Shells

[Researcher]

Most Parker Bros. 12-gauge doubles of 1903 vintage came from the factory with 2 5/8 inch chambers, intended for 2 3/4 inch shells. At the time your gun was made, the heaviest 12-gauge paper shells our North American ammunition manufacturers offered were 3 1/2 drams of bulk smokeless powder or 28 grains of dense smokeless powder, such as Infallible or Ballistite, pushing 1 1/4 ounce of shot.







According to a couple of DuPont smokeless shotgun powder booklets in my collection these old heaviest loads were pretty hot the 3 1/2 drams 1 1/4 ounce going 11,700 pounds and the 28-grains of Ballistite going 12,600 pounds!! Over today's SAAMI specs!! "Modern" progressive burning smokeless powders, introduced in the early 1920s, Western Cartridge Co.'s Super-X loads leading the way, could move that 1 1/4 ounce 12-gauge shot charge out at a considerably higher velocity and considerably lower pressure than the old bulk or dense smokeless powders.