Modified or IC for one choke in a fixed choke shotgun?

MD

MD

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An elderly friend died several years ago and his son said he wanted me to have his guns. One is a fixed full choke Japan-made Browning A5. I never heard about it again for the past two years and decided not to push it; it's up to him what he wants to do with the guns, but the idea has resurfaced.

The son mentioned it to me again a few weeks ago so if the guns do appear, I was wondering what would be the best all-round choke to have it opened up to. Modified or Improved Cylinder?

I already have an older A5 with a fixed modified choke, so I thought for close-in decoying set ups maybe it would be nice to have the other one in IC. What do you think?
 
Would it not be possible to have a set of choke tubes fitted too it. This depends on the value you place on it, the condition of the gun, and the difference in price between opening it and threading it for chokes.

I understand where you are coming from, as it is probably not proofed for steel, a fixed full is of limited utility.
 
I had my A5 "opened" to modified from full for steel a few years back. I find it performs much like a full with steel so it may make sense to go to IC. I am pretty sure that the capability to have screw in chokes in stalled was available but didn't look at that angle due to cost.
 
Last time I priced it with my smith he was asking 50 for opening the choke and 150 for reaming and threading, 150 included a single choke of my choice and extra chokes available. Of course I was humming and hawing when I should have been buying the Auto5 light 12 and justifying or modifying it to suit me later. Now I've missed the boat on an excellent Auto 5 for a great price and the market seems void of them. So naturally I've been considering a Baikal or CZ double to scratch my itch. I just know as soon as I get it I'll stumble across an other deal on an Auto 5 and kick myself for having spent my mad money.

If you are not going to thread for chokes may I suggest light modified, actually I would suggest it either way, Light modified just seems to strike the correct balance to me for most of my wingshooting needs. Open enough for close waterfowl or grouse but often still tight enough for a 40 yard pheasant or geese with a bit of work at the patterning board.
 
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Browning auto five barrels fitted with factory chokes are slightly belled at the muzzle end to increase the ID and accommodate the screw in choke. The Japanese barrel is completely safe with steel shot and it would be a task to fit steel proofed screw ins without he barrel being belled like Browning did at the factory. I would have it opened to just between the IMP CYL and MOD chokings. The barrel would appear untouched and original and would perform very well for minimal cost. I am a shotgun guy through and through and I feel screw in chokes are over rated. I have had them all and most of my go to shotguns now have original factory fixed chokes. The FULL choked ones are shot only with #2 steel or smaller or have been opened slightly.

Darryl
 
You could get thin walled Carlsons installed easily enough, I would be tempted jusst to take it out to IC however.
it seems most of our guns shoot best when choked IC with steel loads.
Cat
 
The patterning that I have done in my own waterfowl guns resulted in me using Briley LM chokes for all of my waterfowl hunting. I used Kent Fasteel in #2, and BB, for both the patterning, and my hunting.
 
If it is the japanese barrel it can safely be opened up or have choke tubes installed. The belgium barrels are too soft for steel shot. This was according to Browning a few years back.
 
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