20 gauge 2 7/8”

[CraigThompson]

Were all the 20 gauge guns with 2 7/8” chambers built on 1 frame and larger , or are some known of on 0 frames ?

[Bob Jurewicz]

I had one on a 0 frame with 32" barrel. LETTERED
Bob Jurewicz

[James L. Martin]

I have a 20ga 0 frame DH with factory 2 7/8" chambers listed on the hang tag and letter.Back then 3 inch 20ga shells had 7/8 oz of shot with more shot cushioning fillers
Nothing like today's 3 inch 20ga with 1 1/4 oz of shot.

[Bruce Hering]

Dont know if this means anything but...

My 30" barreled O frame 20ga VH (1922) SN 197xxx with Vulcan steel barrels has 2 5/8" chambers listed on my letter but I think it now has 2 3/4" chambers. I need to really get them measured. I really think the chambers have been "let out".

[Reggie Bishop]

No they are not all 1 frame guns. I owned a 32” 20, 0 frame with 2 7/8 chambers that lettered exactly the same. And I currently own a 1 frame 20/32” with 2 7/8” chambers that letters.

[Dave Noreen]

From my review of the graded Ansley H. Fox 20-gauge records I found 40 guns ordered for 3-inch shells and seven for 2 7/8-inch shells. The lightest weight listed on the cards was a 28-inch CE-Grade at 5 pounds 11 ounces. Very few Fox 20-gauges are any lighter than that.

[CraigThompson]

No they are not all 1 frame guns. I owned a 32” 20, 0 frame with 2 7/8 chambers that lettered exactly the same. And I currently own a 1 frame 20/32” with 2 7/8” chambers that letters.

If I’m not mistaken there were or are a few 2 frame 20’s . I would “assume” those had 2 7/8” chambers . Be kinda neat to find a DH 20 gauge on a 2 frame with 32” barrels to match my DH 16 gauge 2 frame 32” .

[charlie cleveland]

hope you find that 20 ga....whats the chamber length of the 2 frame 16 ga...there was a few 16 ga shells built in 3 inch....charlie

[George Lang]

I have a 16 gauge VHE 1 frame with 2 7/8" chambers.

[CraigThompson]

hope you find that 20 ga....whats the chamber length of the 2 frame 16 ga...there was a few 16 ga shells built in 3 inch....charlie

The letter for the 16 says 2 7/8” . I’d never thought about it until you asked .

[Dave Noreen]

I think it was Dr. Drew who found some articles from a A.W. DuBray (aka Goucho) about hunting on his tour of the southeast using a Parker Bros. 16-gauge with 2 7/8-inch shells. I found a similar articles from the 16 March 1901, Sporting Life about his snipe hunting near Beaumont, Texas, using a 3-inch 20-gauge.

Over my years of watching sporting collectibles auctions, I've seen a goodly number of boxes of vintage 3-inch shells in 12-, 16- and 20-gauge and a lesser number of boxes of 2 7/8-inch shells in 12- and 20-gauge but I've yet to see a box of 2 7/8-inch 16-gauge shells. The period ammo catalogs did list them.

105353

105354

[CraigThompson]

This is rather profound ! I pulled the letter out for the DHE 20 gauge 30” I bought at the Southern last year and it letters with 2 7/8” chambers . So I got it out the safe and tried all three brands of 3” and they seem to fit . I’ll try a chamber gauge in it this week just to be safe . But I still want a 32” 20 preferably on a 1 frame and with the long chambers .

[Bill Murphy]

I have had two 3" #2 frame 20s and one 3" #0 frame 20. I have not had a #1 frame 20, but I'm looking.