I don't buy pristine guns. I like to shoot lots of shotguns and buying sound shooters lets me do that. I like to play with them and fettle them up a bit. I sold a very nice VH 12ga a few years ago for $1500. I'd put chokes in a "shooter" if I wanted to but I have discovered that many old guns shoot just fine if you look around for a load that does what you want. No real need to change chokes these days IMHO. I have a VHE from 1903 that I had recheckered but left the metal original. It is an English stocked 20ga 30" F/IC. I was somewhat upset by the chokes unitl my gunsmith(Henry Cheatham if any of you remember him) advised me that was the ideal quail gun in his opinion. Gun shoots very well and I think of Henry every fall when I take it out. Nicest thing about shooting old guns is the feeling of continuity with previous owners. As I remember I got the Parker and 5 Fox sterlingworths for $2200 There were 2 Philadelphia Gun Co guns in that mix. I kept the 16ga . My $.02.
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