hawg
Member
I'm not the only one with the problem. I've heard many others say they have the same problem. I don't have a shot shell reloader so I do everything by hand and roll crimping is my only choice. I also cut my shells down to 2 1/4"
Safe 12 ha Damascus barrel loads
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I'm not the only one with the problem. I've heard many others say they have the same problem. I don't have a shot shell reloader so I do everything by hand and roll crimping is my only choice. I also cut my shells down to 2 1/4"
First, there isn't a proper type of shell for old shotguns. Paper, plastic, or brass are all fine. Your shotgun doesn't know what kind of shell you're using or what kind of crimp it has. I shoot every week one of my old SxSs [ I have 9 Remingtons, 3 Parkers, and a Lefever ] and my normal crimp is fold crimp, not a roll crimp. Second, the last thing I'd do is remove any metal near the chamber, like making the chambers longer or making the forcing cones longer. The chambers and forcing cones are where the greatest pressures are produced and you want all the metal you can get. The manufacture designed the barrels with so much steel. Better to leave them that way.
Chamber lengths. Sherman Bell in some of his test where the guns were suppose to be blown up, used 3 1/2" 10ga shells in the old 2 7/8" 10 gauge chambered guns. Pressures went up about 500psi. After reading that I quit measuring the chamber lengths in my old SxSs. I know Remington use 2 9/16" in their 12ga chambers. I normally don't cut a shell down. I also have some 10ga Parkers with 2 5/8 and 2 7/8 chambers. In those I use 3 1/2" shells cut to 2 5/8". The reason is the 2 5/8" chambered Parker has "stepped" chambers. There is no forcing cone, just a .040 step. I believe it was made for brass shells. It was just easier to cut them all 2 5/8 - no sorting between the 5/8 and 7/8 shells. I'll leave 12ga shells with the extra 1/4" and the 3.5" 10ga shells I'll cut to the 2 5/8.
Where plastic shells will burn through when using BP is around the brass base where it meets the plastic or paper. You'll start getting pin holes. If you let it go too long trying to get another load out of them is too many pin holes and the shell will separate with the paper or plastic going down the barrel, hopefully out. That part of the shell staying in the barrel and then you have an obstruction and may blow up your gun.
Now Hawg has me looking down in the shells after firing BP.
I thought it was enough to just check the outside for pin holes. On second thought I'm not gonna. If those fiber wads will go in, that's enough for me. Pin holes, or little balls of plastic on the inside, either one happens fast enough it ain't gonna matter. Still have to throw them away.
Chamber lengths. Sherman Bell in some of his test where the guns were suppose to be blown up, used 3 1/2" 10ga shells in the old 2 7/8" 10 gauge chambered guns. Pressures went up about 500psi. After reading that I quit measuring the chamber lengths in my old SxSs. I know Remington use 2 9/16" in their 12ga chambers. I normally don't cut a shell down. I also have some 10ga Parkers with 2 5/8 and 2 7/8 chambers. In those I use 3 1/2" shells cut to 2 5/8". The reason is the 2 5/8" chambered Parker has "stepped" chambers. There is no forcing cone, just a .040 step. I believe it was made for brass shells. It was just easier to cut them all 2 5/8 - no sorting between the 5/8 and 7/8 shells. I'll leave 12ga shells with the extra 1/4" and the 3.5" 10ga shells I'll cut to the 2 5/8.
Where plastic shells will burn through when using BP is around the brass base where it meets the plastic or paper. You'll start getting pin holes. If you let it go too long trying to get another load out of them is too many pin holes and the shell will separate with the paper or plastic going down the barrel, hopefully out. That part of the shell staying in the barrel and then you have an obstruction and may blow up your gun.
Now Hawg has me looking down in the shells after firing BP.
I thought it was enough to just check the outside for pin holes. On second thought I'm not gonna. If those fiber wads will go in, that's enough for me. Pin holes, or little balls of plastic on the inside, either one happens fast enough it ain't gonna matter. Still have to throw them away.
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My BP loads are BP, a .135 over powder hard card, and soft cushion wads needed for a good stack height, shot, and a .028 overshot card if roll crimping. If using brass shells a .028 OS card and some sort of glue. I once tried a .062 OS card thinking the glue would be unnecessary. NOT. I got a pattern like a donut. Just my experience.
Jim Watson
Member
Trivia Alert
Back in the day of "bore rifles" in Jolly Old England, they made 8 bore paper case guns and 8 bore brass case guns. The chambers were the same, the barrel bores were matched to the I.D. of the case.
There was also the "chamberless" shotgun, to be loaded with a thin brass case so the only jump was the thickness of the case mouth.
There was no standards back then. Many barrels and parts were made in Belgium. I had a 12 gauge that was really a 14 gauge. Maybe sometime rechambered. Worked ona Baker Syracuse 10 gauge that would chamber a 3-1/2" Magnum shell. No way.
I had, and found out early Parkers were bored .745 for 12ga guns. That's getting up to 11ga guns ID. I look at that Parker hammergun as one of the first " backbored " guns made. Jim, you may have explained that just a little wrong. My one Parker Lifter 10 ga had the stepped chambers. It was for the brass cases. The end of the 2 5/8" cases would touch the step in the end of the chamber. The inside of the case was the same diameter as the barrel so there wasn't any jump, just one smooth transgression of the pay load going from shell to barrel.
Years back I got to handle a 6 and 4ga shotguns. The 6 was a SxS, and the 4 was a single shot. The gentleman actually had a couple of shells each for the guns. I have to believe at least the 4 was a punt gun. It had a oar lock , or piece like what would go on a oar, attached to it. This fellow was a retired RR engineer who drove trains from Canada to Michigan. He had brought back many firearms on the train when ever Canada would in act one of their stupid gun laws.
Jim, you may have explained that just a little wrong. My one Parker Lifter 10 ga had the stepped chambers. It was for the brass cases. The end of the 2 5/8" cases would touch the step in the end of the chamber. The inside of the case was the same diameter as the barrel so there wasn't any jump, just one smooth transgression of the pay load going from shell to barrel.Years back I got to handle a 6 and 4ga shotguns. The 6 was a SxS, and the 4 was a single shot. The gentleman actually had a couple of shells each for the guns. I have to believe at least the 4 was a punt gun. It had a oar lock , or piece like what would go on a oar, attached to it. This fellow was a retired RR engineer who drove trains from Canada to Michigan. He had brought back many firearms on the train when ever Canada would in act one of their stupid gun laws.
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