Hi all, for our friends across the pond. What is thinking/opinions on choke tubes in the UK? I'm talking SxS's here, not O/U's.

Also, what is the opinion on putiing tubes in vintage guns?

Thanks as always!

Greg

Probably not too high, actually
Mike

The only cheap London bests (still in proof) that I've ever seen are those that someone has put removable chokes into.

There's a reason why nobody will buy them.

A good way of ruining a good gun. Having said that. If you want to pay me to ruin your gun for you ,who am I to refuse .
I have seen guns that have been done that have bulged in the choke, as there is not enough metal ther to stand up to prolonged use . If you are having the barrel rebuilt{sleeved} or the gun rebarreled the tubes can be made heavier to take the chokes . This of course can make them muzzle heavy and subsequently affect the handling.
If you have a gun with open chokes and feel you are not getting the range try a larger shot size.

It won't help the gun.

It is unnecessary.

Choke is over obsessed about. Experiment with loads and learn how your gun works at various ranges with the ammo you use.

Shoot enough with an open choked gun and you will be surprised at the effective range it has with the right ammo.

Greg, I have a Parker VH 12ga, 30" on a #2 frame. It's been totally redone: restocked to modern dimensions, reblue and re-CC, custom engraved, etc. It also has a set of Briley thinwalls. I didn't do any of that to the gun, but the result is a very versatile sxs target gun. I can shoot skeet, trap, sporting clays, whatever.

That being said, I don't think I'd do that to a nice Brit game gun strictly for field use. A Brit fowler or pigeon gun, to make it into a versatile target gun . . . maybe so. But I'd probably look for something the British equivalent of my Parker. In other words, a pretty basic Birmingham BLNE.

Hi all, I think that the question may have been read into. I was speaking about how the British Sportsman feel about choke tubes, not having a Brit gun tubed here. I was curious to see if it is a common practice or not.

Tubing as we all know is one of those subjects that folks either love or hate. I'm aware that for some it's almost a crime and others have the take like Col Brown states.

As Dig has stated, choke can be over rated, but then again, sometimes on the prairies late in the season when the birds are wild, a open choke gun just won't cut it. Most of my guns are set up with either Skt/IC and Mod for most of the year, later I'll switch to IC/IM.

I do have a couple guns of Spanish and Italian make that are tubed, as the Col stated great versatility, but these are modern guns.

I do have a confession to make, I do have a H&H Royal, that is not in original factory condition (it has a dished stock, oddball looking to say the least!) but is in wonderful shape and is choked .000/.005. I had fleeting thoughts on tubing her, but after a trip to the pattern board to see how she'd shoot, that ended that. At 30yds, nothing could get thru those patterns. So for me this gun will make a nice early season gun for birds over points.

Thanks everyone for the great responses, keep them coming!

All the best!

Greg

When you say "dished" do you mean hollow faced, or butcherd?

Hi, hollow faced. The stocking is very well done BTW. Not butcherd by any means.

Thanks

Greg

Greg those English guns are so perfectly balanced that nothing you do can improve on that you'll only ruin it. Try it on anything but an English gun.

Hi all, just so you all know, I don't have any plans on tubing any of my Brit guns. I plan on leaving them well enough alone.

Thanks!!!!

All the best!

Greg