Anyone?

Thanks, Baxter

I not sure but the late 20's to mid 30's

Interesting question that I can't find a firm answer to as yet. I've read it in the distant past, but I've slept since then. However, I'm fairly sure the Ithaca Magnum Double, made from 1932 to 1934 were among the first guns made for it. The author Nash Buckingham made them famous in "The Shootingest Gentleman" and he used one personally that he called "Bowhoop" that was sadly lost on a hunting trip. Supposedly, the bores were especially made for the 3 inch shells and superior patterning. So far, I'm not sure which company made the first ammo.

I would have said that they were a post-WW II innovation, but maybe that's only because I am one of those myself

The great irony is that they were totally superfluous until the advent of "mandatory" steel shot for waterfowl. Now that there are non-toxic substitutes as dense as lead, the 3" shell is once again something of an anachronism.

(Couldn't resist seeing if I could goad Gato into an incensed rejoinder )

Stonecreek:

Spoken like a true light bird hunter. Do you hold your pinkie out when you sip your morning tea, as well? In fact, the 3 inch lead magnums were often somewhat slow in speed due to the pressure limitations. However, when using large high density shot, that was and is not a very limiting factor. The simple fact is that prior to the really modern era, the heaviest loads available in 2 3/4 inch 12 was 1 1/4 ounces. Compare that to the 1 5/8 or more that was stuffed in the 3 inchers. Simple math will show that all things being equal (which they weren't, the 3 inchers weren't as efficient) that a 3 inch shell would have at least 20% more pattern density than the 2 3/4s. That physical FACT may not make much difference to the small game crowd who thinks a wet dew is a hardship , but hunt with the guys who brave wind and water on big lakes, big rivers, or the ocean and then add one of those blue bird days when the birds are just flirting with the edges of the decoys and you could see an INSTANT difference in whether you could kill one or not. Nash Buckingham knew it, so do I. Some people can learn , some can't.


Back to the topic at hand, further research has not given a firm answer. I and a much more knowledgeable shotgun shell box and case collector friend lean towards Winchester as being the first supplier of commerically available 3 inch mags, but that is just a educated guess at this point. In fact, in those days, you could special order shotgun shells in a truly dizzying variety of brands (600 prior to WWI), shot sizes, shot weight, POWDER, and case length. For instance, there were and are 3 inch 16 gauge shells and shotguns, but they are quite rare.

quote:

Originally posted by Gatogordo:
Stonecreek:

Spoken like a true light bird hunter. Do you hold your pinkie out when you sip your morning tea, as well?

The simple fact is that prior to the really modern era, the heaviest loads available in 2 3/4 inch 12 was 1 1/4 ounces.

How else would one sip one's morning tea? To do otherwise might surely give offense to those of us who are refined .

As to the limitations of 1 1/4 oz of shot, one would find that at least a quarter ounce too much for most civilized applications (sniff). And I dast not think of the duck that would fail to succumb to an ounce and a quarter of hard lead copper-plated #4's!