Three inch 20 gauge....
 

Anybody got a picture of an early 3 inch 20 gauge box? Like real early Widgeon Club gun era type stuff.

3 inch Selby - San Francisco -

Here are a few --

Attachment 63795

Attachment 63796

Attachment 63797

Attachment 63798

I love it that the 3" shells were loaded with 7/8 oz of shot. Something most of have know for awhile. I shoot 3/4oz loads in my 20's with deadly affect. 1oz loads wear on me. Don't get me wrong on recoil. I can shoot a .458 magnum with full house 510 grain loads sixteen times in rapid succession before I throw up.

yeah, I was shocked to see that the 3" loads were only 7/8 oz. All my 20 reloads are 3/4 oz also

Thank you gentleman, I really appreciate it. Was trying to educate an "expert" as the factory loaded 3 inch 20 gauge shells from my collection just weren't enough for him.

Destry

Back before The Great War, the heaviest loads offered in the "standard" 2 1/2 inch 20-gauge shell by our North American ammunition companies was 2 1/4 drams of bulk smokeless powder or 18 grains of dense smokeless powder such as Infallible or Ballistite pushing 7/8 ounce of shot. In the longer 2 3/4, 2 7/8 and 3-inch cases one could get 2 1/2 drams of bulk smokeless powder or 20 grains of dense smokeless powder such as Infallible or Ballistite pushing that same 7/8 ounce of shot. The real or perceived advantage of the longer shell was more/better wadding. Note my box of Peters IDEAL above doesn't even have the hotter load.

The Widgeon Duck Club load was probably from the California Powder Company of San Francisco. I've never seen a box.

Relevant reading which might be of interest

Forest & Stream, February 27, 1909
“Small-bore Guns and Loads” discusses 16g and gives it to Hedderly ;)
https://books.google.com/books?id=nE...AJ&pg=PA337&dq

T.H. Grant, Forest & Stream, December 1915 - 3" shell 2 1/2 Dr. Eq. and 7/8 oz.
https://books.google.com/books?id=lR...J&pg=PA711&lpg

Edwin Hedderly Western Field editor after July 1910. His first DHE was ordered in 1911.
Arms & The Man 1915
https://books.google.com/books?id=BX...J&pg=PA158&lpg
Recreation 1917
https://books.google.com/books?id=4u...AJ&pg=PA97&lpg
Outdoor Recreation 1919
https://books.google.com/books?id=BX...J&pg=PA158&lpg

Forest & Stream, Nov. 1918 “Keener sport with the 20 gauge gun” Winchester M12 ad
https://books.google.com/books?id=b9...J&pg=PA663&lpg

Nice graphic on the shot shell box's. J.J.

10 20g ordered about 1913 for "Ajax Heavies" by United States Cartridge Co.??
https://books.google.com/books?id=Dy...J&pg=PT235&lpg

Ajax were available in 1912
https://books.google.com/books?id=CX...J&pg=PA469&lpg

Ajax Heavies were not introduced until 1923; Climax Heavies 1927.