Scott, John Puglisi noted that the chambers of your new gun were 3". Are they, indeed, 3 inches? They may very well be a special order item. The big ammunition manufacturers provided hulls in various lengths. Not so much to pack a heavier payload, but to add wads.

Curious to what the advantage of adding extra wads were back in the day?

I dunno. It must have something to do with cushioning the shot(?). The 1914 Winchester catalog shows the NPE 10 gauge Leader hull in 6 lengths, from 2-5/8" to 3-1/4". The same catalog has the loaded Leader 20 gauge with 2-1/2 drams of Bulk Smokeless and 7/8 ounce of shot in a 2-3/4" or 3" shell. The 28 gauge 'Repeater' has 2 drams of bulk and 5/8 ounce of shot in a 2-7/8" shell. These are certainly not heavy loads and could have been loaded in 2-1/2" hulls.

mark, when i checked it they were 2 7/8ths, the gun is heavy for a 2 frame 10lbs 4 oz on my baby scale, between firing pins is 1 .125. scott

I finished cleaning the 'old girl' up and tried a few of my 1 ounce handloads. Yep, she's a 'keeper' alright! It balances right at the hinge and does not seem muzzle heavy like my other tens. A check will be in the mail for a letter tomorrow! Cheers, everyone.

I won't comment on the great #3 frame gun that came out of Puglisi's. However, I will give you the wall thickness figures on the #3 frame hammer ten I just got in the mail from an internet purchase. There were some few places that showed measurements of .050, but they were way up front. The bores in the first half did not show any place under .060. Now I know why many Damascus barrel British ten bores pass nitro proof with 3 1/2" shells.

My PGCA letter states that my gun was ordered by Powell and Clement, of Cincinnati, on 5 FEB 1886 and shipped on 15 JUN 1886. The 30 inch Laminated Steel Barrels were choked F and F. The gun weighed 9 pounds 3 ounces. Price was $70.00. All specs still match, for which I am pleased! It is nice to have a gun that isn't all goobered up. Cheers!