The Short Ten - How many shooting one?

[Rick Losey]

I should not read this stuff!...Now I have to pay for that sweet Ithica short 10 I just bought from our guns for sale thread. The way I see's it... you are all to BLAME. All that talk about how everyone needs a short ten!, what great turkey guns they are, how much fun they are to shoot, they can fold a goose across lake erie with the right load of nice shot and it goes on and on. Now I will need a loader and hulls SXS ohio

great buy Kenny, can't wait to see the game pictures taken with it

:corn:

and - and all in fun - as someone who grew up not far from there - Phonics are great (my one daughter had a tshirt that said "hukked on foniks wurks for me"
:rolleyes:

Ithaca, people,---- its Ith-A -ca :rotf:

[Mark Ouellette]

Ithica short 10 can fold a goose across lake erie with the right load of nice shot SXS ohio

Kenny,

A short ten with the right load of Nice Shot #2 or BB will fold a goose way further than that. In fact one has to get a launch permit from the FFA before shooting that load. The FFA doesn't want to loose any airliners. It treats a short ten with Nice Shot like one of those hobby rockets that will climb to 5000 feet!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Office_of_Commercial_Space_Transportation
An amateur rocket has a total impulse of 200,000 lb-s or less, and cannot reach an altitude of 150 km above sea level. If a rocket exceeds these capabilities (or if it has a person on-board), it is considered licensable.[4]
Amateur rockets come in 3 classes, and the regulations applied to each class increase as you move up through the classes. The following list describes the general regulations.
Class 1—Model Rockets do not require approval to be launched, and are legal so long as they are launched in a safe manner.
Class 2—High-Power Rockets require approval to enter National Airspace. Information regarding the rocket and where it will be launched must be provided to obtain this approval.
Class 2A-Short Ten with Nice Shot
Class 3—Advanced High-Power Rockets require approval to enter National Airspace. More advanced information about the rocket (such as the dynamic stability profile) and operations is required to obtain this approval.
Class 4-Eight Gauge shot from Parker Brothers shotgun.
Once a rocket exceeds amateur rocket criteria, it is considered "Licensed," which means it requires either a License or Experimental Permit in order to fly.

Mark

[CraigThompson]

I was under the impression "Nice Shot" wasn't readily available .

[Frank Srebro]

Well I have to tell you boys that over the years I ferreted out seven Super 10's in ~ original condition. I just couldn't pass up one that was unmolested. Three went to three friends. Kenny bought the fourth. That leaves three and I probably only need two. If and when I decide to move that one my plans are to put it on the Members FS site. Thanks for your understanding.

[Mills Morrison]

Nice Shot is not readily available right now. RST is the only source I know of and they don't have any

[Allen Peterson]

I got a five pound bag last week from BPI! Maybe it was the last one?

[Mills Morrison]

I probably need to start reloading non-tox shells

[Frank Srebro]

As far as I know BPI sells ITX shot, not Nice as loaded by RST. All of my Nice came from Precision Reloading in 1 kilo boxes (2.2 pounds). Precision currently shows all heavy waterfowl size Nice shot is out of stock.

[Rick Losey]

As far as I know BPI sells ITX shot, not Nice as loaded by RST. All of my Nice came from Precision Reloading in 1 kilo boxes (2.2 pounds). Precision currently shows all heavy waterfowl size Nice shot is out of stock.

yeah

he had me going there for a moment - until I checked :)

[Scott Gentry]

Just took possession of a #3 frame DH with 32" sleeved barrels and new wood. It has 3 1/2" chambers but not sure I want to go there yet, ordered some 2 7/8" #6's to get a feel for the gun. Gun was born in 1888 weighs 9.4 pounds but points like a bird gun, can't wait to try it out.

[Bill Murphy]

Scott, tell us about your sleeved ten. Who did the work? What kind of markings does it have concerning the sleeving? My DH sleeved ten is a Lefever Arms job with their marking on the rib.

[Scott Gentry]

Will look again tonight but do not remember seeing anything but the normal markings, gun came from the estate of an old live bird shooter but have no idea who did the work. Whoever did the work the original ribs were retained and you have to look hard and have correct light to see the joint lines.

Every gun in the collection was 30" or more and full/fuller, also purchased a 30" GH 12 and a 30" VHE 16. Tried the 16 on mallards last week with Classic Doubles and loved it.

[Frank Srebro]

There may be some confusion regarding Nice shot as originally manufactured, and loaded by RST in its non-toxic shotshells. I don't know if it's currently being made to the same specs, or being manufactured at all. Nice was made of 58% tungsten, 38% tin and 4% iron, and it has a density of 11.0 grams/cubic centimeter. Pure lead is 11.1 gms/cc, and high antimony hard-lead shot is a little less dense than that. Thus, Nice shot is quite soft (owing to its high tin content) and will perform just about like lead shot will.

I've never used ITX shot which is said to be made of tungsten and iron but I don't have the exact percentages. Its density is supposed to 10.0 gms/cc, hence it will lose velocity more quickly than Nice or lead (for a given diameter of shot pellet). Also for comparison - Bismuth shot is 9.6 gms/cc and steel is generally shown as about 7.9 gms/cc. Kent Tungsten Matrix which is favored in factory loads by many vintage waterfowl hunters is listed at 10.6 gms/cc. I don't have data on any other type non-tox shot. Sorry.

Net, of the products shown here I believe that Nice shot is your best choice for extended range waterfowl shooting, followed closely by Kent TM ..... when both are started at the same high muzzle velocity. Just my opinion gents!

[CraigThompson]

I was told with Nice Shot I could pretty much use the same powder charge and could use the same wad as I used with lead shot . Is this also practical with the ITX shot ? Extended range isn't in my own personal criteria , I just want a shot that's relatively safe for use in my old fixed tight choke doubles and Damascus doubles . I suspect that once I've killed a duck or two and a goose or two with two to four of the guns that'll be all the water fowling I wanna do . It's more a matter of having a couple guns I'd like taking a goose and a duck or two with . I don't plan on being in set ups where I'll have to shoot further then 30-40 yards and hopefully less .

[Rick Losey]

yes, lead loading info except that nice shot does boost pressure

by about 1500 if I remember correctly

[CraigThompson]

yes, lead loading info except that nice shot does boast pressure

by about 1500 if I remember correctly so then my 30 grains of SR7625 with 1 1/4 ounce of shot with Nice or ITX should be reduced 2 or 3 grains to keep pressure relatively close to the lead loads ?

[Pete Lester]

I went through all the posts to try to carefully record how many individuals shoot a Short Ten of some make. 78 of us have responded thus far, wow. I think I will start another thread and ask how many of us reload for the Short Ten.

[CraigThompson]

I went through all the posts to try to carefully record how many individuals shoot a Short Ten of some make. 78 of us have responded thus far, wow. I think I will start another thread and ask how many of us reload for the Short Ten.



I would think that oughtta be about a 95% given of those that own to those that load !

[Allen Peterson]

http://i449.photobucket.com/albums/qq216/simcgunner/WP_20150207_0041_zps6v6c4dki.jpg (http://s449.photobucket.com/user/simcgunner/media/WP_20150207_0041_zps6v6c4dki.jpg.html)

this wk at a tower shoot

[wayne goerres]

I don't think I responded to this thread, if not than I have five or six short tens, but only two are Parkers.

[William Davis]

I don't think I responded either, but I have a Parker 10 hammer gun. Bought it at the fall Southern SxS. It's been out for some stock work, back home yesterday. Am working up short 10 loads for it. Last month or so putting components together and modifying my press.

