Vintage shell pattern test

[Richard Flanders]

Who needs a pattern any tighter than that out of a .022" choke???? A pigeon could barely survive that pattern.

[Stan Hillis]

Originally Posted by Richard Flanders

Who needs a pattern any tighter than that out of a .022" choke???? A pigeon could barely survive that pattern.

A turkey hunter, maybe?

[Researcher]

Back in 1963 when I got my 12-gauge, 3-inch, Super-Fox, it came with three boxes of late 1930s Remington ARROW EXPRESS Magnum Loads. One each #4, #5 and #6. None of the boxes were quite full, a few shells out of each. When I was cleaning out my Father's house in 2003 after I retired I found the pattern sheets I'd shot back then were still there in the basement, rolled up and tucked up in the main floor joists. They showed 79% with the #4s and 85% with the #5s. Also the #6 box with 14 shells was there in the basement too.

ARROW EXPRESS 12-gauge 3-inch Magnum Load.jpeg

Guess I shot the #4 and #5 shells at Columbia Basin Mallards back in the 60s.

I didn't realize at 17 that my 1928 vintage gun was actually made for 1 3/8 ounce loads. I even tried some of the 1 7/8 ounce loads in it, but they made very patchy patterns so I stuck with 1 5/8 ounce loads until bismuth came along.

[Researcher]

Originally Posted by Dave Noreen

Back in 1963 when I got my 12-gauge, 3-inch, Super-Fox, it came with three boxes of late 1930s Remington ARROW EXPRESS Magnum Loads. One each #4, #5 and #6. None of the boxes were quite full, a few shells out of each. When I was cleaning out my Father's house in 2003 after I retired I found the pattern sheets I'd shot back then were still there in the basement, rolled up and tucked up in the main floor joists. They showed 79% with the #4s and 85% with the #5s. Also the #6 box with 14 shells was there in the basement too.

Attachment 99992

Guess I shot the #4 and #5 shells at Columbia Basin Mallards back in the 60s.

I didn't realize at 17 that my 1928 vintage gun was actually made for 1 3/8 ounce loads. I even tried some of the 1 7/8 ounce loads in it, but they made very patchy patterns so I stuck with 1 5/8 ounce loads until bismuth came along.

I see I misspoke back in 2021. Those Remington Kleanbore ARROW EXPRESS shells are actually immediate post-war shells 1945-1948. From a 6/18/47 Remington shotshells folder --

6-18-47 08.jpg

The load numbers were different pre-war. The AX was only used on the ARROW EXPRESS for those immediate post-war years. By 1949 the ARROW EXPRESS was gone and the extra length shells, 3 1/2-inch 10-gauge and 3-inch 12-gauge, were added to the REMINGTON EXPRESS line.