Lyman bought the rights to the original Cutts Compensator and Cutts adjustable choke back in the very late '20's. It was purchased from the original designer,,a Ret. USMC Col. IIRC.
The adjustable choke system at that time was removable tubes screwed to the front of the compensator body. Each tube was a different choke.
When Lyman actually started marketing the Cutts 'adjustable choke' version, I don't remember,,but perhaps an email to the company would get some better history. They still hold the rights to it I believe.
I do recall seeing adjustable chokes factory installed on some Stevens shotgun Mod 520-A shotguns and being told they were 'Lyman' mfg chokes. Seems like they had limited choke settings (3?) but perhaps I'm thinking of another adj choke like the later Mossberg C-Lec or a Weaver.,,The 520A commercial guns were last made in the late 30's,,(Military trench guns thru WW2).
The Cutts chokes I recall on most skeet guns from the 50's and 60's all seemed to have the original non-adjustable style. Different tubes for each choke desired. Everyone called them Coke Bottle chokes due to the sillouette of the cage and tube assembly on the barrel,,,and they are loud! to the bystander shooters.
Winchester offered them as an option on M12 and M42's. They made the M97 till 1957,,but I don't know if you could order a Cutts on it. Seems like they used to do about anything the customer was willing to pay for..
A factory installed unit will have no choke marking on the barrel for obvious reasons,,but it's a good first step in determining if a gun with a Cutts is aftermarket or factory install.
Polychoke came out with their adj choke in the 1920's,,about the same time as the Cutts.
Nice graphic BTW..
Last edited by 2152hq; 12-11-2010 at 01:06 AM.
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