Dear Technoid:

My question concerns parts for Charles Daly Mirokus (specifically 12 ga Ventura model, choked mod and full).

I read your response to a reader’s question concerning the Miroku, and finally learned the history behind the seldom used 12 ga. hiding in the back of the gun case. Armed with knowledge of its history, and based on your recommendation, I decided to turn it into an all around “upland field gun” (pheasant, quail, and dove). Because it had only a hard plastic plate in lieu of a recoil pad, I decided to have a recoil pad installed.

However, while talking to my gunsmith about also adding Briley screw in chokes for added versatility, he cautioned me on investing the $600 plus in light of the fact that parts for the gun were scarce. Hence my question: Is this true? If so, would you recommend keeping solid chokes, but opening them up? If so, what is your suggestion as to ideal chokes for an all around field gun as described above? Any suggestions on finding parts if (when?) the need arises.

Thanks for your help. I sure have learned much over the last few months since finding your excellent site. Keep up the good work.

TCP

Dear TCP,

The Charles Daly/ Miroku is the precursor of the Browning Citori and a great many, if not most, of the parts are interchangeable. I think. Probably. Sort of. Maybe. Worth a try.

All around upland solid chokes for pheasant, quail and dove? Sure. And which kind of car should I buy if I want to carry bales of hay on Monday and drive to the opera on Sunday? Well, you get the point. Everything is a compromise.

IC and Mod have been the traditional choice in America in 12 and 20 gauge when your first shot is a 20 yards and your second at 30. These are pretty standard field distances. If you are hunting out west where those wild quail can get a bit of wind behind them and those pheasants actually LIVE there, I might go to a bit more and use Mod and Full, but this would be more of an exception.

BTW, if you decide on IC and Mod, you might consider just opening the Full top barrel to IC and saving a bit of money if you don’t mind shooting the top bbl first. It is a bit odd and may hurt the resale value, but if you are going to keep the, it will work just as well. Generally, you want to shoot the bottom bbl first so as to keep the recoil from the first shot on a lower axis and lessen muzzle jump affecting the second shot. While I always prefer to shoot the bottom barrel first, I have been in driven shooting situations where one fired the top (more tightly choked) bbl first and I never noticed the difference. You probably would in target shooting though.

Best regards,

Bruce Buck
Shotgun Report’s Technoid