2 7/8" SHELLS IN 2 5/8"

[J. A. EARLY]

I've seen all the debate about 2 3/4" shells in 2 1/2" or 2 5/8" chambers which I shoot all the time, but do you believe the same applies to the short 10? I picked up a lifter 10 on a No. 2 frame with Plain Twist but it has 2 5/8" chambers. All of my shells are 2 7/8" with about 7700 p.s.i. according to the chart. Shooting 1.5 ounces which I like. I know I could roll crimp but I've never had success with that and don't know of a 1/4" spacer for the 10 short kit.

Opinions? Thanks.

[OH Osthaus]

Originally Posted by Jerry Harlow

I've seen all the debate about 2 3/4" shells in 2 1/2" or 2 5/8" chambers which I shoot all the time, but do you believe the same applies to the short 10? I picked up a lifter 10 on a No. 2 frame with Plain Twist but it has 2 5/8" chambers. All of my shells are 2 7/8" with about 7700 p.s.i. according to the chart. Shooting 1.5 ounces which I like. I know I could roll crimp but I've never had success with that and don't know of a 1/4" spacer for the 10 short kit.

Opinions? Thanks.

I'll get a picture for you- I put a 1/4 riser under my MEC 10's short kit, just a scrap of maple plywood I had around- just traced the shell holder and cut it out on the band saw- works fine

but lately I have been using the Ballistic Products roll crimper- i like the results,

[J. A. EARLY]

p.s I might add the bores are larger than .791 where the choke starts so the bores are oversized from the usual 10 gauge measurements of my other 10s. They are big ahead of the chambers also. I'll need to get my pin gauges out since the Skeets gauge will go no higher. They have .030 choke in both but the thinnest spots are .050 on the right and .045 on the left and almost all over .050. Since this is not in the book I wonder if this started life as a 12?

[J. A. EARLY]

Originally Posted by Rick Losey

I'll get a picture for you- I put a 1/4 riser under my MEC 10's short kit, just a scrap of maple plywood I had around- just traced the shell holder and cut it out on the band saw- works fine

but lately I have been using the Ballistic Products roll crimper- i like the results,

Rick,

Thanks for the photo of your riser. I finally made a riser for my short kit out of 1/4" plywood and that worked great.

Now the problem with the loader. I wanted to use 6 point crimps so I cut down some Federals to 2 5/8" and cut petals off of the SP10 wad, and put the 1 1/4 oz. lead load using 32 grains of SR7625 which called for a 6 point crimps.

Trouble is, even though it looks to have plenty of room in there my MEC crushes the side walls on every load I have made. If I back it off enough to avoid the destruction, it won't crimp. I'm guessing it is just too much stuff in there. I can roll crimp, but then I only can get one load out of each hull and that's too expensive.

2nd question: Any problem shooting shells with slight dimple in the wall? I can't see how that would hurt and it should straighten them back out!

Thoughts.

[wayne goerres]

Jerry. Is your gun chambered for the brass shells ( abrupt shoulder ) or the paper hull. One of our members tried using 2 7/8" hulls in a gun chambered for 2 5/8" for the brass hulls and it kicked real bad. Just my opinion but an 1 1/2oz of shot through a 2 5/8" chamber may be a little much. Paul Harm may be able to tell you more about it. He gave me the loads for mine.

[J. A. EARLY]

Wayne,

Appears to be a standard chamber. No abrupt end to chamber.

[wayne goerres]

Jerry I pretty much stick with using 2 5/5" shells in a 2 5/8" chamber. If it was 1/8" difference I might try it But 1/4" I don't think so. I may have to try the wood spacer trick. It would be faster than roll crimping.

[Big Friend Ten (BFT)]

The thin plastic hulls of today do little to restrict the shot column moving through the forcing cone. Sherman Bell disproved this myth of high pressure being generated.

The above stated, a short, sharp angled forcing cone can cause higher recoil! Ouch!

If you can, shorten your hulls or roll crimp them. Either will produce a shorter overall length.

Mark

[Austin J Hawthorne Jr.]

I shoot 2 7/8 in shells through my 2 5/8 inch 10 gauge with the step at the chambers end. I only use this gun for sporting clays and an occasional round of trap so I keep pressure and velocity low. I have not found any noticeable indication of excessive pressure or recoil when shooting 1 1/4 oz. at 1100 to 1150 fps. I have also found that I get a nice gas seal at the chambers end when using slower burning powders like PB or Green Dot in the 10 Ga. I also roll crimp the 2 7/8 inch shells, and after about 2-3 reloads I trim them to 2 5/8 inches and put them aside until I am able to find my preferred 10 gauge powder ( Red Dot or 700 X ). I load these a little hotter since they do not protrude past the step at the chambers end.

[Paul Harm]

JA the short kit works on any Mec jr. I load 2 5/8 for all my 10ga guns even though some are for 2 7/8 - don't like sorting them. Also it takes less filler wads in the plastic wad. But then I'm only loading 1 1/16oz [ for target shooting ]. Just the one spacer works for me. As said, you can make a spacer [ any thickness you want ] out of metal or wood and save the money. Good luck. Paul