2 1/2" chambers on a 1927 Trojan 20ga?

[Steve Campbell]

I have a newly acquired Trojan 20ga that was made in 1927.
The chambers appear to measure 2 9/16", which makes me think this is obviously chambered only for 2 1/2" shells.
But, I've seen other earlier made 20's that say they are chambered for 2 3/4" shells. Did they make them both ways even after they started using 2 3/4"?
thanks

[Researcher]

My 1930 vintage VH 20-gauge has the 2 3/8 inch chambers intended for the 2 1/2 inch shells. Your 2 9/16 inch may really be 2 5/8 inch, intended for 2 3/4 inch shells.

Parker Bros. policy was to chamber their guns 1/8 inch shorter than the intended shell. The theory back in the days was that the mouth of the shell extending a bit into the forcing cone upon firing gave a better gas seal and improved patterns. A.H. Fox Gun Co. also short chambered.

While Parker Bros. would chamber your gun for any length shells you wanted, pretty unlikely that a "made for stock" gun like the Trojan would be anything but their standard 2 3/8 inch chamber. Our North American ammunition companies continued to offer 2 1/2 inch 20-gauge shells until just after WW-II.

Victor 2 1-2 inch 20-gauge.jpg

Pretty hard to tell what may have been done to the chambers of these old guns in the hundred plus or minus years since they were made.

[Steve Campbell]

Well, I just chambered a 2 3/4" shell in there and it slid right in all the way, without any force, and pulled right back out easily, so I'm guessing it must be set for 2 3/4" after all?
I'm guessing it wouldn't have gone in far enough to close the action if it were 2 1/2"?
Wish the barrels were marked or ? like modern guns are, but looks like it must be 2 3/4".
thank you for your help. Much appreciated.

[Dean Romig]

The length of an unfired live shell is not the way to determine its suitability for a particular gun. The advertised length of a shell by the manufacturer is for the length of the shell after it has been fired... which is often a good quarter-inch or more than the unfired shell. Dropping a 2 3/4” shell into my 1898 DH 12 with 2 9/16” chambers is no problem at all, but after firing the mouth of the shell is pinched and torn to a fine edge.

Your Trojan 20 will be fine shooting ‘reasonable’ 2 3/4” shells and the only thing you might notice is a tiny bit more recoil... if at all.





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[Woodcock survey]

Originally Posted by Steve Campbell

Well, I just chambered a 2 3/4" shell in there and it slid right in all the way, without any force, and pulled right back out easily, so I'm guessing it must be set for 2 3/4" after all?
I'm guessing it wouldn't have gone in far enough to close the action if it were 2 1/2"?
Wish the barrels were marked or ? like modern guns are, but looks like it must be 2 3/4".
thank you for your help. Much appreciated.

Got me to thinking, a shells length is measured open or fired and 20 ga. gun clubs are 2 3/8 loaded and 2 5/8 fired.the only way to know chamber length is to measure it. A machinists rule put in to the forcing cones beginning and marked will give an accurate idea. The cones taper will fool you using a fired shell you will not feel it.
There are plenty of people here, including myself who shoot slightly short chambers with no problems other than case mouth fray.

[Steve Campbell]

Sounds good. Thank you!

[Researcher]

I just grabbed some loaded paper 20-gauge shells out of my accumulation. A roll-crimped Peters 2 1/2 inch shell is 2 9/32 inch long. A roll-crimped Remington 2 3/4 inch shell is 2 15/32 inch long. A Super-Seal Western Super-X 2 3/4 inch shell is 2 11/32 inch long. All would easily go into a 2 1/2 inch chamber.

[Dean Romig]

My Trojan 20 No. 174217 has 2 3/8” chambers.






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[Joe from MO]

Digging up an old thread on this topic, as I just bought a Trojan 20ga.....

But, did Parker do the 2 9/16th chambers on Trojans from the first to last?

Were the guns made during Remington era, also 2 9/16th or did the go to 2 3/4" by then?

I will get my gun next week and find out for sure, it's supposed to be a 237xxx serial number, which I believe is a 1935 gun.

My 1927 VH 12ga has 2 3/4"......

[Dean Romig]

I believe Remington stopped production of the Trojan when they moved the Parker operation to Ilion, NY in 1937.






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