Baker chambers

[Greg Moisi]

Good morning, was wondering if all baker SBT guns had 2 1/2 inch chambers. thanks

[Drew Hause]

The Baker Gun & Forging SBTs were introduced in 1909, and I don't believe any gun had 2 1/2" chambers unless ordered as such. Does your gun have 2 1/2" chambers??
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[allen newell]

Growing up and shooting live native birds with my cousin. He shot a very nice Baker 16 ga. And killed more native pheasants than me. I've have periodically offered to buy it from my cousin who inherited it but to no avail.

[Dave Noreen]

The 12-gauge Baker SBT's might have 2 5/8-inch chambers intended for 2 3/4-inch shells, but more likely 2 3/4-inch chambers. For 1907 our ammunition manufacturers went to 1 1/4-ounce 12-gauge loads only being offered in 2 3/4-inch or longer shells. Also, for most of the time from then until WW-II while hunting 1 1/8-ounce 12-gauge loads came in the 2 5/8-inch shell, those marketed as "Trap Loads" came in 2 3/4-inch cases.

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[Dave Noreen]

No mention of chamber length in the two Baker catalogs I have that include the SBTs.

1911 --

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1915 --

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[Greg Moisi]

Thanks guys, I was thinking on getting one I seen buy it had 2 1/2" chambers.

[Dave Noreen]

By who and how was the measurement made? If the chamber is just slightly tight a gauge made to "industry standards" will measure short. The machinist's scale method can be more accurate.

[Daryl Hallquist]

I measured 9 Baker single barrel trap guns. One early one, ca. 1910 , and one late one, ca. 1919, had 2 3/4" chambers, the 7 others had 2 1/2" chambers . I used one of the plug gauges , I think from Galazan some decades ago . Oddly, most of the double barrel higher grade 12 ga. Bakers from that era had 2 3/4" chambers.

[Dave Noreen]

Would a 12-gauge chamber that actually measures 2 1/2-inch be intended for 2 5/8-inch shells? Our U.S. ammunition manufacturers did not regularly offer a 12-gauge 2 1/2-inch paper shell. From the 1890s to WW-II our U.S. ammunition manufacturers offered 12-gauge paper shells in 2 5/8-, 2 3/4-, 2 7/8- and 3-inch lengths. As I mentioned above, from 1907 onwards all 1 1/4-ounce loads were only offered in 2 3/4-inch or longer cases and 1 1/8-ounce loads marketed as "Trap Loads" were also in 2 3/4-inch cases --

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For a while before WW-I there were also 3 1/4-inch 12-gauge cases offered for bulk smokeless powder. I've yet to see a box of such loaded shells, but have seen these NPEs --

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