Brenthern and Ladies, "God save me!"

[Joseph Roth]

With apologies to S. Coleman's poem.

I have put on lay-away a, 16Ga Trojan, that needs a home and repairs do to the "quady" bluing applied to the barrels and receiver.

Did a trap on a ATM slip that measured less than 0.002" thickness. and the lockup of the barrels and the receiver, held it tight.

Once it is mine, I will change the choking: "Right: IC, & Left MOD", as I looking @ SKT1 & SKT2. Barrel length: 27" .

Its duty will be Skeet shooting, upland Birds: here in MI., working over my Dog: TYSON , an 8YR old Springer.

What chokes would you recommend??

[ Have a first generation Ruger RL, with 26" barrels and the SKt1 & Skt2.

thanks for responses.

Agree with G. Hill proverb: nothing more like of a gentleman sportman's , with bird dog and a SXS in 16!"

JoeR

[Daryl Corona]

I'd leave it IC/MOD. If it's 27" someone has trimmed the barrels.

[Dean Romig]

Welcome Joseph.





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[Daniel Carter]

Before you do anything to the chokes measure the inside barrel diameter then the choke diameter. So many dealers look through the barrels at the choke shadow and declare such and such choke. Others use a drop in device which does not take into account the bore size.If you can not do it have a good gunsmith or machinist do it.

You may be surprised with the result.

[allen newell]

I grew up in New England with a Parker 16. Took a lot of grouse and woodcock with it

[Steven Groh]

16s rule!

[Joseph Roth]

Brought the "Trojan" home!

Going to the smith to confirm that the chambers can be lengthen, first and
detailed cleaning and lube job.

SN indicated build 1919.

[Dean Romig]

You don’t really need to lengthen chambers on a Trojan unless simply to reduce recoil by a minuscule amount.




.

[Joseph Roth]

In the 70's I shot trap with the VH,with reloads and new AA trap loads.

In August of 2021, I traveled to Larry Del Greco's shop, and the first thing asked after a lite inspection, he pointed out the two parallel cracks, in the top of the stock wrist, and said
you have shot a few more boxes of 2-3/4-inch shells, with the 2-5/8-inch chambers.

So, there is some damage.

So, it is better to lengthen chamber for proper case length.

[Bill Murphy]

Fifty years ago, the Del Gregos charged me about fifteen bucks a side to lengthen the chambers on my 28 VH to 2 3/4". Fifty years later, those chambers are 2 1/2" long. After many thousands of 2 3/4" shells fired, the stock is still uncracked.

[Dean Romig]

In August of 2021, I traveled to Larry Del Greco's shop, and the first thing asked after a lite inspection, he pointed out the two parallel cracks, in the top of the stock wrist, and said
you have shot a few more boxes of 2-3/4-inch shells, with the 2-5/8-inch chambers.

So, there is some damage.

So, it is better to lengthen chamber for proper case length.


I guarantee you didn’t do that damage with standard 2 3/4” shells in 2 5/8” chambers - those chambers were cut for 2 3/4” shells!




.

[Andrew Sacco]

I think in most cases lengthening is a waste of time and who knows the history of your VH. If it was already 50+ years old who knows how many Peters duck loads were sent down river. This isn't some fragile British game gun proofed to a certain standard.

[Daryl Corona]

I think Andy said it best. I'll also throw in messing with chokes. Just learn to shoot the gun with the proper ammo or move it down the road.

[Andrew Sacco]

Thank you Daryl. I know a whole hell of a lot of people who shoot a lot and wish for tighter chokes and not a whole lot who want less choke. And that includes bird hunters too. That is why God made spreader loads. If it was 1925 and I was ordering a VHE it would be a 16 on an 0 frame with 26" barrels, weigh 6 lbs and be choked M/F or IM/F and that's about what you'll find anyways.

[Daryl Corona]

With my apologies to Mr. Roth for sidetracking his thread here I'll say one last thing about chokes, chambers, etc. The very first Parker I bought 54 years ago was a 20ga VHE, 26" which I assumed was IC/M as that's what I was told by the seller. Back then I knew nothing about checking bores, constrictions or chamber lengths. I shot the snot out of that gun on everything from quail, ducks, geese, doves and turkeys. Ten or so years ago I acquired the equipment to perform those measurements and guess what? It was IM/F with 2 1/2" chambers. Take from that what you will.

[Clark McCombe]

I'm not very good shot. I thought that a more open choked gun would make me better at clays, and this gave me a good excuse to buy another Parker, but at least on my level, if I pick up my cyl/skt or my mod/full, I still break about the same -50% to 60%.
I should stick to the basics. Not worry about chokes. Just point and shoot and keep all the Parker barrels warm!

[Garry L Gordon]

I think by now this is what we might called “the age old argument.” I did finally watch the 5 stand at the Southern with excellent commentary from Mountain Mike. I now see why the predilection for tight chokes. Shots were taken at ranges I would never take in my hunting. But I’ll keep my more open right barrels and my 75-80% on pointed wild quail (we won’t mention my per cent shooting on grouse). Those birds will be dead, but without too much shot butchering the meat. On the rare occasion we try for pheasants, I have a long barreled Du Bray ordered, high stocked VH with tight chokes… and will refrain from shooting at, and shredding, any Bobs we might encounter.:bigbye:

[Andrew Sacco]

Garry I can't disagree, and my favorite quote is, "Let them get out a little bit then shoot them..." Yeah, try that with a grouse.

[Phil Yearout]

Some folks are always looking for something to make them better without putting in the work. That's how golf club and ball manufacturers etc. make their living. My old pops had a saying, "Get a gun and learn to shoot it."

I've got a dozen or so shotguns on the place, all right off the peg as the Brits say. I've got a couple of primitive bore/choke/chamber devices, a $12 trigger pull gauge, and a dry wall square to check the stock dimensions, mostly just because I'm curious, not because I intend to make any changes. I'm an indiscriminate shooter: I can miss equally well with all of them, and often do :)