Lengthen chambers to 2 3/4" ??

[Stan Hillis]

No one has attempted to answer your question about who is a competent smith to do the chamber lengthening. I will. I use Dean Harris at Skeet's Gun Shop in Tahlequah, OK. He did a Fox 20 ga. for me last year, and also opened the chokes to .006" and .016", something more suitable for quail over dogs. He is very knowledgeable and easy to talk to over the phone. He won't make you feel like his time is too valuable to talk to you.

[Researcher]

The problem with the chamber gauges made to "industry standards", is that all chambers weren't reamed to "industry standards." If the chamber is a few thousandths undersize the gauge won't go in to the true measurement. If the chamber is a bit oversize the gauge will extend into the forcing cone.

I've posted this many times in the past --

Chamber depth is considered to be the distance between the breech end of the barrels and the joint between the chamber body itself and the forcing cone, which reduces down to bore diameter. This is loosely based on the length of the "Fired" shell. Today, theoretically when the crimp opens on the shell being fired the end would land at the junction of the chamber and cone. Prior to WW-II many companies had the practice of holding the chamber about 1/8 inch shorter than the shell for which it was intended. Fly in the ointment is nominal measurements often differ from actual ones in both chambers and shells. A very good method I have found of measuring chambers without much outlay of cash, and is quite accurate enough for virtually any situation, is a common 6" flexible machinist's scale which you likely have. Hold the barrels with muzzles toward a light source, not necessarily a concentrated one a window is great, while looking into the breech and the cone will be thrown in a shadow. May have to move the barrels around a little until it is distinct. While still looking into the chamber simply slide the scale in until you observe the end coming flush with the shadow line & mark position of breech end with your thumb. Remove and read the scale. I usually repeat this a few times to insure I am getting a consistent reading, but you will be amazed how accurate this can be done. While I own a Galazan chamber gauge, I use this more often than not. The chamber body itself has a taper of about .005" per inch. Sometimes chambers were cut with slightly worn reamers giving a slight undersize chamber. If the chamber is a bit undersize a gauge made to "industry" standards will not go in to the true depth of the chamber. A.H. Fox Gun Co. shotguns are known for having tight chambers. The machinist’s scale method can be more accurate.