Will post some photos and details later

William

[Noel McCormack]

I am shooting my 1884 #2 E gradeJust curious how many of us are actively shooting a Parker short 10 in any grade? I know of Scott Kittredge, Bill Janelle, Bob Fabian, Rick Weik, Mark Ouellette, Charlie Cleveland, Bill Murphy, Frank Cronin and myself. Just curious how popular the moribund 2 7/8" 10ga is among us.

[KCordell]

I have been shooting short 10 Parker and others for a few years now with and without BP. Have most fun waterfowl hunting with my 10s. My Parker has been my lead/favorite field gun for a while.

[Noel McCormack]

J.B.- I shoot my 1884 grade 2 10 gauge, SN 41762. Works well on Canada Geese with hand-loaded 1 1/8 oz ITX #2s propelled by 30 grains of IMR SR 7625

[Mills Morrison]

I shoot Parker 10's regularly too

[Shawn Wayment]

I'm new to the short 10 and love it. Yesterday I was at the sporting clay range here in Colorado where the back 10 stations are long range...I couldn't believe how far out I was breaking clays. Plan to hunt sage grouse with the short 10 this September. I really appreciate all the info on here about reloading...that's my next venture.

[Jeff Davis]

Will be soon. Picked up a fairly rough lc smith grade 2 Damascus that is off getting restored. I want to use it for geese so I will probably have to reload. Still not seeing any nice shot at rst.

[Mills Morrison]

Jeff, it might not hurt to call RST and ask.

[Jess Lee]

Here, but only two

[Edward Yager]

Shot clays with mine today

[Paul Ehlers]

J.B.- I shoot my 1884 grade 2 10 gauge, SN 41762. Works well on Canada Geese with hand-loaded 1 1/8 oz ITX #2s propelled by 30 grains of IMR SR 7625

You're a lucky man to have some SR-7625. I will be shooting my NH Parker using ITX-original-10 #2 shot this fall myself. I ended up picking a recipe out the ITX manual using 44gr's blue dot & 1 3/8oz ITX #2

I shot some of these this week. I think they are going to be deadly on sandhill cranes this fall.

[Frank Cronin]

You're a lucky man to have some SR-7625. I will be shooting my NH Parker using ITX-original-10 #2 shot this fall myself. I ended up picking a recipe out the ITX manual using 44gr's blue dot & 1 3/8oz ITX #2

I shot some of these this week. I think they are going to be deadly on sandhill cranes this fall.

Hi Paul, what pressure and velocity is this load? Have you patterned it?

[Jeff Christie]

Last year was my rookie year with my EH on geese. Love it. Got three. It's a stitch to shoot. Lots of grins. I'll try to post a picture or two. I'm not good at that.

[Stephen Hastie]

Yep Add me to your list, a great Wildfowling piece, use it on the ducks and Geese and sometimes I have a bash on the clays.
Sundodger
From over the Pond

[Paul Ehlers]

Hi Paul, what pressure and velocity is this load? Have you patterned it?

The ITX manual states the load is supposed to be 1200fps @ 7300psi. I haven't extensively pattern tested the load, but I did shoot a 30"x30" piece of cardboard at 40 yards with it the other day. I counted 125 pellet hits out of the approximately 145 pellets in the load. I'm sure it will be effective on the larger fowl like cranes & geese.

[charlie cleveland]

i would say that your gun is a full choke throwing them kinds of patterns..the short ten is good on anything flying and most animals that walk.....steve glad you fellas like the short ten too...but i guess this round was used first by you fellows on the other side of the pond...charlie

[thaynedelange]

I shoot a grade 3 lifter with 28" factory length barrels. Fabulous gun. If truth be told...the 10 bore is the magic gauge. The old timers knew this very well. Then someone said a hunting double needed to be light. What a crock! Once you shoot a 10 you won't want to shoot anything else. Just my opinion of course.

[Richard Flanders]

I took my grade 2 10ga hammer gun to a pheasant preserve here in Alaska and had a ball. I let my friend Trigg try it. He had never shot a 10ga, and maybe not a hammer gun, and dusted a pheasant with the first shot. It seemed almost too easy to hit pheasants with that gun.

[thaynedelange]

That has been my experience exactly!

[Alan B. Webber]

I shoot a grade 3 lifter with 28" factory length barrels. Fabulous gun. If truth be told...the 10 bore is the magic gauge. The old timers knew this very well. Then someone said a hunting double needed to be light. What a crock! Once you shoot a 10 you won't want to shoot anything else. Just my opinion of course.

Your right. 10's are the most fun. I shoot short 10 RST 1/1/4 oz 7.5 loads at ZZTrap once in a while with my d grade #6 frame guns (hammerless and hammer) and though the loads are pretty slow they bust the plastic real well. 41/4 drams of black powder (Track of the Wolfe CNC machined brass cases)with about 1 1/4 oz of lead (or bismuth)are really deadly on ducks and geese (and a real crowd pleaser). 3 1/2 " 1 3/8 oz of steel in my D grade #3 frame are the deadliest. You can easily kill a mallard, goose or driven pheasant at 70 yards if you can reconcile the lead you have to give them. The 3.5" gun does kick. I can't do 1 5/8 oz anymore although I just put an ISIS pad on it for the coming duck season so we'll see.
By the way a great way to clean a lot of the soot out of your black powder barrels after a days shelling is to shoot a couple of final smokeless loads through them. It doesn't take nearly as much soap and water after that.

[thaynedelange]

My Grade 3 10 gauge lifter factory letter states that my gun will put 480 #8 pellets in a 24" circle at 45 yards! Havn't verified that on paper yet but it kills or breaks everything I point at! I regularly break 25 straight on the skeet course with this gun by using Gauge Mate 12 gauge inserts. I can shoot off the shelf 1 1/8 oz loads with no problem. I probably have well over 3000 rounds thru this gun and it is still tight as a tick.

Cheers!:)

[Leighton Stallones]

Yes, I do Scott Excellent

[Jeff Christie]

FINALLY I did it! Today, the second day of the 2017 Iowa goose season I got a double on geese with my EH short ten. It wasn't the prettiest pair in the air ever shot with a Parker but it was a true pair and a great way to start the season. Now if I can relearn how to post a iPhone picture.

[Garry L Gordon]

Looks like there are quite a few short 10 "users." I am also one. I have a GH Parker, a 3 grade Hammer Parker (currently at Brad Bacheldor's), an Ithaca Hammer 10, and a W.C. Scott hammer gun in the short ten. Great fall turkey guns, and they'll reach out for high squirrels, too. I shoot the lightest loads from RST and have started setting up to reload my own.

[Larry Baer]

Count me in too. Just setting up my re-loader today

[charlie cleveland]

count me in too...i have been shooting the short ten for over 50 years they are in my opinion the best guns out there....charlie

[Mark Ray]

$150 grade early lifter, English W. Richards hammer, jones underlever, 34” damascus

[chris dawe]

I just the thread again and realized( or maybe missed it ) I have not added my GH grade 2 frame with 28 inch bbls, gun weighs 7 1/4 lbs... I also picked up a 32 inch Greener that weighs in at around 11 lbs ,the Parker is a 10 you could carry all day !

[charlie cleveland]

boy that is a light 10 ga...charlie

[Mike Koneski]

I have 3 of the "short 10" guns that I shoot. Have a MEC set up to reload for them.

