PARTIAL PAYMENT :eek: ELDER (assumption) ABUSE ME THINKS :nono:

Austin, What lenght shell are you looking for was it in 12 I got some old ones I can look at. My 10 has brass chambers, going to trim some plastic hulls when I trim should I measure the shell from the bottom of the rim or the top of the rim? ch

Shells and scale
 

Jeff; would you lay that Parker shell beside a scale and photograph it as Mike did? Calvin, if you have any fired pre WW II vintage paper shells, do the same.

Thanks, Austin

How long is a 2 3/4 inch shell?
 

Mike's find in the empties barrel is quite interesting. A couple of those ca 1935 +/- shells might be 1 /32 or 1/16 under 2 3/4 considering parallax in the photo, but they certainly appear to be true 2 3/4 inch shells.
I have about 5000 "modern" empties from this summer's trap skeet and 5 stand activity. I searched out about 8 individual labels and measured them with a Starrett micrometer caliper. I assume that multiple loadings stretch rather than shrink shells;some have become ragged, but most measure around 2.66 or less. I found some Federal Paper trap paper twelves to measure 2.73 (once fired) and some of the new type "grey" AA's to measure 2 .71. New "shiny red" AA's are about 2.62, as are most Remington "Gun Clubs".
I reached wayyyyy in the back of the shell cabinet and retrieved the box of shells pictured. These are from some great days in the Mohawk Valley and southern Adirondacks. Note the $3.20 price on the label; they are about 1955 vintage. I don't have a gun to shoot them in any more; I gave my steel framed Ithaca 20 to my grandson.
These SuperX 20 ga magnums are paper cased, with a water resistant wrap. I had forgotten that a pie crimp preceded plastic cases. The unfired case measures 2 5/16 inch; at least another 5/16 must unroll from the crimp to equal the Modern AA skeet load that measures 2 5/8 inch.
I'll put a few in the baggage and bring them to Pin tail; if anyone has a proper 20 he can fire them and we will check the fired length.
Best, Austin

Austin,
The 10 parker shell is 2 1/2". I would quess that the roll crimp would open up to 2 5/8 ".
Jeff

Parker Shell
 

Thanks, Jeff. I wonder if we have anyone with access to an industrial X Ray to measure the powder column in that shell. My guess would be bulk smokeless, because it doesn't appear to be deteriorated.
It is interesting that the "modern" Super X Magnum is shorter to accomodate the pie crimp. There wasn't as much need for powder space, but one would assume that a long wad would have been used in these.

Best Austin