When I mention that collector value is greatly diminished by the addition of screw in chokes. I mean exactly that. An original condition gun has been altered greatly from its original configuration and the value as an original collector is no more.
And as I mention, there is another side to this coin and that is the "shooter" aspect of it. A shooter is something that is in a condition that reduces collector value or had had alterations that make it a departure from original. Shooters have value in their own right because one can take it out and hunt/great clays with it to their hearts content and have no worries about effecting the value of the gun.
Sometimes, alterations such as the addition of chokes give the gun a versatility that is valuable to some shooters.
I myself was considering the purchase of a VH about a year back that had screw in chokes installed. The price was right and the gun was in decent shape. But I thought about it too long and it sold to another party.
I would have never considered putting screw in chokes into a 80% condition gun myself. But if someone else has already done the deed and the price is right, why no buy it?
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B. Dudley
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