[LtCol Henderson Marriott]

John Olin deserves part credit for the renewed interest in longer effective range shotguns
in the 1920s. His Super-X 3 inch shells with improved progressive powders, copper plated shot reduced deformation and shot stringing at longer ranges. The HE Super Foxes in the hands of Nash Buckingham and others of the period increased the demand enough so that LC Smith, Fox, Parker and Winchester received more orders for their specialized 3-inch guns.

It is generally conceded that Burt Becker, Maj Charles Askins and AH Fox did a great deal of successful
work with the 3 inch HE Super Fox, and the results without question influenced the
hunting and shooting public. Achieving EFFECTIVE patterns on game at longer ranges
has been shown through Becker-bored Fox barrels to be: a unique style of over-boring, tapered polished forcing cones,
very tight chambers, specialized choke boring, and final bore extra polishing. Along with specialized 3 inch progressive powder shot shells.

Arguments to the contrary might surmise that other factors were in play with developing
the AH Fox HE Super Fox and Sterlingworth Wild Fowl Grades effectiveness. Unless empirical evidence is shown, I tend to withhold judgment. Becker did not sprinkle magic dust on his barrels to get the REPEATABLE pattern results that his barrels achieved.

All other factors being equal- the 3 in Parker, AH Fox, and LC Smith shotguns would send more effective pellets down range to their targets in the duck and goose marshes
than their shorter 12 gauge cousins. That being said, every shotgun has individual
performance characteristics.