Heavy loads
 

There are always a few threads about chamber pressures, wall thickness, and heavy and light loads, what is considered a heavy load? My favorite factory loads are the Remington Express Long Range loads, in 12 ga. 2 3/4 inch they are 3 1/4 dram. 1 1/4 oz. of shot. Are these ok to use in an old Parker with steel barrels, what is the min. wall you would feel comfortable using these in? Also, people always bring up frame size, but isn't the barrel thickness more important? I would feel more comfortable with a 1 frame 12 ga. with .030" walls than a 2 frame with .025 walls. Any thoughts?
Thanks, Chris

Chris, this is from FAQs on the PGCA Home Page.

http://parkerguns.org/pages/faq/BarrelThickness.htm

Frame Size and Barrel Thickness
 

Chris ; Each number of parker frame size increases the firing pin separation by 1/16 inch, and the breech width by 1/8 inch. This means that the chamber and first few inches of barrel are nominally 1/16 inch larger in a gun with a 1 digit larger frame size. The customer could specify gun weight, so the frame and barrels can be thinner than the nominal size.
Another important point is that as frame size increases, the area in contact of breech ,water table and barrels increases, lessening the stress on the hinge and bolt areas. A lesser but important point is that the area of the butt in contact with the frame increases with frame size.
A 1 1/2 or 2 frame gun will probably handle those loads for one or two hunts a year and show little stress. Both your shoulder and the gun will have a less stressful day if you find a heavier ( 8 plus pound) 2 or 3 frame gun.

Best, Austin

Chris: 1 1/4 oz. 3 1/4 dram loads would be considered 'light' by pre-1900 Live Bird and Inanimate Target shooters. See https://docs.google.com/View?id=dfg2hmx7_333g89dwqg8
And they were limited to guns weighing less than 8 pounds "weighed naked" :)
http://www.la84foundation.org/Sports.../SL3024020.pdf

100 year old wood might appreciate slightly less recoil however

http://pic20.picturetrail.com:80/VOL.../231715930.jpg

Thanks for the info. guys.