is my chamber depth 2 1/2" or 2 3/4"?

[orpington]

On a vintage side by side, how can one determine if the chamber depth is the original 2 1/2", or has been bored out to 2 3/4", and safe to shoot modern 2 3/4" shells? Other than using a chamber depth gauge, which is expensive relative to the amount of times I might use it.

 

[entropy]

That's why gunsmiths make the big bucks...

 

[Merle1]

Chamber cast?

 

[rcmodel]

This is the cheapest way I know of to make a chamber measuring tool.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=-iyF20o-Jb8

rc

 

[Merle1]

This is the cheapest way I know of to make a chamber measuring tool.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=-iyF20o-Jb8

rc

Very slick - much easier than a casting!

 

[Virginian]

I made one out of an old credit card to check chambers at gun shows. The plastic was reassuring to the sellers. The one shown should work too, except if it's close plastic shells are slightly under SAAMI spec size.