16ga shell lengths

[WestKentucky]

I just bought a 16 ga and now im trying to figure out shell length. I’m sure that there were a few she’ll lengths that were available through the years, so I am hoping you folks can tell me what was common around late 1800s and early 1900s as my gun dates to roughly the turn of the century. I hope to reload for this gun since I already load for 20ga. Since this one is not going to be a volume shooter, I think a lee whack-a-mole will suffice for all of my 16ga needs, which is nice as that will work with essentially all shell lengths. I may even go as far as using brass shells that are trimmed to length with card overshot wads.

I love old school guns.

 

[George P]

What shotgun is it? From the US, Europe or?? It SHOULD say somewhere on the barrels (you might have to remove the forearm). Odds are, if it truly is that old, you are looking at 2-1/2 or maybe 2-9/16.

Remember, the shell length is that of a fired shell. A modern 2-3/4 will it in a 2-1/2 chamber and if fired, especially in an older gun, can have devastating results.

Are you absolutely sure the gun is safe to even fire?

 

[troy fairweather]

get some 2 1/2 brass shells

 

[George P]

Guns from 120+ years ago fall into that time when guns were changing from black power ammo to smokeless.
You never said what brand of gun it is.

 

[WestKentucky]

It’s a crescent manufactured gun with a Sears stamp on it.

 

[George P]

Here's a listing of house brands; under the large Sears section, I see no mention of Crescent

https://proofhouse.com/cm/house_brand.htm


And here is a table of house brands Crescent made guns for (no Sears listed):
https://gun-data.com/Crescent_arms_shotguns.html

So, you have successfully confused me on this one.

 

[DM~]

I wouldn't bother with brass casings, in fact I reload 16ga., but for as much as I shoot my short chambered 16ga., I just went on line and bought a case of these 2-1/2" lower pressure shells,



They will last me a long long time! It's VERY good ammo, at a decent price.

DM

 

[WestKentucky]

Here's a listing of house brands; under the large Sears section, I see no mention of Crescent

https://proofhouse.com/cm/house_brand.htm


And here is a table of house brands Crescent made guns for (no Sears listed):
https://gun-data.com/Crescent_arms_shotguns.html

So, you have successfully confused me on this one.

Funny. Everything I have found online shows it, and comparison (picture to picture since I don’t physically have the gun yet, out of state buy and extra hassle) shows Crescent to be the maker. The roll stamp says “White Powder Wonder” and was sold exclusively by sears. There were a few makers of guns by that moniker, but pictures make it pretty clear that it’s a rebranded Crescent, likely a Victor model.

 

[Sovblocgunfan]

it's pretty easy to measure the chamber. you can make a gauge out of an old credit card. that's what I'd do, and then choose ammo to fit it. DM is right about RST's. I shot some in an old model 12 once, and they did exactly as asked.

 

[Jessesky]

If you fire a shell slightly too long (2 5/8 vs 2 3/4), you will see a mild pressure spike. In new guns this may not be a big deal, but in an older gun this can cause excessive wear or worse. Usually I’m more worried about cracking the wrist than hurting the metal. I would get gauges. Also remember, the length is when the hull is not crimped. Your gun will chamber unfired shells that are way too long without issue.

I have two old 12ga guns. One is 2 1/2 one is 2 3/4 but would need light loads. I buy 2 1/2 RST’s in bulk since I can use it in both.

 

[Jessesky]

They will last me a long long time! It's VERY good ammo, at a decent price.

DM

I wish! That will last me two rounds of clays

 

[Rudolph31]

I cut my hulls down with this:



Then I either use my MEC Short Kit to load a 2 9/16” recipe (not so much anymore).

OR

I load a 2 3/4” recipe using an overshot card and a Hartin Crimp. That’s just a normal fold crimp that holds the card in place. A handy alternative to roll crimping. In the picture, the shell on the left is a factory 2 3/4” load, on the right is a 2 9/16” Hartin crimped shell holding the same payload.

 

[George P]

Funny. Everything I have found online shows it, and comparison (picture to picture since I don’t physically have the gun yet, out of state buy and extra hassle) shows Crescent to be the maker. The roll stamp says “White Powder Wonder” and was sold exclusively by sears. There were a few makers of guns by that moniker, but pictures make it pretty clear that it’s a rebranded Crescent, likely a Victor model.

White Powder Wonder IS a Crescent brand - you didn't say that in the beginning.....

 

[DM~]

I wish! That will last me two rounds of clays

I have plenty of other shotguns for high volume shooting...

DM

 

[WestKentucky]

If you fire a shell slightly too long (2 5/8 vs 2 3/4), you will see a mild pressure spike. In new guns this may not be a big deal, but in an older gun this can cause excessive wear or worse. Usually I’m more worried about cracking the wrist than hurting the metal. I would get gauges. Also remember, the length is when the hull is not crimped. Your gun will chamber unfired shells that are way too long without issue.

I have two old 12ga guns. One is 2 1/2 one is 2 3/4 but would need light loads. I buy 2 1/2 RST’s in bulk since I can use it in both.

To that point, I have access to other 16ga guns in the family, so my plan is to take a couple spent shells from a known 2-3/4 safe gun, and mess with them to figure out proper length for mine. The plan is to trim a shell, insert a wad to hold diameter pretty firm, and then insert and repeat until the shell chambers easily. I expect 2-9/16 to be the ticket but who knows. I’m thoroughly enthralled with the idea of a 1 oz lead ball being launched, but doubt I ever chase that. If I do it will definately be with factory loaded ammunition.

 

[Scribner]

The credit card trick is easy and simple. Please check out the 16 gauge forum. They post these permanently at the top of each forum, so you dot have to search. They have several articles about shooting in older guns and using two and three-quarter inch shells in a shorter chamber. They provide sources which say it does not create a dangerous Pressure spike.

 

[paulsj]

I wouldn't bother with brass casings, in fact I reload 16ga., but for as much as I shoot my short chambered 16ga., I just went on line and bought a case of these 2-1/2" lower pressure shells,

View attachment 838937

They will last me a long long time! It's VERY good ammo, at a decent price.

DM

I would gladly pay premium for those shells if they're to be used in old vintage guns. They have topic at doubleshotgun bbs about kaboom at the Southen Side by Side shoot. The guy was shooting Herter's 70mm cartridges in gun made prior to World War I, .

 

[Jim Watson]

Single?
A Sears White Powder Wonder with Wilson's Welded Steel barrel, "Bored for Nitro Powder" was $4.10 in 1901, $4.40 with ejector.
There were cheaper guns, but not many, $3.98 for the Long Range Winner.
A New Crescent was $5.40 and a Remington single was a whopping $7.50.

If you didn't want to pay $24 for a Baker double, made in Batavia NY, a Thomas Barker made somewhere else was only $10.40.
Or you could have the Sam Holt for $9.40.

 

[DM~]

I would gladly pay premium for those shells if they're to be used in old vintage guns. They have topic at doubleshotgun bbs about kaboom at the Southen Side by Side shoot. The guy was shooting Herter's 70mm cartridges in gun made prior to World War I, .

Look them up on line, at their website. They have them in different pressure levels, and several shot sizes...

I'm shooting them in my drilling made in 1909,



The ammo is very well made and shoots well...

DM

 

[Ridgerunner665]

I have an old Crescent 16 too, it was my Grandads gun ... I have fired it many, many times in my youth but its pretty loose these days, not planning on shooting it any more.

He bought it used in the early 1940's for $1.50...no idea when it was made, but it shoots standard length shells.