Shotshell pressures circa 1906

[Bruce Day]

In the early 1920's SAAMI service load maximums for 12ga 2 3/4" nominal were running 10,500psi, so some of these loads were over that. With Parkers of the era and before intended for 10,500 service loads, a person can understand that a steady diet of those heavy commercial loads of the time could loosen the jointing and stock.

Bringing those circumstances to present day, the same loads are still there. The manufacturers will tell you that their 3 1/2 dram 1 1/4 oz loads are ideal for pheasant and are at the SAAMI max. We were seeing one maker put up 100 shell specials at the Mitchell SD Cabelas made of 3 1/2 dram 1 3/8 loads of #4 shot. Really 11,500?? The ads were that was what a person needed for the 3 bird a day weekend.

The Ithaca ad is interesting because within 20 years the president of Ithaca would be touting his guns now made with fluid steel barrels and encouraging sportsmen to buy new guns because he alleged that the old Damascus barrels were likely to blow up at any moment. Forty thousand pounds! The few tests to destruction that have been done on 12ga 2 frame Parker 12's blew at around 28,000 pounds. What was the wall thickness of those Ithaca's ? .060 min and .180 at four?