Rifleman Q & A: “Old-Style” Chokes

Q: I have two great old shotguns that I would like to keep shooting and continue to hunt duck and dove with. I would like to improve the patterning ability of each and can’t seem to find the “old-style” Lyman and Weaver, 12-ga. chokes.

A: If your Lyman choke is actually a Cutts Compensator, you can perhaps find some tubes on eBay or elsewhere on the Internet. If it is a Lyman choke, however, you can also look on the Internet, but I suspect your search will be far more difficult, if not impossible. The same holds true for the Weaver choke. These chokes have not been made for somewhere around 40 years, and the popularity of this choke style dropped dramatically with the introduction of internal screw-in choke tubes.

If your guns have interchangeable barrels, that might be the best solution. Otherwise, Briley is your best bet. The company can remove the old chokes and install internal choke tubes. Contact: Briley Mfg., 1230 Lumpkin Road, Houston, TX 77043; (713) 932-6995; briley.com.