I'm planning to get a BRC barrel in .40-70SS for a Remington Hepburn I'm building from castings.  The only thing I need to decide at this point is if it is worth it to go with a "choked" barrel.

Are there legitimate reasons for one, and advantages/disadvantages or is it just the latest "greatest thing"/fad?

Thanks,

-Ron

Alexander Henry’s barrels were noted for their accuracy in the 19th century and he choked them. My two new barrels for my 44 1/2 are BRC choked (25-35 and 32-20) and will be ready to be tested in a few days. Looking forward to it. My gunsmith remarked on their smoothness.

Many Anschutz Rimfire barrels are choked. Think the Determining factor is weight allowed class the rifle is being built for. Heavy smallbore prone and position match barrels are almost all choked.

I believe can’t say sure they choke by leaving a larger outside Diameter on the blank when button rifled. Two most accurate Rimfire rifles I have owned are Anschutz super match and Douglas barreled CPA. Anschutz was choked the CPA not.

Can’t explain how it works though 

Boats 

I firmly believe that a straight hole at the beginning is one of the important issues 
for a good shooting rifle. I am not sure of the benefit of choking but I suspect that 
folks that do choked barrels are just those types of Craftsmen that take the time to get a straight hole make the best Barrels. The Bullet is in constant fit all the way thru the barrel, no opportunity to spring or relax on its way. Just my thought on the subject, HTH FITZ OLD TUCK.

If I was BRC would not divulge the method either. Barrels  a competitive business & one vs the other much promoted on this site, I believe to shooters advantage . 

Choke has been the method used by large manufacturers with methods not generally available to small shops. If they have figured  it out more power to BRC

Off topic a bit shotgun shooters believe strongly little bit of choke patterns more consistent than cylinder barrels. Rarely see a competitive skeet shooter using cylinder bore.

Boats

Believe rafter3c has explained how to choke a button rifled barrel, makes sense and ingenious.
How was it done on a cut barrel? Lapping, yes, but think a uniform taper is the natural result of using a square bit reamer.
This was used by Pope and many others. The wood backing wears slightly and uniformly from breech to muzzle.
My experience is this works fine for muzzle loaders but too much choke for breech loaders. About .001-002" choke.
Need to find a backing material that wears less, maybe HDPE. Rifling cutter needs some spring for uniform grove depth.
That said, hand making a barrel is two weeks work for a $400 barrel, so not practical, but fascinating.
Chuck

I do agree Boats as I do know how Barry Darr choked his barrels and also unknown to most they were also buttoned rifled. His own process is one that he had to figure out. Why would he want to pass it onto anyone else in the same competitive barrel making business.  And I am surely not going to do so either. 
Snake oil it is not and now one is being forced to buy one.

I know one that’s not going to be forced into a purchase and that is me. Too damn many folks out there that make barrels everyday and the good ones only make one kind of barrel; their best. The barrel making business has always been competitive and those that spend the time perfecting their skills survive. When the records start falling from this ‘unknown’ process will I consider getting in line for a purchase.