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Is a polychoke a deal killer on an early solid ribbed A5 (not a sweet) for $395? Since it's not a sweet anyway, it seems like it would make the gun extremely versatile.

Member Joined: 08 Nov 2005 Posts: 3438 Location: Illinois

If you don't mind a muffler on the end of the barrel it would not be a problem.They were once the rage but I find them outdated,oversized and target blocking devices.Give me a fixed choked original ANYTIME Twisted Evil

Me too

Member Joined: 17 Feb 2007 Posts: 497

If they are installed "plumb" I like they way they shoot, not real found of how they look - kinda like a dog dingus- but I prefer them to internal screw chokes.

Mr. UDF- I agree as to the added versatility of a polychoke-equipped gun. Provided it was done right it will have the same point of impact as before it was installed, and these things just plain work. I would think you've got a fine shotgun in mind, and be happy not to be charged extra for the choke device. Plus maybe you could bargain the price down by acting like the choke was a deal-breaker!

Member Joined: 25 Jul 2006 Posts: 781

UDF,

They are ugly.

They make it harder to get a gun to cycle light shells.

They drive down the price.

They work pretty well.

They make the gun steel shot compatable.

At the price you mentioned it might be an ok deal depending on the rest of the details, things like chamber length etc....If you want to PM me a link to the gun in question I'll look it over and let you know off line.

Happy New Year!

Jeff

Ugly? Yes.
Versatile? Absolutely.
Dealbreaker? Not for me.

I've never seen one shoot off of point of aim, but I suppos it could happen with a bad installation.

I love mine and purposefully looked for an old Ithaca 37 with the Poly. It adds a great amount of versatility and doesn't hurt my aiming at all. That blob out there is unnoticeable with a bird trying to get away.

I ruined a nice Ithaca 37 by installing a polychoke years ago. The vents made the muzzle blast increase to very uncomfortable levels, and point of impact changed so I couldn't hit anything with it after that. Always shot low. With that big blob on the end of the barrel, the "aim" shifted about a foot and a half down, partly because the front bead on a polychoke is not only mounted on a thicker (higher) portion of the muzzle, but the bead is on a block mount as well.
So I sold the gun for half what it should have been worth before. Overall, it was a bad experience.

Thanks for the insight everyone. I guess I'll pass. I prefer a sweet anyway, so I may as well wait until I can afford the gun I want.

Joined: 31 Dec 2007 Posts: 4

The first gun I bought with my own money($13.50) was a Mossberg 190K, 16ga, and it had a polychoke. Wasn't pretty, and my brothers let me know it. They also laughed at the 16ga. But I laughed at them when they were fighting over who bought which box of shells.

They are not pretty, but in these days when people are selling their guns because they can't shoot certain types of shot through them, you can now buy polychokes out of the Cabela's catalog. How long will it be before we are forced to shoot non-tox for all game?

Not pretty, but nice price....what's the old saying, "what's old, is new again"? I say go for it.

That Mossberg is still in my safe.

Joined: 06 Sep 2007 Posts: 154 Location: Kentucky

I had an older 16 ga. auto 5 that had a non vented poly choke on it and it was a very versitile gun and didn't bother me in the least. I contacted Browning about the gun since it had some features that didn't quite jive and was told i that it was made right after the war and that it was common to have some pre war features and post war features since they were using stocks of parts that were on hand. They also told me that the poly choke was factory installed. I didn't know that it was an option but that is what I was told.

Member Joined: 09 Aug 2004 Posts: 401 Location: Tennessee

Polly ain't pretty, but she works. My 37 w/Poly patterns as good or better than any gun I own, at least in the IC and Full setting. Never bothered with anything in between. I would not add one to a gun, but I wouldn't pass on a gun I wanted because it was there. Use it to bring the price down in your favor.
Bill

Member Joined: 25 Jul 2006 Posts: 781

Powderburn,

What were the pre war and post war features? I am pretty familiar with these guns and am a little confused by what you were told by Browning.....

Jeff