The early 1-1/4 ounce 12-gauge loading (2-3/4") wasn't that popular before the introduction of progressive powders in the Super-X shell (1922) and its clones. That's because the earlier degressive burning powders like DuPont's Bulk and dense Ballistite and Infallible couldn't get all that shot moving in a hurry without deforming a large percentage of the pellets, and especially when restricted in a chamber that was 1/8" short. Hence it was known that the 2-5/8" 1-1/8 ounce load would perform about at par at distance, and with less recoil. I don't know about early Parkers but I've seen and measured many early Foxes in wildfowler configuration that have factory chambers measuring a full 2-3/4" - no doubt intended for what was then max long range performance with the period 1-1/4 ounce factory loads with degressive powders in 2-3/4" cases.
Regarding those Winchester 1893's and Spencer pump guns I have a hard time believing that 2-5/8" shells were being manufactured in quantity for a comparatively small number of them. And it would be nice to hear from someone who actually measured their chambers (or the ones ones in that Parker in the pic) to tell us if they are really 2-1/2" as per my earlier question.
Dave's comment on Savage lengthening 20 and 16 gauge chambers makes sense after small gauge shells were standardized at 2-3/4" but again, if 2-5/8" chambers were intended for 2-3/4" shells for that "tight gas seal", why was that done on 12-gauge guns? A rhetorical question gents .....
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