10 Gauge Lifter or Top Lever?
 

I want to add to my Parker collection this year with a 10 Gauge hammer gun. This would be my first short chambered 10 gauge and something I would like to shoot with low pressure shells.

I searched the forum on chamber lengths and couldn't find any years or serial numbers where the chamber lengths went from 2 5/8 to 2 7/8. I had assumed all Lifters were 2 5/8's and all Top Levers were 2 7/8's, but really have nothing to base my "guess" on. Is this assumption true?

I don't reload 10 Gauge(though I am open to it) and wanted to use RST Shells(which are 2 7/8) at least to get started using the gun.

I may be over thinking this and should just find a gun I like, Lifter or Top Lever, and then worry about chamber length. Any input would be appreciated.

Thank you,

Jay

No, your assumption is not necessarily correct. I have a lifter 10 with 2 7/8" chambers and have had other lifter 10's with 2 7/8" chambers.

I also have a D grade lifter 10 with 2 7/8 chambers and shoot RST's. I also enjoy 12ga chambermates and the much more affordable 12ga RSTs in the gun
David
I favor the lifters and have one from 20ga to 10ga and shoot them all!

You should probably avoid guns with square corner chambers if you are going to shoot it a lot. By the way, 2 5/8" tens are in the planning stages at RST. Pick the nicest gun you can afford. Buy condition.

Bill, did you mean "square corner chambers" or a 90 degree standing breech to action flats angle?

I appreciate the responses, and in my searching online did seem to find more guns I like that are lifters. I just was concerned about 2 5/8 length as far as shell availability. I agree with you on condition and would like to find a nice grade 2 gun.

Last year I bought a lifter radius and a top lever , both 10 gauge and both Grade 2 . I do hand load so shells are of no issue to me . And if my memory serves both of these guns are 2 7/8" by my brownells chamber gauge . The lifter is an 1881 gun and the top lever is an 1884 gun .

You may wish to actually handle the lifter guns before you leap . While I have found the top levers I've handled to be shoot able as is , the stock dimènsions on the lifters I've handled have been a little much in the drop department .

Dean, I was referring to square corner chambers. Of course, I don't even know whether my shooters have them.

Craig -

What is a "lifter radius"?