[jim garrett]

How short is your short 10? I have just acquired a 2 5/8 short 10 and wondered how I would reload for it. After a short thinking session I added another MEC 1/2 spacer to my MEC loader that I load 2 7/8 " and the loads with Cheddite hulls look factory new. Sometimes a new problem is just a short challenge. Jim Garrett

[CraigThompson]

I just the thread again and realized( or maybe missed it ) I have not added my GH grade 2 frame with 28 inch bbls, gun weighs 7 1/4 lbs... I also picked up a 32 inch Greener that weighs in at around 11 lbs ,the Parker is a 10 you could carry all day !

I just sold a Greener with fluid steel barrels back before Xmas . That one was 10 gauge 30" near as I can ascertain it was made about 1905 . The side safety on it was a touch different . I've got a 12 gauge Greener tang safety that I've owned for 40+ years . Killed a pile or two if birds with that one . I know I asked you before but what's your EH 28" choked ?

[chris dawe]

I just sold a Greener with fluid steel barrels back before Xmas . That one was 10 gauge 30" near as I can ascertain it was made about 1905 . The side safety on it was a touch different . I've got a 12 gauge Greener tang safety that I've owned for 40+ years . Killed a pile or two if birds with that one . I know I asked you before but what's your EH 28" choked ?

Imp/Mod I believe ...its a walking hunters bird gun for sure

[Jeff Davis]

So I’m just about ready - got my L.C. Smith grade
2 back from Buck Hamlin who did a pretty fantastic job on a gun that was very rough- and picked up 10 ga reloading setup from another member. Now who can help me with some low pressure bismuth reloading recipes so I can use this gun for Goose season next year?

[Dean Romig]

Right here....

http://parkerguns.org/forums/showthread.php?t=11403&highlight=gauge+loading+recipes






.

[Dean Romig]

I have two short tens - one a Grade 3 Lifter and the other is a set of very stout 30", 2-frame Damascus barrels that I haven't finished fitting to my 1898 DH. This will make its 4th set of barrels. Barrel set #1 are the 30" Titanic barrels it was made with; barrel set #2 are 30" Damascus barrels Russ Bickel fit to the gun for me; barrel set #3 is a set of 26" Damascus barrels with open chokes; and barrel set#4 are these heavy 30" 10-gauge barrels with reversed chokes. Don't ask me why I did this.... "it was fun" is the best answer I can come up with.

The lifter has killed two nice longbeards for me and a couple of jakes.... who knows what my other 10 will do for me. But it'll be fun, whatever it is.






.

[davidboyles]

Have acquired a parker hammer 1844 one set bibls 28 other 32 beautiful condtion Grade 3 on 3 frame just shot some doves with it already will soon go after long beards

[wayne goerres]

Is that date a typo. Maybe 1874 or 1884.

[davidboyles]

That was my typo the gun letters 1884

[jim garrett]

apparently I did not read my own thread of 1-28-18. Instead of adding a 1/2' spacer to the MEC setup for 2 7/8" shells I added a 1/4" spacer. A 2 3/8" 10 gauge would indeed be a short 10. By the way, the 2 5/8" shells shoot very well. Jim Garrett

[Pete Lester]

So far we have 94 shooters of the "Short Ten" among us.

[Tom Flanigan]

I love the short 10 for pass shooting geese. And the best thing is that my 10's handle #2's reasonably well for long range geese. I much prefer #3's but I haven't been able to get that shot size since Herter's went out of business many years ago. I have never owned a 12 bore that shot #2's worth a damn.

[Ed Blake]

Six months ago I did not have a 10 and swore I’d never own one because it would be one more thing to load for. Now I have three: a NH-grade, a grade 3 and a WC Scott. What fun they are.

[scott kittredge]

Six months ago I did not have a 10 and swore I’d never own one because it would be one more thing to load for. Now I have three: a NH-grade, a grade 3 and a WC Scott. What fun they are.

I too have 3,Two NID super 10's and a EH 2 frame parker, I do like shooting the 10;s a few times a year :rolleyes:
scott

[Wayne Owens]

I shoot a 2 5/8" 10 gauge lifter. Is that considered a super-short 10?

[Tom Flanigan]

Yes

[David Yeatts]

Put me down, shot the lifter last week and the 73 Clabrough yesterday. They are more fun than well you fill in the blank.

[Mark Ray]

Very early $150 grade lifter, the first known Parker Hinge Pin Gun, and a massive english heminway’s new model, 32” hammergun........hammering the South Texas Turkey population!!

[Herb Hewlett]

me 2

[Daniel Carter]

Looked back in this thread and did not see if i replied, yes 1 short ten used for turkey, crows and clays. I do reload for it and the information Pete Lester has posted is what i use for 1 oz and 19 grains Red Dot for 1-1/8.

[Rick Losey]

a massive english heminway’s new model, 32” hammergun.......

heminway

or Hemenway?

Hemenway was a trade name produced by JP Clabrough & Bros - my 10ga 32" Clabrough mid+ grade new model (low hammers) patterns at 91/92% with copper plated lead - the new model came out in 1883 - and the serial numbers were reset to 1- mine is #36

http://parkerguns.org/forums/picture.php?albumid=588&pictureid=7856

[Tom Flanigan]

That's a beautiful gun. The ten's pattern 1 1/4 oz. of shot better than the twelve, obviously. My ten's don't pattern at 90+ percent but they do throw beautiful tight patterns with a 1 1/4 oz. load of fours. They also throw decent patterns with #2 shot. I don't load under 1 1/4 oz. simply since I only use the 10 for hunting. I wish I had a ten back in the days when I used buckshot for swamp whitetails. I could get decent patterns from my 12 bores by using #1 buck and melting wax around the pellets four to a layer. But the wax created an interesting situation. The shells were only good for about a week. After that, the wax would hold the shot together and the buckshot would shoot like a slug without the accuracy. I found that very strange. I wouldn't have believe it if I didn't experience it. Having seen that, I only loaded enough shells for a week of hunting. I would shoot the last weeks shells to make sure I didn't use the older shells by mistake.

[charlie cleveland]

really nice and a reallly low serial no what a great gun to have owned in 1883 and in present day and shooting above 90 percent patterns...charlie

[scott kittredge]

I did have a Ithaca NID super 10 that shot 99% with 1 0z 7 1/2's, :shock:
scott

[charlie cleveland]

man could miss easy with a gun shooting 99 percent thats the kinda gun i need shooting them tight pattern..my lc smith long range will shoot 92-93 percent and i have a remington 1900 10 ga that shoots about 90 percent...long live the short ten.......charlie

[Pete Lester]

We have/had over 100 of us owning and shooting a variety of vintage 10 gauge doubles, wow! Back in 2011 I would never have guessed it would be that many people. I suspect the combination of Sherman Bell's "Forgotten Ten" article and the availability of of 2 7/8" 10ga shells from RST really helped to bring the Short Ten back to life. They are great guns that come into their own when the birds are big or the range long. Thanks to those who have shared pictures of their 10's.

[Tom Flanigan]

For me the turning point for using the 10 bore was the availability of cases and components from Ballistic Products. I was always fascinated by the 10 bore and wanted to hunt with one. With the availability of components from BP I could get my wish. I was a rabid fan long before Sherman Bell's article came out. My opinion is that if anyone is going to get serious about hunting with a 10 bore, they need to reload. You can load exactly what you want for a lot cheaper than manufactured shells.

[Rick Losey]

some thanks also has to go to Pete for making the reloading data from a variety of sources so accessible

[Daryl Corona]

To me the 12 was always a big bore. Damn, now I'm really considering a 10 after I just bought a M12 HD. Does this madness ever end??

[Ed Blake]

Don’t forget, at the 2019 Southern SxS there will be a 10 bore shoot just like the new 16 and 20 shoots. Ishot my NH at a Vintager shoot today. Did pretty well with it too. Reloading is the only way to go.

