I have a 1927 L.C.Smith 12ga. field grade and until recently thought it to have 2 1/2 inch chambers. Gauges were used, a gunsmith consulted,opinions expressed, but everything pointed to a chamber that was shorter than it is supposed to be. Then I read a posting by Tom Salzer that cleared things up. Salzer gave a size of .792 to be used as a chamber length gauge and after I fashioned one from a 9/16 deep socket and two layers of tape the mystery was at an end, it was 2 3/4 inches after all. My question is are these chamber smaller than a newer gun and were some chamber slightly tapered. .