Can chokes be opened by shooting over many years?

Tom Flanigan · 07-09-2018, 09:24 AM

I never thought that the degree of constriction could be lessened by shooting. However, I just restored a Trojan that was owned by my uncle. He bought the gun in 1921 new. He used it hard over many years on ducks and pheasants. The checkering was just about worn off. He took care of the gun but just about all of the original finish was missing. He ordered the gun with modified and full chokes. I know for a fact that he never altered the gun in any way. I am the second ownert of this gun.

My dillema is that the right barrel is now almost cylinder. The left barrel is about improved modified. Barring a mistake at the factory, it would appear that the chokes were opened by many years of shooting. I never thought this possible. But now I am questioning my thoughts.

King Cobb · 07-09-2018, 09:32 AM

I would find it surprising. I know of a family friend who has an old family parker that has been hunted and shot hard at trap and skeet, and its chokes are still factory.

Tom Flanigan · 07-09-2018, 09:37 AM

It's a real dilemma for me Bill. I never thought it possible. Maybe the most logical answer is a mistake at the factory. But he successfully shot ducks with that gun for many years, some at long range. I am baffled.

ED J, MORGAN · 07-09-2018, 09:54 AM

Did he use steel shot??

OH Osthaus · 07-09-2018, 09:55 AM

i would think you would need to shoot some sort of abrasive material to affect the chokes

lead certainly wouldn't, steel would bulge them but not wear them

Tom Flanigan · 07-09-2018, 09:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ED J, MORGAN

Did he use steel shot??

He was dead long before steel shot. He shot Ajax Heavies mostly, some of which I still have. He really liked the varnish type finish on those shells. He said they were the most water resistant.

Tom Flanigan · 07-09-2018, 10:01 AM

Thinking about it, I have another theory. I used a Galazan choke gauge because I don't have anything better at the moment. But I can't imagine it being that far off. Also, I feel no resistance when pushing a swab through the right barrel. I get a lot of resistance on the left barrel. I don't think that this is a mystery that will ever be resolved.

Dean Romig · 07-09-2018, 10:37 AM

Due to lead residue I have a 28 gauge that was ordered F/F but when I first brought it home it measured XXF/XF due to lead fouling and never having been properly cleaned. Obviously happened before shot cups came about.

The factory might have had a slightly different interpretation for chokesX.000" than we do today and shot cups of today play significantly into that.

.

Tom Flanigan · 07-09-2018, 10:46 AM

My 28 bore Holland leads up terribly when not using shot cups. I have to really work the choke area after each shooting session. The lead is difficult to remove and it takes time. It is bored IC and Full. I never use shot cups for my grouse shells. Question for you Dean....tell me how you use Frontier pads to clean up rusted bores.

Southpaw · 07-09-2018, 11:19 AM

I always thought a choke determination in most of those records was based on how many pellets of certain shot size and load amount would hit in a circle at a specific yardage. They would test fire and then would count the result and labels gun choke in records and even put the results with a tag of the gun. I think this could result in inconsistent vagaries. I think the modern methodology we more heavily rely on now looks at the constriction measurements. Obviously there could be some deviation and the original process could have a lot of inconsistencies but if gun performed within an accepted standard of deviation then it was labeled a certain way.

It could be interesting if you had the actual test results of gun that came out factory labeled as such and then reapply the same method today see if there is a big difference. Lots of variable could change results, like shot deformation. Lots factors to consider even the use of a modern shot cup.