Gentlemen:
I was reading your opinions about to open or not open fixed chokes in a good quality shotgun.
Some time ago I read in this forum that shotguns were made with full chokes in both barrels so the owner could open them whatever his needs.
I have a Merkel model 124 made in the 1920s that have 0.040" chokes in both barrels. I do not touch the shotgun chokes because you said to me that is a valuable piece, but I really want to know if the "theory" that those shotguns were made with full chokes on purpose so the owner open them as he wish.
If that theory is true, then to open the chokes in a valuabe old shotgun does not decrease their value a bit.
I hope someone could afirm or reject the "full choke on purpose" theory with some documentation.
Best,