[Pete Lester]

To me the 12 was always a big bore. Damn, now I'm really considering a 10 after I just bought a M12 HD. Does this madness ever end??

Sorry to tell you Daryl the madness never ends, it may go into remission for a periods of time but there is always one more gun out there somewhere you have yet to run across.

BTW having seen what you can do with your 32" Sterly 20ga and 3/4 ounce loads, if you should get a 10 bore the Fox Collectors will have to move the Bo-Whoop competition to the Aberdeen Proving Grounds :rotf:

[Tom Flanigan]

I believe for some, the technical performance of the ten bore is just one of the reasons for its popularity. For me, the appreciation of the ten bore harkens back to the period in which the vintage guns were built. Before the turn of the century, the ten bore was very popular and in the 1870’s might have been the most popular gauge. When I was a boy growing up, my grandfather regaled me with stories of his old market gunner friend and his prowess on grouse. The man shot a hammer cylinder ten bore for the market. And so the 10 bore always held a fascination for me, from an early age. When components and hulls became readily availability, I jumped in.

I often load black powder for my goose and duck shooting and roll crimp the shells, color the top wad orange, like some of the old ten bore shells, and stamp the size of the shot. Although the cases are plastic, those shells are the closest I can come to the shells that were used before the turn of the century. I savor the boom and the smoke of the black powder and, in a small way, am transported back to the days of old. For me, it is a sublime experience taking game the way it was done long ago and with a fine Parker. I can easily imagine that my ride home will be in a horse drawn buggy. Using a vintage ten bore is one of the great pleasures of my life.

[Mills Morrison]

I have snagged 2 Parker 10 gauges this year and came close to 3. Lost count on how many I have

[charlie cleveland]

what tom said is my way of thinking too...shooting a parker 10 and loading my own shells most of the time and with a little imagination i too can change time back over a 100 years or more if need be....charlie

[Tom Hawkins]

The challenge of finding a short ten, putting it right to shoot, finding hulls and reloading with a roll crimper has been enjoyable as well as challenging. It has been much easier with the expertise of members here. I was extremely lucky to land a grade 5 top lever 4 frame. I had passed on the short tens for many years because of different reasons including ammo, weight, and application. It is now my new Parker endeavor and I am looking for the next one. I only wish I would have started sooner.

[Tom Flanigan]

The challenge of finding a short ten, putting it right to shoot, finding hulls and reloading with a roll crimper has been enjoyable as well as challenging. It has been much easier with the expertise of members here. I was extremely lucky to land a grade 5 top lever 4 frame. I had passed on the short tens for many years because of different reasons including ammo, weight, and application. It is now my new Parker endeavor and I am looking for the next one. I only wish I would have started sooner.

You are very fortunate to have found a grade 5 on a 4 frame. That is the holy grail for a lot of us. I am working on a currently purchased 10 bore. It is a run of the mill gun, so to speak, on a 3 frame. It had virtually no remaining finish but it had no turned screws and no large dings in the stock. I am currently finishing the stock and will do the twist barrels next.

Short tens are out there and with a little patience, one will eventually turn up that hasn't been abused or molested. I watch the market closely and will grab any unmolested 10 bore I see, regardless of the grade.

[Jeff Christie]

I probably missed it somewhere in the thread or site. Where can one find Sherman Bell's article on the Short Ten? I have really enjoyed using my EH on geese over the past several seasons. I'm reluctantly considering going down the reloading path.

[Ed Blake]

Tom is right. A grade 5 on a 4-frame would be quite a find. I was lucky enough to find a grade 3 on a 4-frame. Personally, I think tens are undervalued. There some good ones out there.

[Jess Lee]

Can anyone recommend a gunsmith near Idaho to check out a 1884 grade 2 10 bore?
The action is tight but there is pitting of course.

[Harry Sanders]

I've got a pretty nice lifter that's a short ten upland gun. It's a great pleasure on preserve pheasants.

[Craig Larter]

Pete' original post on this topic was back in 2011, 7 years ago. In 2011 I had two LC Smith 10's. I have been busy----today I own 4 LC Smith 10's, 1 Ithaca NID Grade 3E, and 5 Parker 10's. A NH 6 frame, a D TL Hammer 6 frame 36", DH 30" fishtail, CH 30 Bernard, AH 32" Damascus. I find them big fun to smoke clays and topple ducks.

[charlie cleveland]

a fella has to love these big guns....charlie

[Pete Lester]

Pete' original post on this topic was back in 2011, 7 years ago. In 2011 I had two LC Smith 10's. I have been busy----today I own 4 LC Smith 10's, 1 Ithaca NID Grade 3E, and 5 Parker 10's. A NH 6 frame, a D TL Hammer 6 frame 36", DH 30" fishtail, CH 30 Bernard, AH 32" Damascus. I find them big fun to smoke clays and topple ducks.

Surprising to me, this is the most "viewed" thread/topic of discussion in this forum and the second most viewed thread is long way behind it, 59,267 views vs. 47,568 views. Go figure.

[Kevin McCormack]

Tom is right. A grade 5 on a 4-frame would be quite a find. I was lucky enough to find a grade 3 on a 4-frame. Personally, I think tens are undervalued. There some good ones out there.

If you want to see a great one, look up The Double Gun Journal Vol. 13, Issue 2, p. 43.

[Rick Losey]

I added another one last week - a 1926 field grade Ithaca (or ithica to the hooked on phonics fans) super 10.

I've tried to find an honest one for a while, so the fourth time's the charm :rolleyes: I finally found one with full chokes and unmolested chambers. Metal is honestly worn, but it does need wood work. The top of the stock head needed repair on both sides and the comb at some point was sanded down so someone could use their left eye, once again a story lost to time, war injury? simple accident?

I'll fill that gap and use it as a pattern to build a new stock, but will shoot it ugly this season :rotf:

http://parkerguns.org/forums/picture.php?albumid=872&pictureid=11200

http://parkerguns.org/forums/picture.php?albumid=872&pictureid=11202

http://parkerguns.org/forums/picture.php?albumid=872&pictureid=11199

http://parkerguns.org/forums/picture.php?albumid=872&pictureid=11204

[Mills Morrison]

Very nice Rick!

[Garry L Gordon]

I added another one last week - a 1926 field grade Ithaca (or ithica to the hooked on phonics fans) super 10.

I've tried to find an honest one for a while, so the fourth time's the charm :rolleyes: I finally found one with full chokes and unmolested chambers. Metal is honestly worn, but it does need wood work. The top of the stock head needed repair on both sides and the comb at some point was sanded down so someone could use their left eye, once again a story lost to time, war injury? simple accident?

I'll fill that gap and use it as a pattern to build a new stock, but will shoot it ugly this season :rotf:

http://parkerguns.org/forums/picture.php?albumid=872&pictureid=11200

http://parkerguns.org/forums/picture.php?albumid=872&pictureid=11202

http://parkerguns.org/forums/picture.php?albumid=872&pictureid=11199

http://parkerguns.org/forums/picture.php?albumid=872&pictureid=11204

Thanks for the pictures of your new Ithaca (er, Ithica). They are "far reachin'" guns for sure. A couple of years back I managed a fall turkey -- on the wing -- at 80 steps. I may have frightened the bird to death, but it sure was an experience to take that bird. Unfortunately, I can't hit waterfowl with mine (or, I'm not as lucky as on that one shot at a turkey). I shoot the back trigger on turkeys to save my middle finger from getting pounded by the recoil.

