Three-inch shells have been around just about as long as cartridge shotguns have been around. Prior to repeaters, which needed a certain length shell to function reliably, there were a plethora of shell lengths. In my 1903 UMC catalogue there were 12-gauge paper shells 2 5/8, 2 3/4, 2 7/8, 3 and 3 1/4 inch. The 16-gauge was available 2 9/16, 2 3/4, 2 7/8, and 3 inch. The 20-gauge was offered in 2 1/2, 2 3/4, 2 7/8, and 3 inch. In those days these longer shells didn't pack a heavier payload, but more and better wadding for a better gas seal which many serious Pigeon shooters thought to be an advantage. The first time I see the longer shells packing a heavier load was around 1912 for the 3-inch 20-gauge for the famous Widgeon Duck Club Parker Bros. guns and the J. Stevens A & T Co. pump gun. These 3-inch 20-gauge shells packed 2 1/2 drams equiv and 7/8 ounce of shot as opposed to the max load of 2 1/4 drams equiv and 7/8 ounce of shot in the standard 2 1/2 inch 20-gauge shell!!! Several of the early Ansley H. Fox graded 20-gauge guns, circa 1912-13 were chambered for the 3-inch shell of that period. WW-I and the rise of repeaters requiring a specific length shell to operate reliably did away with this plethora of shell lengths briefly. We have found nine 3-inch chambered graded 16-gauge guns and one ordered chambered for 2 7/8 inch shells in the surviving Fox records. I seriously doubt a "made-for-stock" gun like a Trojan would be made with longer chambers. Some time back, Drew Hause published links to some old magazine articles about Parker Bros.'s A.W. DuBray hunting in the South with a 2 7/8 inch 16-gauge.
While my collection of ammo company paper from the 1930s is far from complete, the only listing for a 3-inch 16-gauge shell I've found during the 1930s is in the 1934 Winchester catalogue where they offer their old style Leader shell, which was loaded with bulk or dense smokeless powders, in a 3-inch 16-gauge shell. The 3-inch 16-gauge shell Stdat shows in the Model 21 chapter of his Winchester shotguns and shells book is a Leader. However, the maximum load offered in the 16-gauge Leader was 1 ounce of shot, while the newer style Winchester Super Speed shell loaded with progressive burning powder offered a 2 9/16 inch shell with a 3 dram equiv., 1 1/8 ounce load!?!
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