Fired Length of Commercial Shotshells

[Bruce Day]

Sometimes people believe that they must have their chambers lengthened to 2 3/4". I wonder which shell they intend to shoot?

These are Winchesters, Remingtons and Federals, 12, 16, and 20 ga.

20 Rem
20 Rem STS
16 Fed
16 Rem
16 Win
12 Win
12 Rem STS
20 Rem
20 Win

[Dean Romig]

And only two or three of the examples you show Bruce, exibit any sign of pinching in the cone area.
I have a DH 12 gauge with 2 9/16" chambers which pinched every shell I have ever used.

[Bruce Day]

Most of the 20's were fired through either a 1904 CHE Damascus 26"or a 1910 DHE Titanic 24", both barrels unaltered since made and presumably original chamber length. I tried to measure the chambers with rolled paper, somewhat imprecise, but I know they are just over 2 1/2". While they shoot nicely with RST 3/4oz loads, which I will shoot if I have new ones ( I can't reload 3/4oz worth a darn) I shoot about any 7/8oz load through them instead. Dunkle was whacking pheasants with the D 24" with Fed #6 loads and the Feds tend to be a little longer than others.

Note that Rem STS loads are just over 2 1/2 " so if you have 2 1/2" chambers, add 1/8" for the Parker intended better sealing, and you are about at 20ga STS length.

You know me, I don't get excited about these load issues and shoot about any reasonable load I want through any of my guns. I don't think people ought to start boring out chambers or barrels, I like wall thickness in my guns. I saw a Parker 20ga barrel burst midbarrel ; the wall thickness was .008 and it had been sold as having unknown but good wall thickness. There was no obstruction, just paper thin walls but they sure looked shiny and pretty inside, like they had just been honed.

[Gerald McPherson]

Some of those appear to be reloads, right Bruce. Gerald

[Chuck Heald]

I've shot a bunch of paper Federal 2 3/4" shells thru a Fox and Parker that had what measured to 2 5/8" chambers without any ill effects except getting only a couple reloads from a shell.

[Bill Murphy]

Dean, what is "pinched"? Since Sherman Bell indicated a very small increase in pressure when long shells are shot in short chambers, the appearance of the empty coming out of the chamber should be of less importance than the actual pressure of the load. The thickness of the plastic is less than the difference in the dimensions of various bores and forcing cone areas of different guns, so why worry about another quarter of an inch of this thin plastic encroaching on the first quarter of an inch of forcing cone. The first quarter inch of the forcing cone is about the same diameter as the chamber anyway, the bore diameter still a bit forward of the lip of the shell.

[Bruce Day]

Paper Feds shoot softly, make a nice reload, but you only get a few reloads from them. Plus you get that wonderful aroma. I don't know how long they are, didn't have any on hand that were not already reloaded.

Saw your comment Bill. Well said.

[Pay Dirt]

Those sweet smellin' Federal paper hulls are 2 3/4" once fired.
I receive a plethora of once fired hulls on a weekly basis from a buddy who when thanked replies "I just love making them".

[Dean Romig]

Bill, read my posts in the thread titled "Another New Member With A Question Or Two" and you will read where I state that 2 3/4" ammo in Parkers with chamber lengths of 2 9/16" or 2 5/8" is OK but in guns with 2 1/2" chambers it is best to use 2 1/2" ammo.

"Pinching" is nothing more than an indication that the end of the plastic shotshell has opened well into the narrow end of the forcing cone. It does not indicate a potentially dangerous situation and I don't believe I alluded to such.... But you knew that Bill.