I'm sure you'll get a kick out of shooting yours (sorry!)...and a longer arm from carrying it.

[Tom Poss]

I Do--underlifter

[charlie cleveland]

nice 10 ga s they are my favorite guns...i have a few short tens a parker hammerless p grade 10 2 early lifter 10 s a lefever e grade 10 hammerless a calybourne hammer 10 a d h grade parker 10 a ithaca mag ten....the pictures of the shells with the 10 ga was a neat picture i see some of them were ajax heavies what was the dark blue or black shell....charlie

[todd allen]

I have always thought of the short 10 as an elegant "full size" shotgun. I don't currently have one, but have been been accused of cavorting with those who have.
Anyone remember John Shannefelt from the Sacramento area?

[Rick Losey]

nice 10 ga s they are my favorite guns...i have a few short tens a parker hammerless p grade 10 2 early lifter 10 s a lefever e grade 10 hammerless a calybourne hammer 10 a d h grade parker 10 a ithaca mag ten....the pictures of the shells with the 10 ga was a neat picture i see some of them were ajax heavies what was the dark blue or black shell....charlie

The red hulls are Climax heavies - the black ones say Climax on the brass and DuPont on the over shot card

The calls are an F Allen, a Ditto and an unmarked tongue pincher

[Dean Romig]

The calls are an F Allen, a Ditto and an unmarked tongue pincher

Whaa...?






.

[Mark Ray]

Here is a plebe question. I recently acquired a 3 frame TA Damascus 10, in the 58,000 range with heavy barrels. Is it a given that it is a short 10? Or were there 10’s of that era meant to shoot the big stuff?

[Rick Losey]

Here is a plebe question. I recently acquired a 3 frame TA Damascus 10, in the 58,000 range with heavy barrels. Is it a given that it is a short 10? Or were there 10’s of that era meant to shoot the big stuff?

It should be a short ten. There were longer chambers on a few. But the extra length was for wads to improve the pattern. Not to shoot Roman candles in them

[Rick Losey]

Whaa...?

.

That's duck hunters for ya

[Dean Romig]

Take a steel machinist's rule and measure the chambers. There's a very good possibility, probability yet, that the chambers have the rim at the front of the chamber rather than a forcing cone.






.

[Mark Ray]

Gotcha..and am expecting short chambers........just kind of wondering when the big stuff started showing up...

[Rick Losey]

but still- even if the chambers are longer - the pressures it was designed for were not higher.

the modern 3 1/2 was introduced about 1932

[Stephen Hastie]

Parker Short ten A very nice weapon, With the season just recently started over here, been out a couple of times, still yet to be used to date.

[Jeff Christie]

I killed two nice Canadas last evening with a wonderful but well used EH. RST Bismuth #2s hammered them. One was about 45 yds, the other about 35. They just folded up and were DOA upon impact. Unfortunately it was not a double. I was very lucky on both shots. Now if I can just figure out how to post pictures.

[charlie cleveland]

congratulations jeff the short ten is one fine shooting gun...in my opinion cannot be beat....charlie

[Jeff Christie]

I got another pair yesterday (not a double). One of them had a band! Bands are a big deal around here.

[legh higgins]

broke the ice turkey hunting my 3 frame DH 10

[Dean Romig]

Hey Legh....

.

[Dean Romig]

This is Legh with his nice longbeard last week on the opening day of the Vermont Fall Turkey Season.

.

[Dean Romig]

Legh, which pup is that in your avatar picture? Is that Earl of Coronation, Grace's sire?





.

[John Truitt]

Just a friendly reminder that we are having a 10 ga Parker vs Lc Smith five stand challenge at the Spring Southern side by side this coming April. It will be on the Wednesday of the southern

[CraigThompson]

Just a friendly reminder that we are having a 10 ga Parker vs Lc Smith five stand challenge at the Spring Southern side by side this coming April. It will be on the Wednesday of the southern

I didn’t watch you guys shoot the 5 stand this spring . “Generally” what distance are those targets ? If I’m not mistaken Patton said something about them being further then those on the Sporting Clays course ?

[legh higgins]

yes it is Earl of Coronation...Graces sire

[Ed Blake]

Will the 10 gauge challenge have hammer/hammerless categories?

[John Truitt]

Ed,

NO non of the side challenge events do. They are open to both hammer and hammerless Parkers and LC Smiths.
This is true for the 16 ga, 20 ga and the new 10 ga events for the five stand challenges.

Again only for Parkers and LC Smiths.

All my best,

John

[Mike Koneski]

Just a friendly reminder that we are having a 10 ga Parker vs Lc Smith five stand challenge at the Spring Southern side by side this coming April. It will be on the Wednesday of the southern

We'll be there!!!!!! Looking forward to it.

[Jack Huber]

I don't have a Parker short ten (at least not yet) but I do have three Remington short ten hammer guns. Two of them are 2 5/8" and one is 2 7/8".

Required Parker content: the only 10 gauge all-brass shells I can find are the Parker reproductions from Track of the Wolf. I bought some to make black powder shells, but they aren't cheap - over $7 each. Ouch! Wish there was a less expensive source.

This is a great, long-lasting thread!

[charlie cleveland]

jack you can buy plastic hulls 3 1/2 10 ga hulls cut them to lengtgh desired and use smokeless powder...pete lester has lots of loads listed we all use on this site...but if black powder is your game them brass shells are the way to go....charlie

[Tom Poss]

Loading some now for Pheasants--10ga under lifter!!

[Mike Koneski]

jack you can buy plastic hulls 3 1/2 10 ga hulls cut them to lengtgh desired and use smokeless powder...pete lester has lots of loads listed we all use on this site...but if black powder is your game them brass shells are the way to go....charlie

If you don't want to use brass you can use paper hulls. Federal and Fiocchi make nice paper shells. Then you don't need to deal with plastic fouling in your bbls. Use fiber/card wads too and the bbls will be cleaner.

[Rick Losey]

If you don't want to use brass you can use paper hulls. Federal and Fiocchi make nice paper shells. Then you don't need to deal with plastic fouling in your bbls. Use fiber/card wads too and the bbls will be cleaner.

In 10 gauge? that would be great

[Mike Koneski]

My bad, I was thinking 12g. If I loaded BP for 10g I'd try to find paper hulls or use plastic hulls with fiber/card wads. If they were used hulls, I'd throw them out after using it as the heat from the BP may make the plastic deteriorate.

[Mike Koneski]

Ballistic Products is selling plastic, new, primed Federal 10g hulls that can be cut down.

https://www.ballisticproducts.com/Federal-10ga-new-primed-3-1_2-hulls-50_bag/productinfo/0621035/




Review:
Tough hulls! 7/10/2014
Im running black powder thru these hulls. I made a handloading set and reload them with steel and lead. 95-100 gr. 2F bp. I have 5 reloads and the hulls still have at least 3 more left. Great, great product
- Josephine Sullivan, ME

[Richard Flanders]

The one time I used my 10ga hammer gun to do my "outhouse shoot" I found that I got small holes burned in both once-used and reloaded hulls. Black powder and plastic hulls are a bad idea unless you only intend to use them once.

[wayne goerres]

Bp and plastic don't mix.

