Who does jug choking these days?

[Roger B]

I'm thinking of buying a Pedersoli "Old English" double and having it jug choked.  I really love nice originals but would rather have moderns steel barrels.  Who does good jug choking these days?
Roger B.

[Mike Brooks]

I don't know of anybody who jugs doubles.

[Eric Krewson]

Danny Caywood did my fowler, it came out well. You could contact him to see if he does doubles.

[Buffaload]

These guns may have chromed bores.  That will complicate things a little.  Better check.
Ed

[Daryl]

Ed - good note - possibly ALL Italian guns have chrome lined barrels. They used to, years ago. I'd expect a call to Pedersoli might be in order.

[wbradbury]

School me on "jug choking". I am not familiar.

[Old Ford2]

Hi,
Anybody with a line boring machine in your area can do it easily.
Fred

[Pete G.]

If the bores are not chrome, you could get an expandable reamer and do it yourself.

[Longknife]

wbradbury. Jug choking is cutting a recess in the bore an inch or so from the muzzle. This recess is usually about 1 1/2 inch long and cut .008 for an improved cyl. .016 for an mod. and .025 for full. If effect the shot column spreads into this recess and then is choked back to bore size before exiting the muzzle. These chokes are surprisingly effective.

There was an article in MB quite a few years ago about making an expandable jug choking tool. This tool has two cutting edges and a wooden backing. Works a lot like the old fashioned barrel reamers. This type of reamer will not cut the modern chrome moly alloy barrels though.  

Roger, Pedersoli SXS guns are chrome lined but the chrome can be removed by honing , not an easy task. an expandable reamer will NOT work. In checking the Pedersoli website the "Old English' model already comes with one barrel MOD......  

http://www.davide-pedersoli.com/scheda-prodotto.asp/l_en/idpr_134/rifles-muzzle-loading-side-by-side-shotguns-side-by-side-shotgun-old-english-maple.html

[Daryl]

Should be able to use a brake cylinder hone to make a jug choke, the hones with the tiny balls of abrasive - by a skilled operator, that is, who is able to 'feel' what he is doing.

They will collapse to get it into the bore the depth needed, mark the rod for the necessary length of desired 'jug' , turn on the power and relieve that portion. You will need to stop and test pattern - often.  I altered the chokes on both barrels of my 10 bore, using this tool and method.  I was after a goose killer and ended up with R-94% X L-96% on 30" circle at 40 yards.  It was too murderous on a mallard - 180 pellets hits using 2oz. #5's.

[Chris Treichel]

Up here in Northern Virginia I am amazed at how cheap some of the origional percussion English shotguns are going for. I frequently see them in antique stores for arround $500-600. Middleburg is a great place to find them.

[Roger B]

Thanks, guys.  I think I'll start looking at originals again.
Roger B.