Those are really nice 16 ga. chokes. I have a Belgian hammer gun with IC/IM chokes. I've used it on quail with RST #8 spreader loads with no problem at all. When I want to shoot chukkar or pheasant, I simply change shells. No changes needed to the chokes.

It is a persisting topic of debate and probably tiresome for many. But as these historically representative guns continue to undergo elective alterations, to improve them for our use, and not for repair, restoration or refurbishment, I believe it is worth continued discussion.

My father’s 16-gauge VH, choked full and full, and being fairly high-condition, I decided was not right for the brush and under-foot hazard-riddled terrain of the Northern Grouse woods. So, I bought a thoroughly restored VH 16, factory-choked cylinder and modified; and it has proven to be the right gun for that rough country.

The other 16 I will occasionally use on the range or in a cornfield for Pheasants, as did my father, and I will continue to dream about using it on a plantation (with spreader loads) or a prairie for birds I have only read about or seen illustrated in books.

With all due respect to those with far more experience and knowledge than I about these guns and their history, for me there is no threshold at which point any of these guns cease having collector value, “shooters” included.

Falling into the FWIW category, not all spreader loads are created equal. I took a SKB model 100 20 gauge to the patterning board last week. I was looking for a strictly quail gun that had a single trigger to use out west on cold cold days for use over pointing dogs. As such, on the patterning board I shot an RST spreader load consisting of 7/8 oz of number 8's out of the full barrel (.030 choke aka damn full). I also shot a Remington Gun Club load 7/8 oz number 8's out of that same choke at a measured range of exactly 20 yards. The Gun Club patterned more open at 20 yards then the RST spreaders. Actually 16" spread for the RST load versus 17" spread for the Gun Clubs. Certainly this could have been a one off, but I surmise that the Gun Club's used very very soft shot and the RST's used very hard shot and even with the spreader insert they didn't spread for sure. Also falling into FWIW, category, that SKB went down the road to Mike Orlen to be opened up to .005 and .015. Horses for courses and the spreader load didn't make this a quail gun for sure. YMMV for sure.

Tom, an interesting observation. My grandson has a SKB 100 choked IC/Mod. We tested Polywad spreaders in the mod barrel and could not detect any difference relative to standard AA loads.