When did the various magnum & super magnums come out?

[gp911]

Like the title says, when did the longer shells come out in the various gauges? So, f'rinstance...

when did 2.75" 12ga come out? 3"? 3.5"?

When did the 10ga go to 3.5" and why is there no 2-7/8" around anymore?

3" 20ga?

3" .410?

I'd love some lighter-hitting ammo for my 10 gauge, although the sheer devastation that thing wreaks upon targets is pretty amusing. Not so fun on my shoulder and associated areas though...

In a couple weeks I will finally have some spare time to head off into the wilderness and do some real patterning on all those new NEF barrels, as well as the big 10ga BPS novelty gun. In the meantime questions like this are keeping my mind occupied.

gp911

 

[gp911]

Ermm, nobody..?

gp911

 

[ArmedBear]

Has anyone here ever used 3" 20 Gauge? I can't say I've ever seen it, except in catalogs.

My 1970s vintage O/U has 3" chambers, though.

 

[SDC]

The first 12 Ga 3" shells came out in the 1930s, I believe, as Fox made a big selling point of it when he started selling his SxSs.

 

[Dave McCracken]

The 3" 12 came out around 1935.

The 3" 20 around 1955, IIRC.

Ballistic Products, Gamebore and Polywad offer 2 7/8" 10 gauge ammo.

BP offers components, MEC makes loaders.

HTH....

 

[gp911]

Checked Ballistic Products, Gamebore and Polywad, none of them seem to offer 10ga offerings aside from 3.5"... Some great stuff in other bores though! thx


gp911

 

[Smitty in CT]

The 3-1/2" 12ga was started when Mossberg in cooperation with Federal Cartridge, or was it the other way around, came out with the Mossberg 835 in 3-1/2" chamber as an answer to the whole non-toxic shot deal in early 1988. The rest they say...is history.

 

[Dave McCracken]

gp, RST is advertising 2 7/8" 10 gauge ammo.

 

[gp911]

Thanks Dave! That's what I was hoping to find!

Prices look pretty reasonable too... Have to check on shipping...

Very cool.

Anybody else have more information on when various gauges offered longer shells? I'm surprised at how little I'm getting on this, but since I didn't know either I shouldn't be too surprised I s'pose...

gp911