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Does it hurt value to add Briley Chokes

7K views 24 replies 22 participants last post by  Smok'n Joe 
#1 ·
I know it shouldn't be done to collector pieces but does it hurt the value of a firearm to have Briley install chokes. For instance, adding chokes to fixed barrels on a ten-year old Perazzi.
 
#5 ·
I have .020, .025, .030 in my circa 85 MX3 that I had done by Briley. And I like them a lot. The gun shot a lot better (score-wise) when they took out the .040 fixed and installed the thinwalls. I do not believe it reduces the intrinsic value, but it does rule out a bunch of us old fuddy-duddys that tried all the porting and bbl gimmicks over the years and now claim purism of pristine factory bbls. So, the value does not decrease rather the resale just gets longer. Lastly, you will not recoup the installation fee.

If you port however, you lose money. Although I will buy porting. But at a diminished rate.
 
#6 ·
The answer to the question is subjective at best, depending on who you are talking to ... There are a lot of people who do not want anything to do with a gun that has choke tubes and or porting ... Then there are people who don't care one way or the other ... I bought one gun that had choke tubes, sold it and hope I never have to have another one with them ... I will not buy a gun thats ported except on a very, very rare occasion which has not happened yet ... WPT ... (YAC) ...
 
#8 ·
If you have been shooting trap for a couple of years, you know what chokes you need for your style. If your barrels all have the correct fixed chokes, AND you are happy with the pattern performance, why change?

If you are not happy with the performance, how do you know changing to choke tubes will help? It may well be something, or a combination of somethings else.

Personally, I'm tired of sneaking up on a solution. Try this, then that, and maybe finally fix it. When I bought my last set of Perazzi barrels, two of them didn't pattern as well as I've come to expect from my other Perazzi barrels. So instead of dinking around, I sent them to Kerry Allor (my current fav for outstanding performance and on-time delivery) and asked him to fix them. They now pattern beautifully, shoot to the same POI, and have the smoothest bores and chokes I have ever seen.

Personally, If I were going to have choke tubes installed, I'd send it to Allor or your favorite barrel smith and have them install them. Then you will be certain they are concentric, the lead-in is correct, and the performance is there. I have become very leery of people who do barrel/choke/forcing cone work and don't test the results before they return them. I'd rather pay a small amount extra to have my "smith" test his work and guarantee the results.

I guess the moral to this story is...If it ain't broke, don't fix it. If it is broke, don't take halfway measures. Give it to someone who will fix it correctly the first time, tests his work, and proves to you it does what you asked. Then you will be happy, and resale value will not be diminished. It may well be enhanced.
 
#9 ·
Pretty much what MIA stated above. The problem now is even if a potential buyer doesn't care or even wants the gun because of the tubes, they will most likely use the fact of aftermarket tubes to reduce what they will give to buy.

But if its meaningful to you to have done for your shooting purposes at the present, then you should not concern yourself and proceed with having the tube installation.
 
#12 ·
IMHO, it does not. With these pre-conditions: 1: If they are Brileys. 2: If the gun is not a valuable collector type gun. I consider Briley choke tubes a net zero gain/loss. It does not add, nor does it detract from the value of the gun at sale time.
Personally, I really like Briley choke tubes as they make a one-trick pony shotgun into a more versatile gun.
However, I would not put them into an old Purdey, Holland & Holland, etc.
But, like a Parker Reproduction? You betcha.

Sam Ogle, Lincoln, NE
 
#13 ·
Your question was" does it hurt the value of a firearm to have Briley install chokes. For instance, adding chokes to fixed barrels on a ten-year old Perazzi".
Of course it devalues the gun. Majority of gun shop owners, gun collectors, want guns untouched, includes, nothing done to the stock, barrels, beads, everything original. Now if you don't plan to ever trade the gun or don't care if you don't get top dollar at trade in time, have choke tubes installed and enjoy the gun.

Should you decide to trade the gun in down the road, you will most likely hear from the gun shop owner that the gun has been devalued with the addition of choke tubes. Once you are low balled on the trade in price, because he is trying to sell the gun customers will be told the gun even has Briley tubes installed and this is x amount of dollars the previous owner paid.

When a gun is in pristine condition, great condition, nothing done to the gun, you will get top dollar. Like I previously said, enjoy the gun, it's yours, do what you want with it. It is your money.
Steve Balistreri
 
#16 ·
A comment to our friend "Sr Smoke". The one exception to your comment is that you really cannot see the thinwalls. You walk by my gun and you will not know a choke is in the gun. Hard to see.
 
