Posted by Researcher on May 21, 2008, 6:27 pm, in reply to "3 inch chambers"
Three-inch shells have been around just about as long as cartridge shotguns have been around. Prior to repeaters, which needed a certain length shell to function reliably, there were a plethora of shell lengths. In my 1903 UMC catalogue there were 12-gauge shells 2 5/8, 2 3/4, 2 7/8, 3 and 3 1/4 inch. The 16-gauge was available 2 9/16, 2 3/4, 2 7/8, and 3 inch. The 20-gauge 2 1/2, 2 3/4, 2 7/8, and 3 inch. In those days these longer shells didn't pack a heavier payload, but more and better wadding for a better gas seal which many serious Pigeon shooters thought to be an advantage. The first time I see the longer shells packing a heavier load was around 1912 for the 3-inch 20-gauge for the famous Widgeon Duck Club Parker Bros. guns and the J. Stevens A & T Co. pump gun. These 3-inch 20-gauge shells packed 2 1/2 drams equiv and 7/8 ounce of shot as opposed to the max load of 2 1/4 drams equiv and 7/8 ounce of shot in the standard 2 1/2 inch 20-gauge shell!!!
WW-I pretty much eliminated this vast array of shot shells and things were very standardized for a short while, then Western brought out the Super-X and a 3-inch 12-gauge that carried the amazing load of 1 3/8 ounces of shot. The term magnum first appears in American shotgunology in 1932 with the advent of the 3 1/2 inch Magnum ten-gauge and the Ithaca NID to handle it. Winchester-Western bumped the payload of the 3-inch 12-gauge up to 1 5/8 ounce and called it the 3-inch magnum with the introduction of their Model 12 Duck Gun chambered for the 3-inch 12-gauge shell.
The American double gun manufacturers all had their standard chamber length for each gauge, but would usually chamber longer for no extra charge at the customer’s request. This is the text from an old Ithaca catalogue -- "Unless otherwise ordered Ithaca 28 Gauge and 20 Gauge guns are chambered for the standard 2 1/2 inch shell, 16 Gauge and 12 Gauge for the standard 2 3/4 inch shell and 10 Gauge for the standard 2 7/8 inch shell. Longer chambers are furnished if ordered on new guns without extra charge, but it should be remembered that shells of standard length do not give quite as good results in chambers which are longer than the shells and it should be remembered that extra long shells are more expensive and it is much harder to find a dealer who carries extra long shells in stock."