[Eric Johanen]

Thank's to Federal 12 papers and imported Cheddites 12 & 16 I use a bunch of black powder loads. Load once and toss as the powder fry's the insides of the hulls. For the 10"s I use plastic hulls as no paper hulls are available. I have not had any bad experiences with melted plastic because I use a fiber wad column. If one uses a plastic wad it will melt and coat the barrels like a snake shedding it's skin. The heat generated from the burning powder acts on the wad base and melts them depositing plastic along the barrels. Load only card and fiber in black powder loads. It really is great fun with black powder loads and they are just as effective as modern powders on clay's or birds. Also a big plus on the wow factor when the smoke billow's and fire belches from your muzzles. Black powder clean up is not a real chore and is accomplished in a very shot time when you set up properly for cleaning. Also GOEX Old Eynsford burns cleaner and the fouling is lighter than more traditional older manufactured powders.
Easily shoot a 50 round clays course without having to run cleaning patches through the tubes using this powder.

[Joe Wood]

For 50 years I’ve cleaned black powder residue exactly the same as nitro except I use Windex as a cleaner. Just three or four patches wetted and then dry. Naysayers there will be but it works for me.

[CraigThompson]

For 50 years I’ve cleaned black powder residue exactly the same as nitro except I use Windex as a cleaner. Just three or four patches wetted and then dry. Naysayers there will be but it works for me.

When I was eat up with leveritus Mike Venturino used to claim using Windex was great in BP applications however he stipulated that you use the Windex based on Apple vinegar I believe it was rather then the regular stuff . Has that been your experience as well ?

[Joe Wood]

Not at all. I find the current off the shelf Windex to be just as good as it ever was. Makes cleaning ever bit as easy as cleaning nitro. Hint: wear latex gloves, BP fouling on the hands does not make the wife very happy even after a thorough scrubbing.

[wayne goerres]

My statement wasn't in reference to clean up But rather to burn through of the hulls in 10ga and especially 8ga. One shot per case gets expensive when you are buying 8ga.

[Eric Johanen]

I generally put up 10 gauge black powder loads on hulls that have been loaded 5 or 6 times so it makes the shoot and toss a bit less painful. Same with Federal paper 12's. For 16's I roll crimp and use those at a event just for the experience of shooting the best loads possible for "Old Time" shooting. I just feel that a good run on clays or a great day in the fields are worth the added expense by using real powder.

[Rick Losey]

its been a slow very wet season so far - but I did get the Ithaca Super 10 out for a rainy day hunt- I like this gun-

http://parkerguns.org/forums/picture.php?albumid=872&pictureid=11308

[charlie cleveland]

love that name super ten....makes me think the gun is magicall....charlie

[James Halvorson]

Somehow missed this thread. You can add me to the list.

I'm shooting an L.C. Smith Baker of Baker Guns, Syracuse short 10. This is one of the models that uses the front trigger to unlock and open the breech. I believe mine is a Quality B and has Damascus barrels.

https://i.imgur.com/eHkkrwG.jpg

[charlie cleveland]

looks like a early lc smith i have a lc smith in short ten also i need to get out more...charlie

[James Halvorson]

Thanks Charlie. I believe it was made somewhere between 1878-1880. Serial number is just over 7800 which should put it near that time frame. I acquired it through a fellow hunter safety instructor who had it stowed away without ever firing it. She is in good shape especially considering that she's 140 years old. I sent her off to Kody Kearcher in Oregon for an inspection. Otherwise she hasn't been restored or modified. 32 inch barrels and tips the scales at ten pounds. A joy to shoot but I'm a little slow at cocking those hammers on the flush.

[Dean Romig]

Open the action and cock the hammers.
On the flush simply close the action as you bring the gun up.

Of course, some guns don’t allow you to do that.




.

[Garry L Gordon]

its been a slow very wet season so far - but I did get the Ithaca Super 10 out for a rainy day hunt- I like this gun-

http://parkerguns.org/forums/picture.php?albumid=872&pictureid=11308

Beautiful gun, handsome dog, great photo. I love seeing member photos!!

[Garry L Gordon]

Somehow missed this thread. You can add me to the list.

I'm shooting an L.C. Smith Baker of Baker Guns, Syracuse short 10. This is one of the models that uses the front trigger to unlock and open the breech. I believe mine is a Quality B and has Damascus barrels.

https://i.imgur.com/eHkkrwG.jpg

Thanks for the photo!! Gosh, the tales that gun could tell...

[Mills Morrison]

I lost count on how many I have

[charlie cleveland]

mills that is a great answer......LOST COUNT........charlie

[Mills Morrison]

Maybe if I buy a few more I can figure it out.

Really, I got two this year that are great additions to the gun safe

[michaeltoal]

I have a #2 frame 10 with 2 5/8" chambers and 28" barrels from the factory in 1875.
Great gun for clays. David


I have the same gun. Where can one find ammo for this gun?? Thanks in advance.

[Alan B. Webber]

RST sells a short 10 in a ten pack box. Velocity is 1175, 1 1/4 oz of lead 7.5 shot. It's a great low pressure load, a bit expensive but save the cases and reload them. Easy for me to say: I have a whole wine crate full of cases and haven't done it yet.
You'll enjoy the loads. I shoot ZZ's and driven mallards with them. No recoil in my #6 frames.

On another load I just saw this morning Ballistic Products has a 5/8 oz, 1 3/4" ,1200 fps, 12 ga load that has to be great for Damascus 12's.

[Mills Morrison]

RST is where I get my 10 gauge shells

[Alan B. Webber]

I shoot three short 10's: one #3 frame and two #6 frames.

[CraigThompson]

I find my accumulation of 10’s keeps growing . Not my original intention but I suppose there are worse things :whistle:

[Mills Morrison]

10s keep finding me too

[Alan B. Webber]

Me too. I had to really step away from one the other week.
I've found a lot of duck hunters are not too keen on tens and don't want them shot on their clubs. They think people skyscrape with tens. Fact is they really skyscrape with 3.5" 12s.
The good news is if you put a good lead on a duck at 70 yards with a 10 you'll hit it.
That's what they were made for.

[CraigThompson]

10s keep finding me too

I suppose seven or eight more Parker10’s and an Ithaca NID Mag 10 and I’ll be satisfied :rotf::rotf::rotf:

[charlie cleveland]

wish they had made enough 10 ga 6 frame guns were we all could have had one....i love those big frame guns....charlie

[Tom Flanigan]

Me too. I had to really step away from one the other week.
The good news is if you put a good lead on a duck at 70 yards with a 10 you'll hit it.
That's what they were made for.y)

There are a lot of "ifs" in that statement. It can be done if you are using a pellet size that will have sufficient retained energy at 70 yards, if the gun will throw a dense enough pattern to get the required number of shot in the bird for a clean kill (1 1/4 oz. 10 bore loads won't do it anywhere near consistently) and if the shooter is skilled in long range shooting and has taken plenty of shots at paper at 70 yards to make sure his gun and loads will do the job humanely.

Captain Charles Askins and Elmer Keith, early proponents of long range shooting, killed a lot of waterfowl at 70 yards and beyond, but they knew their guns and loads intimately through a lot of work at the pattern board. They knew what it took to kill consistently at long range and they were diligent in making sure that the guns and loads they used were sufficient for the task. There was no guess work with those boys. They did it the way it needs to be done.

Taking shots at extra-long range, regardless of the gauge of the gun, without doing the required due diligence with both gun and loads, is sky busting in my opinion. I must admit that I have little patience for sky busters. It has always been a pet peeve of mine.

