Reproduction chokes
 

Hello everyone. I recently acquired a 20ga, 26” barreled, PG, SST reproduction. Beautiful gun. Barrels are marked RH/IC and LH/M. The gun appears to have never been fired. Very standard stuff right?

When checking chokes I discovered that the modified is the right barrel and the IC is the left. Not a big deal since I’ll just select the left barrel to fire first. Has anyone seen this before? I checked it 3 times as I doubted my findings. All other sxs guns I have experience with the more open choke is the right barrel.

Your thoughts are much appreciated. :corn:

Are you absolutely certain of that?
I have never seen or even heard of a Repro with reverse chokes.





.

Attachment 95491

Attachment 95492

Attachment 95493

Attachment 95494

Attachment 95495

Apologies for the bad pics

Huh. Seems like an error to me. Especially if the barrels are marked one way and actually choked the other way.

Monday morning or Friday afternoon production I bet ��

Mark, could you show a picture of the barrel flat markings?
That is a nicely figured stock on that gun! Good find.

Marked incorrectly or marked correctly depending how you look at it.

Parker’s were “reverse” choked on request I have one. Seems possible a reproduction could have been intentionally reverse choked. In any event it’s not a disadvantage

William

But... the corresponding barrel flat should indicate the choke of that barrel.





.

It seems that if it was intentionally reverse choked it would have been also marked in reverse. If it had dual triggers I’d be a little more concerned.

You beat me to it Dean.

I have what I’m sure is a stupid question but what the hell. Are left handed guns choked the same as Right Handed guns? In other words is the open choke always on the right regardless? The gun doesn’t appear to have any cast either way.

The theory for American guns is that the open choke is shot first on a going away flushing bird. For a right hander, the right barrel would be the open choke, as the gun would recoil to the right, as the right barrel is to the right of the center line of the gun, and there would be less impact on the cheek. A left hander would prefer to have the left barrel be more open.
In Britain, where birds are being driven towards the gunner, the first shot fired would be at a greater distance, so the right barrel would be the tighter choke.

Personally, I don't perceive any difference in recoil, right or left barrel

Thanks Big D. That makes sense. Maybe those barrels were intended for a LH gun. In any case I will fire the left barrel first and enjoy the heck out of it.

Have you measured the bore diameters vs the muzzle constriction? That is really the only accurate way to measure choke.

Hi Double Lab. I have not. I don’t have the proper gauges at the moment. However, the constriction on the right is tighter than the left. Regardless of bore diameter isn’t that the determining factor? The right is tighter than the left. Both 20 gauge tubes.
I do understand your point however. Constriction vs bore diameter.

Mark,

Since you do not have the tools to measure the bores then the other way to see if the chokes are what they are marked is to shoot some patterns on paper.

If you can get there this week there is a SxS event in Sanford, NC. Someone there can certainly help you.

Check with your local gunstore. They might be able to help you. Otherwise take your gun out and shoot it and forget about the chokes.

Good luck.

Thanks very much Double Lab. As a matter of fact I plan to be there Saturday. I’ll bring it with.

Have fun and let us know what you find out.

I would guess that the true measurement of the right barrel, with a bore micrometer, not a brass gauge, will indicate the Parker Repro idea of an IC, and the left barrel has been drilled out, like many Repro owners choose to do. Repro chokes, like your IC, are notoriously tight, and may indicate a choke tighter than marked. My full choke 28 gauge barrels measure .039 choke, a good full choke in a 12 gauge gun.

Attended the Southern today but didn’t stay long as the weather was not cooperating. With the very wet weather I decided against taking the reproduction with. I did buy a couple of official bore gauges on-line, one from Skeets (20/28ga) and one from Gary Bulley (12/16ga). Thought I would try a couple of different makers. Will take some real measurements and let you know what I find out. Thanks to all for the guidance.

Hello all, circling back on this. I received my bore gauge today. Following are my findings.
Both bores measured at .618 9” from the muzzle. Right choke measured .606 and left measured .612. That gives me .012 constriction on right which is light mod and .006 on left which is Imp Cylinder. So by my estimation it is reverse choked. So my question is did it come this way or did someone open up the left barrel? The gun looks to be unfired. Thoughts?

Sounds about like Skeet chokes.





.

Quail, woodcock and grouse chokes. I’m ok with that. I guess it amazes me that people that sell guns on sites like GI don’t tell you these things. I was burnt before with the purchase of a Sterlingworth that was absolutely inaccurate compared to listing but I thought I was safe with this one. In some cases the 3-day return policy on GI is not enough.

Thanks for everyone’s input on this one.

The left barrel choke was opened. IC for 20 gauge repros is between .010" and .012".
Mod is .016" to .018".
http://parkerguns.org/forums/showthr...e+measurements
Bob Jurewicz

Good information. Thank you Bob.

Good Morning.I have heard of guys opening up chokes for various reasons. I alway told them to write the measurements on an index card and place it in the case. The reason? You die or sell the gun or inherit it. Now the information is with the gun! Looks like the gun in question doesn’t have that. Good idea for all reading to do this. Just a thought. Thanks

Thanks for the advice, Richard. However, I won't be opening the chokes on my Repros.

I'm not planning to die.