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"0" gauge shotshells
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Picture of muzza
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anyone have any information on the alloy "0" gauge shotshells that have appeared on the collector market in the last couple of years ? I have two different headstamps - W ,and R-P - and both have in red print on the case wall " 0 GA. FOR SHOT ONLY " .

The case is very obviously a shortend 37mm flare shell , and the two examples I have come complete with a supposedly genuine report from the Lone Star Ammunition Facility in Texarkana Texas .

Reputedly for a large calibre auto weapon for riot control , but no-one i have talked to can confirm or deny that fact .

Any clever person out there have any further information to add?
 
Posts: 4454 | Location: Eltham , New Zealand | Registered: 13 May 2002Reply With Quote
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Besides Win and R-P, there is an L C headstamp. Beyond that, I have no more information than what you posted.

the_captn
 
Posts: 238 | Location: earth | Registered: 03 October 2001Reply With Quote
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There was at least one listing for these on AA that purported to include some sort of test report. I don't recall it selling (ridiculous price), so you might be able to find something on it there.
 
Posts: 219 | Location: NH, USA | Registered: 12 May 2002Reply With Quote
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Obviously the result of a mad hunter/inventor in preparation for dove season........ [Smile]
 
Posts: 17099 | Location: Texas USA | Registered: 07 May 2001Reply With Quote
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i have the "report" from the Lone Star Army Ammunition Plant in Texas , mostly unreadable after being a copy of a copy of a copy times a zillion , but it does give a date -03/86-, the number of shells fired -300- , and the fact that the experiment was terminated. Part of the report is a sheet from the Louisiana Army Ammunition Plant , so you could be forgiven for thinking that this project took place in at least two places , or that the whole deal is spurious and the work of a backyard inventor .
I am beginning to favour the second line of thought , as both my cases are unprimed and certainly unfired in a previous life. Interesting though , but there could be merit in the theory that the developers make a hundred cartridges to evaluate and ten thousand to feed out to the collectors to pay for the project ......
 
Posts: 4454 | Location: Eltham , New Zealand | Registered: 13 May 2002Reply With Quote
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I've never seen one of these, just for curiosity's sake, how much do they normally sell for?
 
Posts: 17099 | Location: Texas USA | Registered: 07 May 2001Reply With Quote
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Call me grumpy and suspicious, but it sounds like a hoax. Here's why (criticism of reasoning solicited!): The "gauge" of a shotgun is the number of spherical balls of the bore diameter that when cast of lead, would weigh 1 lb. So for a 12 gauge, 12 balls would weigh 1 lb., 10 for 10 gauge, etc. A 0 gauge would have an infinitely large bore diameter, and a real manufacturer of any intellectual capacity would know this. So it looks like a gag gift, April Fools kind of thing to me...
 
Posts: 264 | Location: Grand Prairie, TX, USA | Registered: 17 September 2001Reply With Quote
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The English gauge system used letters for the larger gauges when a whole number didn't fit and there is a letter O gauge, but no zero gauge. There's no I gauge, likely to avoid confusion with 1(one) and no G gauge, likely because 1(one) fits into the system there. This list is in the Dixie Gun Works 1993 catalogue.

Looks like this list doesn't format too well.
Gauge Bore dia.
A 2.000"
B 1.938
C 1.875
D 1.830
E 1.750
F 1.688
1(one) 1.699
H 1.625
J 1.563
K 1.500
L 1.438
M 1.375
2 1.325
O(letter)1.313
P 1.250
3 1.157
4 1.052

37mm = 1.457", approximately an L gauge.

The table goes down to 50 gauge with a bore size of .433". The .410 shotshell works out to 67 gauge, not 32 gauge as some people think.

Bye
Jack
 
Posts: 176 | Location: Saskatchewan | Registered: 14 January 2001Reply With Quote
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SDS

While you are correct in the naming of gauges, you forget that this is (was) for the US Military-- no logic is needed for names!!

the_captn
 
Posts: 238 | Location: earth | Registered: 03 October 2001Reply With Quote
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I went through my files and found where I had ordered a "zero gauge". Old Western Scrounger has them for $5.00US. If you search for them (or order one), look under the (incorrect) spelling 'guage'--that is where they're listed!

the_captn
 
Posts: 238 | Location: earth | Registered: 03 October 2001Reply With Quote
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JackM

Thanks for the reference to the Dixie Gun Works catalogue.

As far as .410 and its gauge---Cartridges of the World lists it as 68 gauge; close enough to your 67 ga. I have RWS and Fiocchi brass cases which are headstamped '36'. By measurement, they are within a couple of thousandths (of an inch) of a brass case headstamped .410-12m/m. An old-timer, who sells collector cartridges at the gun shows, says that older 410 boxes were listed as for .410, 12mm, and 36 gauge!

the_captn
 
Posts: 238 | Location: earth | Registered: 03 October 2001Reply With Quote
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My mistake, I should have known some called the .410 a 36 gauge, not a 32. The English table gives a bore dia. of .506" for 36 gauge, which is a fair bit larger than .410. There's enough of these off-sizes around anyhow, what with the various .38 revolvers measuring .357 and the .38-40 going .400 and the .35 Smith & Wesson going .309 & lots more. But isn't that one of the things that makes cartridge collecting fun?

I calculated the .410 gauge again. It works out to 67.6, which is splitting hairs, IMHO. I'll have to keep a lookout for one of those boxes labeled .410, 12mm & 36 gauge. Thanks, Captn

Bye
Jack
 
Posts: 176 | Location: Saskatchewan | Registered: 14 January 2001Reply With Quote
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