[charlie cleveland]

the ten ga short 2 7/8 shell with bismouth bb size shot will cleanly kill a duck a big duck or goose at 70 yards and the 3 1/2 inch 10 ga with 2 1/4 ounces of bismouth bb shot will kill cleanly at 70 yards...i have tested these guns many times on paper and cans....the holdback to this range at 70 yards is having a person who can handle one of the big guns and bee able to shoot them well...the 12 ga 3 incg gun and the 3 1/2 inch 12 ga will also kill cleanly at this range...the guns are capable but most shooters at this range are only sky busting them but the right man with these guns will be as good ascaptain charles askins and elmer keith.....my dad was a fine long range duck shooter but i am not with the same gun.....charlie

[davidboyles]

Charlie helpful response on Short Ten kill range. I am going to go and take the 10 I have for sale on GI and keep it!!!!

[Craig Larter]

When this thread started I owned no Parker 10's. Now I own 5. A 6 frame 10ga NH, a D 6 frame 10ga 36", a DH, CH and AH 3 frames. Looking for a BH Damascus and GH.

[davidboyles]

I now own an EH Damascus 30” on #3 frame had a good time on doves whitewings and morning I like to shoot gauge mates and AA 1 1/8oz 7 1/2 shot. Turkeys this spring with RST 2 7/8 # 6 shot. Counting the days. Shot couple ducks with gauge mates and 12 ga Kent Bismuth.

[Mills Morrison]

I have 30 inch 10 gauges and 32 inch 10 gauges and I think the 30 inch ones handle a little better. The weight is not too far out front

[CraigThompson]

I have 30 inch 10 gauges and 32 inch 10 gauges and I think the 30 inch ones handle a little better. The weight is not too far out front

My 28” EH is kinda lively innthe hands , you oughtta try a round of skeet with it . Now if I can ever run across a 26” EH :whistle: Your 4 frames aren’t longer then 32” ?

[davidboyles]

Mills I agree my 32” bbls seem like too much weight forward. I wish the good priest who ordered this gun had specified 30” and 32” instead of 28 and 32!!! My EH 30 inch swings great on doves.

[michaeltoal]

RST sells a short 10 in a ten pack box. Velocity is 1175, 1 1/4 oz of lead 7.5 shot. It's a great low pressure load, a bit expensive but save the cases and reload them. Easy for me to say: I have a whole wine crate full of cases and haven't done it yet.
You'll enjoy the loads. I shoot ZZ's and driven mallards with them. No recoil in my #6 frames.

On another load I just saw this morning Ballistic Products has a 5/8 oz, 1 3/4" ,1200 fps, 12 ga load that has to be great for Damascus 12's.


Thank you Alan. I just ordered some ammo from RST. Looking forward to trying out this family heirloom for the first time. And, I will save the shells and try my hand at reloading. This shotgun has really been teaching me a lot and exposing me to a whole new world of hunting and firearms history.

Hey, if you want to send me a dozen or so of those shells I'd be happy to send you a gift card to whatever store you like to shop at......

MT

[Tom Flanigan]

the ten ga short 2 7/8 shell with bismouth bb size shot will cleanly kill a duck a big duck or goose at 70 yards and the 3 1/2 inch 10 ga with 2 1/4 ounces of bismouth bb shot will kill cleanly at 70 yards...i have tested these guns many times on paper and cans....the holdback to this range at 70 yards is having a person who can handle one of the big guns and bee able to shoot them well...the 12 ga 3 incg gun and the 3 1/2 inch 12 ga will also kill cleanly at this range...the guns are capable but most shooters at this range are only sky busting them but the right man with these guns will be as good ascaptain charles askins and elmer keith.....my dad was a fine long range duck shooter but i am not with the same gun.....charlie



Charlie, I agree with you. But a 10 bore is not a 70+ yard gun unless it is bored appropriately and heavy 10 bore loads are used in it. A 1 ¼ 10 bore load, as is sometimes used in these guns, won’t do it. Some assume a 10 bore is automatically a 70+ yard gun. It may be, but only if it is bored and loaded appropriately. I have absolutely no experience with the 12 bore magnum loads so I can’t speak to their effectiveness at long range. I only speak about things that I have actual and extensive experience with.

I’ve never owned a gun, 10 or 12 bore that patterned BB’s worth a damn. I’ve gotten passable patterns with #2’s from a 10 bore but not a 12. Whether or not my long range guns are typical, I don’t know. I used #3’s back when I could get that size shot from Herter’s. When it was no longer available, I went with 4’s.

[CraigThompson]

I dunno if I posted this before or not . At the time my only hammerless Parker 10’s . At the top a circa 1889 EH 2 frame 30” below that a circa 1890 NH 3 frame 32” below that a circa 1891 EH 2 frame 28” and on the bottom a circa 1899 EH 3 frame 32” . I’ve since added a circa 1889 DH 3 frame 32” thatsin need of some work .

[charlie cleveland]

nice collection of 10 bores you have there.....charlie

[Jeff Christie]

You just can’t have too many tens ��! Love it.

[CraigThompson]

You just can’t have too many tens ��! Love it.

I heard that ! I just added a 0 Grade 4 frame with 34” barrels . Hopefully I’ll have in hand in 10-14 days !

[Jeff Christie]

Therapy? LOL! Bet the new on is great. Maybe for a turkey over in the Blue Ridge or in The Valley! Good luck! Jeff

[CraigThompson]

Therapy? LOL! Bet the new on is great. Maybe for a turkey over in the Blue Ridge or in The Valley! Good luck! Jeff

Like most everything I buy it has a couple issues but time and dollars should fix that :rotf:

[charlie cleveland]

sounds like you have bought a great gun bet shes shot her share of ducks in the past hopefly some in the future....charlie...

[CraigThompson]

sounds like you have bought a great gun bet shes shot her share of ducks in the past hopefly some in the future....charlie...

I dunno about killing anymore ducks with it . But if I live long enough and the river don’t rise I’d be willing to bet a tidy sum that it kills a deer with one of my handloads :whistle:

[jim garrett]

I'll be shooting the "boathouse" in the 10 gauage challenge .

[William Kennedy]

I have killed numerous snow geese and several sandhill cranes with my 2 7/8" EG. Handloaded with bismuth shot.

[William Kennedy]

I have killed numerous snow geese and several sandhill cranes with my 2 7/8" EH. Handloaded with bismuth shot.

[Steve Huffman]

I did read most of this but Im still confused as why the 2 7/8 is called the short ten, what is the 2 5/8 called Shorty ?

[Milton C Starr]

I did read most of this but Im still confused as why the 2 7/8 is called the short ten, what is the 2 5/8 called Shorty ?

I think the 2 5/8 is slightly earlier than the 2 7/8s . From what ive read though the 2 7/8 became more or less the standard 10 ga length . But when you mention the 10 ga to most people they automatically think of the 3.5 magnum . So the 2 7/8 is the short 10 ga compared to the 10 ga 3.5 . I don't think 10 ga 2 5/8 guns were as mass produced as 2 7/8s .

[Rick Losey]

the 2 5/8 10 was the common "short" ten in England -

even as the 2 7/8 was the norm here

[Jack Huber]

I think the 2 5/8 is slightly earlier than the 2 7/8s . From what ive read though the 2 7/8 became more or less the standard 10 ga length ………... I don't think 10 ga 2 5/8 guns were as mass produced as 2 7/8s .

I believe Milton is correct. I have three Remington 10 gauge doubles made in the mid-1880s and they have 2 5/8" chambers. My 10 gauge Remington double made in 1899 has 2 7/8" chambers.

[Steve Huffman]

So after what year did Parker make 2 7/8 standard ?

[Milton C Starr]

I believe Milton is correct. I have three Remington 10 gauge doubles made in the mid-1880s and they have 2 5/8" chambers. My 10 gauge Remington double made in 1899 has 2 7/8" chambers.

Well I think hes also right the 2 5/8 was more popular in England but I think they also ended going with the 2 7/8 length as well shortly after the Americans or around the same time .

