1923 Model 12 Winchester
I have heard that in the earlier years shot shells were smaller. What size were they? When did they change to 2 3/4"? And have I been using the wrong size shell in my gun? Is this even safe? All answers greatly appreciated!
Ian
Ian
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If its a 12 gauge your fine 2 3/4in from the start....20 and 16 had short chambers from the factory untill at least 1927..... 0 -
The 20-Ga guns were 2-1/2" and the 16-Ga guns were 2-9/16" until 1927. If the chamber length is not marked on the gun, it has the short chamber. When the change was made to 2-3/4", Winchester marked it on the gun (barrel). 0 -
If you have any doubt about your shotgun & the ammo you intend to use, it's easy enough to measure your chamber; remove the barrel & slide the rod end of a micrometer into the breech end, & measure from the shoulder to the breech. It is important to use the correct length shell. The chamber measurement should be the same as the fired length of your shell. That's because the crimp will flatten out against the chamber when fired, & the end of the shell should be right at the shoulder. If you fire a shell that's too short, the shot charge has to jump a gap, causing poor performance; if the shell is too long, the crimp becomes a constriction to the shot column right at the moment of highest pressure, which may cause catastrophic failure.
It used to be common for folks to ream out a 2 1/2" chamber to accept a 2 3/4" shell.
Neal0 -
Just to be clear it is a 12 gauge. Cyl. bore
only markings on barrel are The patents on one side and on the other
Nickel Steel -Winchester- Model 12- CYL.0 -
quote:Originally posted by 1923model12win
Just to be clear it is a 12 gauge. Cyl. bore
only markings on barrel are The patents on one side and on the other
Nickel Steel -Winchester- Model 12- CYL.
The 12-ga guns were 2-3/4" from day one of production. When the Heavy Duck Gun was introduced, the 3" chamber was made available.0
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