Parker 3 inch guns

[Bill Murphy]

Crossman may state "most with 34" barrels", but empirical study doesn't jive with that. Muzzle heavy doesn't jive with my experience either. Remington era 3" guns I have seen have been on 1 1/2 frames. I think Capt. Crossman is forwarding information that he thinks is true, not what he has experienced. That is what we have seen in the gun press in the thirties through the seventies concerning shotguns. The authors were mostly rifle guys and spit out shared incorrect shotgun information in their writings. As an aside, I would like to see a Parker letter describing a 3" gun in the period from 1926, when Crossman wrote that article, to the Remington era when 3" markings appeared on the barrel lug of barrels not marked on the ribs. I guess Chuck Bishop could conduct some of this research if he is interested.

[Kevin McCormack]

[QUOTE=Bill Murphy;... "I think Capt. Crossman is forwarding information that he thinks is true, not what he has experienced. That is what we have seen in the gun press in the thirties through the seventies concerning shotguns. The authors were mostly rifle guys and spit out shared incorrect shotgun information in their writings."

Rather 'Muderlakian', wouldn't you say?

[Researcher]

The Western Cartridge Co. Super-X (progressive burning powder, high-velocity) 12-gauge 1 1/4 ounce and the 20-gauge 1 ounce loads were introduced in 1922, put up in their 2 3/4 inch FIELD shell --

Earliest Super-X Brochure, 12- & 20-gauges.jpg

Early Super-X 12-ga box, Super Excellant.jpg

Early Super-X 20-gauge box, Super Excellant.jpg

The 1 1/8 ounce 16-gauge Super-X load followed later that year or early 1923, but put up in their 2 9/16 inch FIELD shell.

The 12-gauge 3-inch Super-X load of 1 3/8 ounce of shot, put up in Western's 3-inch RECORD case finally hit the market in the 1924-5 time frame --

To Owners of Super Fox Guns notice slip.jpg

Early 12-gauge RECORD Super-X 3-inch.jpg

Super-X loads with the Lubaloy (copperized) shot first appear in the February 1, 1929, Western Ammunition for Rifle, Revolver and Shotgun.

Early 12-gauge Super-X Lubaloy load side.jpg

[Researcher]

Those Lubaloy loads were mighty spendy. The list price of the RECORD 3-inch Super-X load with 1 3/8 ounce of chilled shot was $68.50 per thousand.

Lubaloy Shot Folder 5-30 page 5.jpg

For 1931, Western Cartridge Co. began loading all their smokeless powder shotgun shells with non-corrosive primers.

By 1933, Western Cartridge Co. was advertising their Seal-Tite wad in the Super-X loads --

Seal-Tite Wad.JPG

The Super-X loads continued to evolve. To my mind, the Super-X came of age, shortly after I was born, when they got the Super-Seal Cup Wad and the Super-Seal Crimp --

1948 Super-Seal Cup Wads ad.jpg