Shot Shell Sizes

[Larry Angus]

I'm new to this so bear with me..

I have a 16 guage Trojan in excellent shape. It has not had much use over the past 40 years, but when used my brothers and I always shot 2 3/4" dove/quail/pheasant loads. The gun was manufactured in 1914 and I have sent for the available research paper. The barrells are 28". Now I am wondering if we should have been shooting 2 1/2" shells all along.

I want to order a mix of the RST 2 1/2" low pressure shells to preserve the gun but wonder what the difference in the shooting performance/pattern will be verses the 2 1/2" shells.

[full choke 16]

One ounce from a 16 ga. will take just about any dove, quail or pheasant. The birds won't know if the shell was a 2 1/2 or 2 3/4 incher. Most likely you won't see a change in performance there. RST is quality stuff.

[MarketHunter]

RST makes the best of the best as far as what a friend calls boutique shotgun loads. And they're as fine a bunch of folks as you'd ever want to deal with. I look forward to visiting with Morris and Alex whenever I'm at one of the big shooting events more than I look forward to the shooting at the event.


Destry

[Researcher]

When your Trojan left Meriden in 1914, it most likely had chambers about 2 7/16 inches deep intended for the "standard" 2 9/16 inch 16-gauge shells of the day that were loaded with 7/8 or 1 ounce of shot. The longer 2 3/4, 2 7/8 and 3-inch 16-gauge shells of that time carried more and better wadding, but still no more than 1 ounceof shot.

The first 16-gauge shells loaded with progressive burning smokeless powder and 1 1/8 ounces of shot were introduced about 1923, by Western Cartridge Co. and were put up in the old 2 9/16 inch case. When Remington Arms Co., Inc. introduced their Model 11 and "The Sportsman" in 16-gauge, they were chambered for 2 3/4 inch shells. Remington introduced a special 2 3/4 inch version of their progressive burning powder 16-gauge Nitro Express load which was in a 2 9/16 inch case. They called this 2 3/4 inch 16-gauge 2 3/4 inch progressive burning powder load the Auto Express and they sped the load up just a bit to 3 1/4 drams equiv. and 1 1/8 ounce while the 2 9/16 inch 3 drams equiv.and 1 1/8 ounce. American loading companies finally phased out the 2 9/16 inch 16-gauge shells in the early 1960s as they were going to plastic shells.

[Larry Angus]

Thanks for the post Researcher. Great information. I will purchase a mix of dove/quail and pheasant loads from RST just to make sure I preserve the gun. I am going to look into a single stage 16 guage reloader.