Browning BSS 20 ga: I'm having a tough time translating the choke symbols on the gun. Right barrel shows "**", which I believe means "modified". Left barrel appears to have been mis-stamped. There is this "**" , however only the top half of each asterisk; the righthand asterisk is more fully stamped, but the lefthand of the two is clearly just the top half; as if the dye was not perpindicular to the barrel when struck. Is it possible the this gun could be modified/modified?

How long are the barrels? If they are 26" it's most likely IC and mod. Anything is possible, of course. The choke could be easily determined by measuring the bore and muzzle. Verify it at the pattern board.

If the right barrel has a minus sign too this would be IC.

My BSS is marked on the barrel flats IC and Mod. I presume you've looked there. I wonder what the difference is. Is your's a Korean assembled gun?

Yes Korean assembled. I ordered a choke gauge today so we'll see!

If both barrels have the same "**" stamp, they are likely choked the same (or were from the factory). There is a fair amount of variation in Miroku guns, even on those made with the Browning label. Take a look at the muzzles (make sure the gun is unloaded) and just eyeball the barrel wall thickness.

I think all BSS were supposed to be IC/M if 26", M/F if 28". But every time we say "all" in these cases, exceptions seem to turn up. (Not sure what the 30" 12ga guns were choked.)

I think they were all M/F. Mine is. Don't think I have seen anything else in a 30"

Yeah from what I have seen, anything other than the configurations Replacement has described regarding barrel length and choke selection has been at the hands of a gunsmith, not the factory.

That doesn't mean that your BSS hasn't been changed Dave, so you've done well by ordering a choke gauge. Please let us know what you find out.

I see it continually on shooting forums 'my bore measures x, my choke measures y', what pattern will it throw?
Well Sir I do not know, I can only take an educated guess because it varies so much dependant on what cartridge you use and what wadding is inside, plus many other factors.
So the real answer to your question is.
" Take the gun and the cartridge you are going to shoot regularly, shoot at the pattern board at the distance that you will expect to be shooting most, and then calculate your pattern percentage". The answer needs to be calculated from the average of a least ten shots, not just one shot.

And I should add that counting pellets is a PITA

JC

I just shoot them, I figure chokes give you a couple inches of pattern either way and I usually miss by feet not inches.
BTW, my 30" Korean assembled BSS is marked Full & Modified, I assume but don't really care if it is in fact so chocked.

I find I don't hit any more birds if I count pellets on a pattern board at 40 yds than if I just shoot at a board for a eyeball swag at pattern density at various distances I expect to use. Counting still requires correlation to hunting performance as does visual assessment of a pattern.

And I put put it right up there with counting sheep JC.
If the pattern looks good that is good enough in my book, .... if not, well maybe there is room for quantitate analysis.

I have two 30"s and they are both marked Full & Full, never measured them though.

Got the choke gage yesterday. Its a graduated brass cylinder which you insert into the bore. It looks like you get a bore diameter measure. Anywho barrels, via this tool, show "cylinder and I/cylinder". I'll pattern it.

I have a 26" 12ga BSS with Briley chokes in it and don't feel any remorse for having installed them. It got a lot of use and gave a lot more utility having those screw-in chokes. These days, it doesn't see much action, with all the other guns I have, but it comes out on rainy days.