My ignorance will be showing here, but what the hey. Gotta start somewhere. Over the last few years I've become enamored of drillings. I may make an offer on a Sauer 16ga x 16ga x 8x57. The shotgun barrels have 2-9/16" chambers. Any problem firing 2-3/4" shells in a single shot with 2-9/16" chambers?

GWB

Problem? - Yes! Don't shoot 2 3/4" shells in a gun with a shorter chamber. Spend the extra money and buy "English" 2 1/2" shells and you will be fine.

Hate to disagree, but Sherman Bell covered this in depth in Double Gun Journal. He did pressure tests shooting 2-3/4 in 2-1/2" guns and even , if I recall, even 3" and the results were surprising. I would only shoot lite 2-3/4 Dram equivalent loads and do, with several of my English guns. I have also lengthened the chamber on both a 2-9/16 Drilling and a combo gun with perfect results. You could have Briley measure it to see if it is a candidate for this. You may only need a little forcing cone work, but your chamber needs to be measured.

quote:

Originally posted by lee440:
Hate to disagree, but Sherman Bell covered this in depth in Double Gun Journal. He did pressure tests shooting 2-3/4 in 2-1/2" guns and even , if I recall, even 3" and the results were surprising. I would only shoot lite 2-3/4 Dram equivalent loads and do, with several of my English guns. I have also lengthened the chamber on both a 2-9/16 Drilling and a combo gun with perfect results. You could have Briley measure it to see if it is a candidate for this. You may only need a little forcing cone work, but your chamber needs to be measured.

So if there is "no problem", why did you have your chamber lengthened? This seems a bit of a contradiction to your statement above.

No contradiction at all, I said I shoot 2-3/4 in my English shotguns, but have lengthened chambers in my drilling and combo guns which are German. There are always options, the downside to short chambers with longer shells is harder felt recoil and frequently, poorer patterns. If you can safely lengthen a chamber, it is a better all-round performer. Pressures are not the issue. Read the tests. I also did not say that I had them lengthened, I said that I did it.

Geedubya,

I have a bunch of 2-1/2" 16ga Gamebore shells-1oz of #6 and or 1oz #7. I bought them from Midway. I shoot them in my PreWWII Browning auto. I also have a bunch of reloading data which I will be glad to share. PM me with your interests.

Andy

The NRA did the same kind of evaluation that Sherman Bell did and had similar results. That was a long time ago, in Rifleman, if I remember correctly. I have a number of guns with short chambers. I tend to shoot the shorter shells in them because the patterns tend to be better and the recoil increase is noticeable with the longer shells. In the case of my Philly Fox and my one little combination gun, they are just such a light guns, you don't need any more recoil. The lighter shells kill game just as effectively, for me, as the longer shells, I think because of the more even patterns. I've had good luck with RST and Gamebore shotshells. I have a friend who has used H&H and Polywad short shells with good results as well. You can get reload data for short shells from Ballistic Products. But, if your on the road, and need some shells, I'd pick up a box of standard shells and hunt.
Bfly

Just be certain that the 2.75'' shells you use do not exceed the pressure for which the gun was proofed, which means staying away from Winchester, Remington and Federal. RST is good.

http://www.rstshells.com/

I have a few guns with the short chambers and the RST shells are great and the price isn't too bad. They are very easy on the shoulder and recoil is minimal.

I use them on all my older guns because they are made especially for them. I would never hesitate to buy an older gun that I liked just because of the short chamber.

You could always just load your own shells to the length you want. You don't even need a press if you use a roll crimp.

The biggest issues revolve around auto loaders. I have fired the longer shells in short chambered guns and they often do not eject properly due to shorter ejection ports...duh! Also the crimp does not open properly. In a single shot this would not seem as much of a problem. The 2-1/2" shells work fantastic in my pre WWII Browning A-5. There are several companies making 2-1/2" shells in 16ga and most other shells.