Technically, a Quality 2 hammerless 10-gauge of the 1889 vintage would be an EH-Grade. The 10-gauges cost $5 more in the Quality 1 and 2 guns than the 12-gauge and smaller gauges up into the early 1900s.
Do keep in mind that the factory loaded 10-gauge shells, when your gun was built, maxed out at about 4 1/2 drams of black powder pushing 1 1/4 ounces of shot. Also, 10-gauge shells came in lengths from 2 5/8 inch to 3 1/4 inch. Actually "factory loaded" shells were scarce and most shooters loaded their own in brass cases or got them from local loaders. A couple of years later, factory loaded smokeless powder shells began appearing and the heaviest 10-gauge loads were 4 1/4 drams of bulk smokeless powder pushing 1 1/4 ounces of shot.
The high velocity progressive burning smokeless powder 10-gauge loads of 4 3/4 drams equiv. pushing 1 5/8 ounce of shot didn't come along until the mid-1920s.
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Threaded Mode