Steel shot special ID?

[Dean Romig]

Joe, I like that wood!

[Wild Skies]

Originally Posted by Jared Valeski

What are the distinguishing features of a steel shot special other than the reinforced heavier frame? JJV

I have read that the SSS's were unique, in that they were produced with a "strengthened frame" and as you say "reinforced heavier frame", were they really? I've also read they were reportedly produced with .740 bores and .006/.018 chokes, but does anyone have information on how they differed, either dimensionally or structurally, from the standard 1 1/2 frame Repro?

[Rod N. Gunn]

An "American Rifleman" article (sorry no date) states the barrels are 12% heavier with corresponding extra weight in the butt. Bores oversized to .733 with choke diameters of .721 and .726 providing .012 and .007 constrictions. The gun they examined weighed 7lbs 6 oz.

[Joe Bernfeld]

Thanks, Dean, me too! Jared, according to the full color, fold-out Parker Reproduction brochure (and several other brochures and newsletters I have), listed under Standard Features is: "Chrome barrel interiors". The Steel Shot Specials all have "SS" in the serial number. They did not have heavier frames, and to my knowledge had the same barrels as the ones made later that were not designated SS. My Steel Shot Special weighed 7 lbs. 5 oz. with a beavertail and pistol grip; my non-SS special weighs 7 lbs. 2 oz. with a straight stock and splinter forend so I don't see how the barrels could have been much heavier. Also, mine is choked .009" and .012" (marked IC/Mod). I have a letter (2/9/1988) from Paul Jaeger where the Steel Shot Specials were sold from (Dunn's), and it states that they are built "on a frame size of 1 1/2" and mentions all of the options available, including a weight of 7 1/4-7 1/2 lbs., with no mention of any frame reinforcement.
Joe

[Wild Skies]

Originally Posted by Dave Fuller

An "American Rifleman" article (sorry no date) states the barrels are 12% heavier with corresponding extra weight in the butt. Bores oversized to .733 with choke diameters of .721 and .726 providing .012 and .007 constrictions. The gun they examined weighed 7lbs 6 oz.

I've got a copy of that AR article, too; Dave. They (AR) reported different bore diameter and choke constrictions than what the authors reported in TPS for the SSS. Wonder who's right, or are they both wrong? I guess it really doesn't matter---unless you're one of us anal types!

[Rod N. Gunn]

As I've said before... trying to sort out all the configurations and the different sources from which they are gleaned is maddening.

[Chuck Heald]

Just in the short time I've been hanging here at this site, I've seen various choke sizes in the 28g Repros. I can understand a few thousandths variance, some from measurement error, and some from production tolerance. But Mike Shepard reported a .007 or .008" variance from the "norm". It seems like there's some pretty significant variance in dimensions out there...or people are making measurment errors. No offense to anyone, but based on my yrs of manufacturing experience, my money would be on measurement errors by owners/writers. You have people with various backgrounds and various equipment making measurements that are very very small.