New Hammer Gun!

[StubTwist]

Originally Posted by Mark Landskov

The big ammunition manufacturers provided hulls in various lengths. Not so much to pack a heavier payload, but to add wads.

Curious to what the advantage of adding extra wads were back in the day?

[Roundsworth]

I dunno. It must have something to do with cushioning the shot(?). The 1914 Winchester catalog shows the NPE 10 gauge Leader hull in 6 lengths, from 2-5/8" to 3-1/4". The same catalog has the loaded Leader 20 gauge with 2-1/2 drams of Bulk Smokeless and 7/8 ounce of shot in a 2-3/4" or 3" shell. The 28 gauge 'Repeater' has 2 drams of bulk and 5/8 ounce of shot in a 2-7/8" shell. These are certainly not heavy loads and could have been loaded in 2-1/2" hulls.