Question on Chamber Length

[Pete Margiotta]

I just bought my first Parker at a gun auction last week. It is a parker trojan, 20 gage, 28 inch modified and full, made in 1928. The chambers measure 2 3/8 inches long. My question is can i fire 2 3/4 modern target and game loads in this gun safely or do i need special shells. Do people typically have the chambers lengthed to allow use of 2 3/4 inch shells.

The gun has about 40 percent color case, the stock has been shortened to allow the installation of a 1 inch thick recoil pad. Would making changes (refinishing) hurt the value. It appears to be a shooter grade to me, but then again I have never owned one of these before. thanks for the help.

[Bill Murphy]

You will have to send us pictures of what you define as 40% colors. Many of use would put a 40% bright color 20 gauge Trojan away in a safe. Post some pictures to let us know how good your gun really is. If the colors are well faded, maybe you don't have to worry. After reading Bruce's great reply below, let me say Yes, No, Yes, Yes. However, as Bruce implies, the third reply guys are wasting their money. No one has ever blown up or damaged a 20 gauge Trojan with factory light target loads.

[Bruce Day]

1 Win AA
2. Rem STS

[Dean Romig]

I have a 1928 VH with identical chamber lengths and have shot quite a bunch of 2 3/4" AA ammo and it smacks me pretty good with those loads. It's okay to shoot this stuff in these guns but I suspect that pad was put on there for just that reason. If you reload you can develop your own lighter loads or simply buy 2 1/2" lighter loads from RST Shotshells.

[Bruce Day]

Dean, where do you find that 2 3/4" Win AA ammo?

As Bill implies, plenty of Parkers have had their chambers needlessly lengthened. The issue is not the fired shot shell length, because that is a non issue. The issue is the shot and powder charge in there. Blast away with whichever is more comfortable for you, 7/8oz or 3/4 oz and powder to go. These light Parkers don't like 1oz 20ga loads, I know, I've tried.

[Terry Schraner]

Some people will tell you it's ok to shoot shells longer than the chamber length- I wouldn't personally.Too many variables on pressure, plus you are shooting a keepsake , vintage heirloom.2 3/8 " cham.sounds strange - how did you measure the chambers? Try a chamber gauge. The only shells shorter than 2 1/2 in. I have seen from the first half of the 20 th century were 2 inch.But I still am lacking on 3 inch cham. gun info.Some guns may have been 2 7/8 in. chambers- go figure. I would say that a 3/8 inch difference on chamber /shell length is excessive for safety.Remember that todays standard loads are optimal as far as high tech is concerned-cases, powder, wads, etc.

[Bruce Day]

You know, the Double Gun Journal has had a great series of articles for the last ten years by Sherman Bell called " Finding Out For Myself" which addresses these issues.

[Autumn Daze]

I shoot 2 3/4" 20 gauge reloads using Remington and Winchester hulls for a good long while now. Load them light and they work great and don't hurt the gun or your shoulder. Some of this Promo junk thats out there hurts if your shooting a 9 1/2 lb gun!

Remington Hull,15.6 grains Hodgdan Universal,Claybuster Wad,Rem 209 Primer 7/8oz. shot 9,900PSI @1200 ft/sec.

[Bruce Day]

Damn Dave, that's even hotter than my load with those hulls. I shoot about the same but a little less powder and stuff them in both fluid and damascus barrels. I run about 1050-1100fps, just a few more inches of lead in front.

By the way Terry, Sherman Bell found a 300psi difference between the long and short shells. Great and well engineered articles and findings. Killed off a lot of old wives tales.

[Dean Romig]

Bruce, all the Winchester AA shells I have ever bought for twelve and twenty gauge shooting were marked right on the box 2 3/4" and that's what I'm referring to, not the length of the fired shell.

And it's not so much that these light Parkers don't like the heavier loads, even 7/8 oz. loads in most cases, I think it's the shooter (myself included) that don't like such loads.