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Thread: Quick chamber length question..

  1. #1
    Boolit Buddy
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    Living in the woods, foothills of the Appalachians.
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    Quick chamber length question..

    I am trying to determine the chamber length of my Remington 1900 shotgun (steel barrels, not damascus) because I am working up some blackpowder paper loads.

    Alot of people have suggested that older shotguns chambered in 12 gauge have chamber lengths all over the place, 2-1/2", 2-5/8" and 2-3/4" being the most common. From my understanding, chamber length is measured by the length of a FIRED shell? So theoretically, if my gun chambers a 2-3/4" round, that doesnt mean it is necessarily safe for a 2-3/4" shell. So I placed a 3" shell in the gun, and it chambered fine. Does that mean, I am probably safe to use a 2-3/4" shotshell, as the UNFIRED length on a 3" shell is approximatly 2-3/4"?

    I tried to run the butt end of a dial caliper end to what I could observe was the 'chamber end' and though not exactly precise, was definatly over 2-5/8" and I believe like 2.70". Am I safe for 2-3/4" shells??

  2. #2
    Boolit Master

    Johnch's Avatar
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    It could also be 2 9/16

    If you know anyone that hunts waterfowl
    Ask if they have a 3.5" 12 gau empty

    Expand the crimp with a wad pushed in backwards

    And push it into the chamber
    When you feel the slightest resistance
    Mark the hull and see what your chamber length is

    And it might even take the whole 3.5" hulll

    As I have a old FAKE Parker SxS , posibley Belgium made
    That the chambers are 3"+
    But it is labled 2 3/4"

    I feed it lite loads , in 2 3/4" paper hulls
    It still kills birds

    John
    Yea, thou I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for thou art with me; Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me.
    And I carry a LOADED Hell Cat

  3. #3
    DEADBEAT UNIQUEDOT's Avatar
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    I have had guns that were stamped 23/4" and i could slip a fired 3" hull completely in the chamber with no evidence of the crimp area ever coming into contact with the forcing cone. Your best bet is to take it to a gunsmith. That being said, i have fired 2 3/4" loads in guns from the late 1800's without any problems except one and that was a nice husqvarna that the barrels separated from the rib. BTW i used to tie them to an old tire and fire them by remote and then inspect the hull to see if there was any evidence that the crimp didn't open completely. This does not work with light loads though because they will give the false impression that the crimp was bound by the forcing cone. Use a standard heavy load for the test.

  4. #4
    Boolit Grand Master JIMinPHX's Avatar
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    In the past, I've cut chamber gauges out of aluminum round bar. Having now found out about the method that Johnch uses, I think that I'd simply do it his way in the future.
    “an armed society is a polite society.”
    Robert A. Heinlein

    "Idque apud imperitos humanitas vocabatur, cum pars servitutis esset."
    Publius Tacitus

  5. #5
    Boolit Master
    elk hunter's Avatar
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    The standard for 12 gauge of that era was 2 5/8", and that is what my 1900 measures. That does not mean that it could not be some other length, but would be very unusual if it were. Remington quit making double shotguns in 1910, that was before the 12 gauge chamber was lengthened to 2 3/4" standard, but someone could have run a reamer in it.
    BIG OR SMALL I LIKE THEM ALL, 577 TO 22 HORNET.

  6. #6
    Boolit Master
    Newtire's Avatar
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    I Saw a guy do it this way on Youtube.
    1=Cut off a 12 gauge and a 20 gauge and tape the 20 gauge up until it fits snug inside the 12 gauge.
    2=put them together and extend out beyond 3-1/2-4". Put the assembled tool into the chamber until flush.
    3=Take it out and measure.
    4=Some guys were saying that the chambers they checked this way were all a little long. Does this mean I would shoot a 3" in this gun-not me!
    The part of the 12 gauge shell that comes up against the forcing cone is the thick plastic part of the compression formed AA hull so it isn't squeezing itself down for sure. I put a piece of tape on the front of the 12 gauge shell to push against with a dowel. The 20 gauge doesn't come close to even touching the chamber walls. Seems to beat paying big bucks for a tool. Try it, you'll see.
    Click image for larger version. 

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check