"Fun" doesn't begin to describe it. Sounds like the kind of place I want to go to when I die.

If you are concerned about choke, perhaps Brileys in Houston could install thinwall chokes if there is sufficient wall thickness at the muzzles. Personally, like others I would just cut the end off and shoot as is.

This is just my opinion, but rather than try to find an exact length to cut it back to like 27 inches, I would save as much barrel as I could, even if it ended up 27 5/8" or some oddball figure. The barrels I had cut on the blown 20 VH for someone else came out to some oddball length, but they still had enough choke left to throw something other than cylinder patterns.

Briley told me they can put tubes in 95% of the barrels they receive, but if you cut them all the way back to where they are straight tubes of the bore diameter and the barrels are not very thick, there is nothing there to do anything with even with thin-wall tubes. That was the case with a set of 26" barrels that had been cut back from 30" I sent them. As we have discussed before, they can get very thin just before the chokes, but hopefully not with this number 2 framed gun. I'm betting if the chokes had not been altered beforehand and as much as possible is saved, one will have a little choke left on this gun.

I'd just cut it down to 26" or 27" and shoot it. Eventually, if it's done nicely, you'll forget it's even cut since it will look fine and be a pretty decent preserve or upland gun. That gun could have generations of use left in it.

Have the barrels trimmed back to where they are safe and functional. Do not worry about choke constriction or lack thereof. You will be amazed at how far a gun will shoot with modern ammo.

Additionally, without any constrictions shooting steel or HeviShot is possible. Of course the recoil from those loads will probably take a heavy toll on the gun's buttstock.

If it were me and the gun came from/belonged to my father cost of repair takes a bit of a back seat. I would get those barrels into the hands of someone like Mike Orlen in MA who has given me great service in the past. I would have the barrels cut to either 26" or 28" even if possible and have Mike install permanent soldered choke sleeves rather than choke tubes. Mike's prices are very reasonable. I can't find a more current price list but just a few years ago, trimming the barrels, resetting the bead and installing two choke sleeves ran under $300. I'll bet it won't cost a lot more today.

http://users.dls.net/~rdouglas/MikeOrlen.pdf

Update: It appears Mike's prices for this work have not changed, I found this over on Shotgun World where he is a moderator.

http://www.shotgunworld.com/bbs/viewtopic.php?t=36237

after surgery, suggest you shoot gun and see how it patterns for you. if you desire tighter patterns, barrels could be jug choked, which typically results in improved cylinder patterns from a cylinder bore.

One thing is for sure... if I were ever going to have a set of barrels blow. I would like them to be like these ones did. Better than in the middle. At least you can save this one without too much trouble and still have a working set of original barrels out of it.

that has to be kind of scary to have the barrels blow like that.

Don't worry a bit about chokes, it will still shoot fine. Many believe that chokes detract from the calamitousness that is the very essence of shotgunning.