[Stephen Hastie]

Yep I use my short Ten.

[Pete Lester]

You just can’t have too many tens ��! Love it.

They are a lot of fun to shoot, and another one has followed me home. A grade 1 Ithaca Crass from 1895, 30" Twist barrels and lots of condition and tight. Not a lot of bling, but a lot of gun for not a lot of money. Oddly enough the frame is stamped 1P (grade 1 plain) and 12, but it is a 10 gauge. I am guessing it's just a miss stamp, it weighs 8 1/2 pounds.

[charlie cleveland]

nice gun i like those barrels...just a big old 12 ga...ha charlie

[Milton C Starr]

Since this thread was started 9 years ago it would be interesting to see who is still shooting the short 10 .

The unfortunate thing is when I try to convince people to give the short 10 a try they think its going to kick like a 10 ga 3.5 magnum and trying to explain the difference , it just gives them a headache .

I was telling my FFL recently that I was going to be buying a 2 7/8 10 ga soon and was going to get him to do the transfer for me . He started telling how the 10 ga was too much gun and the recoil was too extreme . So I tried explaining to him what the 10 ga 2 7/8 was and with RST ammo you're essentially shooting the payload of a modern 20 ga but in a much heavier gun . His response was nope 10 ga = loose teeth fillings ......

[Rick Losey]

Tell him to find a better dentist

[Kenny Graft]

I bought my first Parker 10 last week right here on the for sale board…(-: Its due to arrive March 5th, Thursday-ish. Its a GH-10 2 7/8 30" F/F I have RST ammo 5# 7.5# already that I bought for a Ithaca super 10 and I have a NIB sizemaster press with short kit and some other needed goodies. I never warmed up to the NID-10, never shot the gun or used the loading stuff before selling the Ithaca. I had planed to take all this stuff to Hausemann,s in June and sell it. Then the bug hit me to just buy a Parker 10 and use the stuff myself so I started looking. I really wanted a graded hammer lifter or top lever hammer gun but when this GH came up I had to have it. Maybe they will let me shoot her at the bo-woop traps at Hausemann,s this june...wink,wink (-: SXS Ohio

[Milton C Starr]

Tell him to find a better dentist

One of the first 10 ga 2 7/8s I owned was a 10lb CG Bonehill , I ended up selling it to my cousin . Shes about 5'6 and 105lb and after she shot it she said it was the softest shooting shotgun she had ever shot . After that she had to have it haha .

I think a good 10 or 12 ga sxs with some weight to it ( I suppose a heavy 12 ga would be 8lbs?) and some RST loads is a good combination for a smaller stature person wanting to enjoy shotguns .

Most uncomfortable shotgun I ever owned was a Ithaca 37 featherlight 16 ga .

[Craig Larter]

As a hopelessly addicted duck hunter I have gone way overboard on the short 10 but it is the best choice for ducks. I have plenty of friends who shoot ducks with smaller bore guns and they get the job done most of the time. But after many years of observation and personal experience the short 10 is still the best duck gun ever.
I own 4 Elsie 10's, and 8 Parker 10's. Long live the 10!!!

[Milton C Starr]

As a hopelessly addicted duck hunter I have gone way overboard on the short 10 but it is the best choice for ducks. I have plenty of friends who shoot ducks with smaller bore guns and they get the job done most of the time. But after many years of observation and personal experience the short 10 is still the best duck gun ever.
I own 4 Elsie 10's, and 8 Parker 10's. Long live the 10!!!

Craig I bet that 15lb 10 ga 2 7/8 barely kicks . I think the barrels weigh about the same as my 10 ga MLs .

I have yet to try the short 10 on waterfowl , I really want to get into geese hunting this year with it . The short 10 makes a mean long range squirrel gun however :whistle:

[charlie cleveland]

amen on the best squirl gun ever....to me the short ten is the best duck gun made....charlie

[Danielclark]

My hammer 10 ga has 32" barrels and 2 7/8" barrels. So is it a short 10?

[Frank Cronin]

My hammer 10 ga has 32" barrels and 2 7/8" barrels. So is it a short 10?

Yes it is.

[Rick Losey]

My hammer 10 ga has 32" barrels and 2 7/8" barrels. So is it a short 10?

Daniel

The barrel length doesn’t matter

It’s the 2 7/8 chambers ( or the less common 2 5/8) that defines a short ten since the longer shells came along

[Garry L Gordon]

Tell him to find a better dentist

...or to go back and re-take high school physics...

[Garhart Stephenson]

I really like mine. EH 10 is right at home with prairie birds like Sharptail grouse.

[Bruce Day]

26” 10ga pheasant gun.

[Danielclark]

Wow is that a DH 10 ga? Beautiful looking Damascus.

[michael Valek]

I will soon, just purchased one. Its on the way to Arizona from Wisconsin. I reload my own for BPCR and am new to reloading Shotgun hulls.

[Alan B. Webber]

Just curious how many of us are actively shooting a Parker short 10 in any grade? I know of Scott Kittredge, Bill Janelle, Bob Fabian, Rick Weik, Mark Ouellette, Charlie Cleveland, Bill Murphy, Frank Cronin and myself. Just curious how popular the moribund 2 7/8" 10ga is among us.


I shoot two #6 frame d grades, one hammerless, one hammer. BP and smokeless.

[Dave Noreen]

Wow is that a DH 10 ga? Beautiful looking Damascus.

If Bruce has it, you should know it is a Quality CH. May be a "Pheasant Gun" as Bruce says now, but probably started life as a Prairie Chicken gun!! I'd certainly be proud to shoot either with it.

[Milton C Starr]

I shoot two #6 frame d grades, one hammerless, one hammer. BP and smokeless.

Do you have any pictures of your 6 frame 10 gauges ? I always like seeing them so far I think ive saw perhaps 5 or 6 of them .

Currently I have 2 short 10 gauges my 6 frame NH and my grade 2 top action hammer gun. After carrying the 6 frame a 3 frame feels like a 16 gauge :rotf:.

[Bill Murphy]

My #6 frame NH Twist Steel is an impressive gun, but not much fun to carry. As I recall, this is the ten in my collection with factory lettered 3 1/2" chambers. I'm in the middle of starting to reload for the short ten, first time in about ten years. I have two loaders on the bench, a MEC and a PW 375, but can't get any good crimps on cut off hulls. I will load with an over shot wad, sealed with Elmer's wood glue. Testing will tell whether the top wad in the left barrel will move after firing the right barrel. I've loaded eights for years with a top wad and no crimp, so I expect the tens to exhibit about the same result.

[charlie cleveland]

it will work good bill I have loaded 8 ga 10 ga and even the 410 doing it...not the best looking shells but they still go bang....charlie

[Bill Murphy]

Well, Charlie, I won't be carrying any six frames in the field, so the crimpless shells should be no problem on the sporting clays course where I can keep an eye on the top wad.

[Milton C Starr]

Currently I have some RSTs 2 5/8s which come with a nice roll crimp and some 2 7/8 bismuth loads . The Bismuth are 1 1/4oz of 2s and the roll crimped ones are 1 1/4oz of lead 4s . I havnt gotten around to patterning any them as of yet . My 8 gauge loads are glued , I have a roll crimper but I have read mixed results with the BPI one . I lost out on a ebay bid for a vintage 8 gauge roll crimper but once it went over $400 I figured I could live with gluing the overshot card in :rotf: .

[charlie cleveland]

milt them crimps of yours are really nice...hope you shoot that bismouth load soon I m wondering how it will pattern...charlie