#17 ·
I have a mint 2-pin mdl 12----If I were to put brileys in it I think I'd lose 75% value---Whats that tell you about lost value---Brileys might make it shoot better but I doubt it---I watch the guys changeing chokes---one day its (F)--
nxt time (I-M0d)---then (MOD)---etc-etc---I like fixed choke---The less tinkering the better---If you point it right the target breaks---JMO---MYSTIC---
 
#18 ·
I'd have to go with Mystic and the if it ain't broke crowd. My demands are factory original bbls with or w/out tubes. Ports are stupid and I have only one gun with them as aftermarket, previous owner, and one Beretta with factory ports. None with aftermarket tubes.

Not that I plan on many future purchases but I am quite certain that if there are any they will NOT have ports from anywhere or aftermarket choke tubes.

but that's just me

But like the guy said - they're your guns do WTF you want but don't expect others to share your enthusiasm.

Charlie
 
#20 ·
The question is more complicated than it seems on the surface. A lot depends (as we see above) on personal preferences. If you are like me, I like the versatility of choke tubes even in my trap guns and have no issue whatsoever with Briley's.

Choke tubes by reputable installers or manufacturers are reliable and give the shooter a lot of flexibility. I use my (trap) Blaser O/U for sporting clays as it has great triggers and Briley choke tubes. Since I only shoot sporting clays once in a while, for the cost of 3 or 4 more choke tubes I don't have to buy another shotgun. (Not to mention another set of release triggers)

Hunting guns in any price range can be made more versatile with the addition of choke tubes. Open chokes for quail ... tighter for doves, pheasant or even ducks.

A few years ago I owned a LeBeau-Courally pigeon gun SXS. It was a 30" barrel with Full and Fuller chokes...great for pigeons...not much else. I had Briley chokes put in and I used it for everything, hunting doves and Pheasants, sporting Clays and even an occasional round of skeet. (perish the thought) The customer I sold it to was delighted with the fact he could use it for so many things and owns it to this day.

Target guns, specifically trap guns, tend to get shot so much that the addition of tubes is the least factor in their ultimate depreciation. It just boils down to whether or not YOU want them. In all probability, the change or lack thereof in value to your gun will be minimal at worst.

Shoot well!

Bob Schultz
 
#22 ·
I have had all my brand new Perazzi's shipped from Perazzi directly to Briley for tubes and then to me.

Even my friend Brit Robinson believes in having a gun choked to your shooting style.

I shoot fast so I can get away with a more open choke. I'd be afoolto shoot a 0.034".

Of course, I am not a pro, but Briley has helped me stay on the 27 for about 35 years.

You non-believers just "Choke for smoke!"

WW
 
#23 ·
Having bulged a barrel on a K-32 by the choke has cured me of choketubes.. I reserve them for only a barrel I buy.. that I really like..that's choked incorrectly for me.. I don't ever want to worry if my choke is still tight..

Now.. having said all this..up at the GRAND.. Dan usually brings some 30/40 barrels to sell.. Unless they are choked completely STUPID.. they all sell if priced correctly..

Now.. factory chokes bring more than aftermarket.. That even applies to Wilkinson choketubes.. Only a few shooters will consider Wilkinson chokes as they need to go back to Tom to be fitted and they are expensive. (if you're on a used barrel rack..you're probably looking to save a few $$$$$)..

The biggest question we usually get.. is can they pattern the barrel to see if it is threaded correctly.. Fair question.. The fact that you have Briley..or any other choke system does not mean Briley installed it..or anyone that knows what they are doing.. It only means that choke can be screwed into the barrel..

Dan tries to cull out the bad barrels before they hit the rack..chokes bored off center etc...

I think that once a shooter can confirm that the chokes are installed correctly..it really does not matter..

There is a group of die hard.. no choke tubes in their barrel... and a similar group of I want choketubes.. Sitting in the middle are shooters that really don't care.. one way or the other..

We also have a group of shooters that will buy a choketubed barrel.. and when they hit the "perfect choke" have us loctite it in place so it functions as a fixed choke..

No matter what barrel you have..you will attract only a certain percentage of shooters to it.. That's the same with barrel length..and or rib design too..

I will say.. the MOST appealing barrel.. and or gun.. is the one that is dead factory original.. It will bring top dollar if properly maintained..

At the end of the day.. Say you lost $200 in value of your Perazzi because you choke tubed it.. BUT..now it's choked correctly for you..your scores went up.. maybe you hit the winners circle more than you ever did before..Do you really care about that $200??????? I didn't think so..

Worrying about the value of your gun..Then don't shoot it at all.. Leave it new in the box.. That way it will maintain the highest value.. See my point..??? You trap gun is no more than the tool of the trade.. Shoot it.. love it.. care for it.. It's not about the money.. The shooter that gets a custom stock that fits him..or an adjustable comb and butt.. will loose vastly more than the cost of choketubes..

All Good.. Happy New Year.. Mike
 
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