Why are polychoked barrels usually shorter?

[TheCoachZed]

I assume it's because the heavier polychoke means the barrel doesn't have to be as long to balance the gun?

I had a Stevens 77 pump gun with an adjustable choke with about a 20" barrel, and most other adjustable choked guns I've seen were the same.

 

[04rubicon]

The original barrels were cut to remove the factory choke, opening up the barrel to cylinder bore.

 

[Turkeyslayer 1300]

The poly choke also adds a bit of length allowing a shorter barrel but same overall length. I know a few people added them to guns that had split barrels and they were installed wherever the barrel split.

 

[TheCoachZed]

Now, would that polychoke be legally considered part of the barrel length?

 

[04rubicon]

I don't see why not.

 

[7mmlefty]

Now, would that polychoke be legally considered part of the barrel length?

Yup.. If its part of the barrel, its included in o/a length.

A lot of not too tall men were intimidated by long barrels, so they used to cut them short and install a pollychoke to level the ground between them and the barrel. I cant see a guy walking through the bush hunting and constantly adjusting the polly choke to suit terrain or game.

 

[mbogo3]

I wouldn't count on the "LAW" considering the soldered on poly- choke part of the OAL of the barrel.Like a flash hider welded on an M1 carbine used to be OK but not now.......Harold

 

[Claybuster]

The main reason to cut back the barrel before installing a Poly-Choke is to retain the gun's original balance. Weld a hunk of metal onto the end of a barrel without making it shorter and it will be noticeably more muzzle heavy.