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16 gauge 21/2" shotgun shells
- Thread starter babyloui
- Start date
DWalt
Well-known member
Usually no problem in using 2-3/4" shells. There is no danger, but you may have case ejection problems. What gun do you have?
AJ
US Veteran
RST is the only place that I know of for 2 1/2 inch shells. A guy I know gave me a box of 2 1/2" 12 ga. Shells for my 1918 Winchester Model 12. 2 3/4 shells would stick in the chamber after firing.
DWalt
Well-known member
nicky4968
Well-known member
I have found RST to be “tolerably” priced on orders of 10 boxes.
AJ
US Veteran
I might agree with you if the 2 3/4" cases were not stuck in the chamber (called Failure To Extract), once out of the chamber they ejected no problem. The 2 1/2" cases would extract properly and also ejected properly.
DWalt
Well-known member
Why do you think a slightly longer case would not extract/eject?
AJ
US Veteran
Because it would not extract from the chamber (ie stuck) when using 2 3/4 " shells. When we used 2 1/2" shells it worked fine. Winchester Model 12's were not chambered for 2 3/4" shells until the early 1920's. Mine is a 1918 manufacture and chambered for 2 1/2".
Rpg
Well-known member
The difference may have nothing to do with the length of the cartridge.
Modern 2 3/4” shells are usually loaded to pressures sufficient to operate a modern auto loading shotgun and expand the shell in the chamber enough for it to stick.
The 2 1/2” shells are much lower pressure and don’t expand the cartridge to the point of sticking.
The beauty of the RST shells is the fact that they are low pressure: perfect for nice old guns.
Modern 2 3/4” shells are usually loaded to pressures sufficient to operate a modern auto loading shotgun and expand the shell in the chamber enough for it to stick.
The 2 1/2” shells are much lower pressure and don’t expand the cartridge to the point of sticking.
The beauty of the RST shells is the fact that they are low pressure: perfect for nice old guns.
fiasconva
Well-known member
Wasn't there another company called Polywad that made them too? It was a few years ago so I don't know if they are still in business.
john17427
Well-known member
I have a 16ga model 12 from 1915. I have used RST in the past and have looked at Polywad, but not purchased any. I've also had Gad Custom make 2 9/16 shells for me once, 100 at a time, when RST was unobtainium. I've heard that Remington Game Loads for pheasant will work, but have not done any testing with them. They seem to be sufficiently low pressure (below 1200fps). I will have to see if they eject.
Edit: Looks like Gad Custom is out of business.
Edit2: Remington 2 3/4 Game Load shells eject fine. Unfortunately, There don't seem to be any in stock as far as I can tell.
Edit3: Herters 2 3/4 1oz #6 shot, 1165fps. Ejected fine, very soft recoil similar to RST's.
Edit: Looks like Gad Custom is out of business.
Edit2: Remington 2 3/4 Game Load shells eject fine. Unfortunately, There don't seem to be any in stock as far as I can tell.
Edit3: Herters 2 3/4 1oz #6 shot, 1165fps. Ejected fine, very soft recoil similar to RST's.
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Patrick L
Well-known member
I assume you are not a reloader? It is no great trick to load shorter shells. I've done it myself just to see how involved it would be. Turns out not very.
But if you're not already a 16 gauge reloader it would be silly since you only need a box or two.
But if you're not already a 16 gauge reloader it would be silly since you only need a box or two.
Eddie Southgate
Well-known member
It's not the chamber . It is the length of the ejection port and the extractor. Either use the shorter shells or have somebody that knows what they are doing open the port enough to clear the shell casing and allow the ejector and extractor to work together as designed. Not an issue in Double or single barrel guns but I'd still have their chambers reamed to the 2 3/4" shell since that lessens recoil a bit . I have a 1917 Model 1912 in 12 gauge and a 1913 model 1912 in 16 gauge . Didn't want to cut the port so I bought two MEC short kits and load my own 2 1/2" shells. Cant find factory loads in anything but 7 1/2 and 8 shot in short shells , loading your own fixes that.
DWalt
Well-known member
I have used a first year of production Winchester 1912 in 20 gauge for many years, and have used nothing but 2-3/4" shells in it, even though it has a nominal 2-1/2" chamber. I have found that the only modern 2-3/4" shells that will not clear the 1912's shorter ejection port are Federal plastics. Winchester and Remington plastic cases are a little bit shorter and do clear the port OK. So those are all I use. All this business about sticking longer shells in a shorter chamber is absolute hogwash. I have never, ever seen anything like that. It might happen in some damaged, dirty, rusty, and pitted chamber, or by using old swollen paper cased shells but that is the only way. Plastic cases will not jam.
If anyone is really hung up about using longer shells in shorter chambers, actual tests have shown that chamber pressure increases are very small, less than 1000 psi.. You can also always have the chambers slightly lengthened which is a DIY job if you want to rent a chambering reamer, or you can trim the length of longer shells slightly and reload them.
If anyone is really hung up about using longer shells in shorter chambers, actual tests have shown that chamber pressure increases are very small, less than 1000 psi.. You can also always have the chambers slightly lengthened which is a DIY job if you want to rent a chambering reamer, or you can trim the length of longer shells slightly and reload them.
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AJ
US Veteran
Sir,
The shell casing was stuck in the chamber/barrel. Once we could get it to extract the ejection was no problem. Would have to bump the butt of the shotgun on the ground while pulling back on the slide. Once it came loose the casing ejected just fine. This was all with 2 3/4 shells. Once we started using 2 1/2 " shells the gun worked just fine. The 2 3/4 ' shells were the lightest loads that I could find as I did not want to take a chance ruining a shotgun that old. So now I just use 2 1/2" shells and all is good. Gunsmith friend wanted to rechamber it to 2 3/4", but I said to leave it as is...........
Eddie Southgate
Well-known member
I have had many M12's in 12,16,&20 and most were chambered for 2 9/16 shells. A friend has a 16 so chambered and I load him 2 1/2 inch shells for it.
I shoot vinatge SXS both to hunt with and for sporting clays and use the 2 1/2 inch case exclusively. The OP has a vintage hammer gun and even though the barrels seem to be fluid steel no one has said what the wall thickness is. Keep in mind also that even if the gun can withstand the higher pressures of modern ammunition the wood is 100 years old or more.
I shoot vinatge SXS both to hunt with and for sporting clays and use the 2 1/2 inch case exclusively. The OP has a vintage hammer gun and even though the barrels seem to be fluid steel no one has said what the wall thickness is. Keep in mind also that even if the gun can withstand the higher pressures of modern ammunition the wood is 100 years old or more.
