Morrison]

Gary;
Is it possible...yes. My opinion is not to destroy those wonderful chokes on those guns. Get comfortable shooting tight chokes and I promise you you'll grow to love them. Parker chokes, in my humble opinion, are the most unique part of those guns. Just keep in mind that once you remove that metal from those 100 or so year old barrels it's gone for good. The barrel man at Parker, was to me, more important than the engraver. It's your gun of course but remember that you are only taking care of it for a short time. Just my 2 cents.

This is a very good point and the chokes alone make each gun unique.

[Dean Romig]

Use spreader loads which have the effect of opening the choke one level. In effect, a full choke with spreader loads will pattern more like mod or imp.mod. Each gun is different and you may get even better results than that, but I would highly recommend shooting a few boxes of spreaders before altering your fine old Parker.

[Mills Morrison]

Also, this is a golden excuse to buy another Parker that already has more open chokes. I just bought a 16 gauge with cyl/cyl for that reason.

[James L. Martin]

I must agree, please leave the chokes alone, I have a 26" 20ga with full and full and it shoots great , just use spreader's. The gun has made it for a 100 years leave it be.

[Mills Morrison]

The more you shoot with an individual gun, the more you learn how to maximize its capabilities. I have a PH 12 with crazy full chokes and I just take shots with it that are a little further away and it does well.

[Gary Weaver]

I agree, leaving the barrels alone.
Appreciate your input.

[Ed Blake]

I just finished Cyril Adams' book "Lock, Stock, and Barrel". In it he says in his experience anything more than 35 points of choke results in blown patterns when paired with modern ammunition. I'm beginning to think he's right. My suggestion is pattern your gun, and if the patterns are too tight in the center, open them up gradually. I've never been keen on fiddling with Parker chokes, but if it's a shooter decide what's best for you. It is your gun.

[Richard Flanders]

Some good advice being given here. I had a 26" F/F gun opened and ended up with a ruined set of barrels with +.004" of blunderbuss choke in the right barrel and paper thin muzzles that get dented in the wind.... and there's no going back from that.

[Gary Weaver]

I shot a 20/25 in a difficult 5 Stand setup today, missing 3 rabbits... so i think the barrels will be ok.. Should be great for Sporting Clays..

Also ordered some spreader loads to try for the short shots.. should be interesting to see how those work..

I agree, the barrels are 100 yrs old, I want them to last another 100 yrs..
Thanks for all the advice, appreciate it..
Gary

[ed good]

polywad and rst both make spreader loads. both have web sites. both accept credit cards...

[Mills Morrison]

I have shot Polywad and RST and also recommend both highly

[Gary Weaver]

i got some RST's spreader loads and they seem to work pretty good.. I shot a 22 in Skeet with them in the wind and probably should have had a 23..
Im liking the spreaders and am shooting RST 1oz 8's 1175 fps for SC and 5 stand..
I agree "leave the barrels alone and work around it".. seems to be working for me..
Thanks for all the advice. :bowdown:
Gary

[Mills Morrison]

I like the 7/8 oz loads too. 7/8 or 1 oz are what I shoot with 12 gauges.