One of the reasons for slow sales of the .410-bore Parker during the early years was the available ammunition. From the introduction of the .410-bore shell in North America circa 1914 it was offered in two loadings, 3/10-ounce in a 2-inch shell and 3/8-ounce in a 2 1/2-inch shell. Things picked up for the .410-bore in 1933, at the depth of The Great Depression, with the introduction of the 3-inch shell doubling the max load to 3/4-ounce, along with the Winchester Model 42. A few years later the 2 1/2-inch shell got upped to the 1/2-ounce load we all know.
Similarly, the 28-guage loads were 5/8-ounce for many years. Finally, in 1931 the ammo companies got around to introducing a progressive burning smokeless powder, high velocity load to the 28-gauge with 3/4-ounce of shot. Chas. Askins mentions in his 1910 book of loading 2 1/8 drams of bulk smokeless and 3/4-ounce of shot in the 2 7/8-inch 28-gauge shell for his heavy 30-inch barrel Parker Bros. but the ammo companies didn't offer anything heavier than 2 drams pushing 5/8-ounce.
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