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safe ammo for older pump shotguns

dkish
when using older pump shotguns, such as my 16ga stevens 520, whats a good rule of thumb as far as the shells go. i just dont want to damage any of my older pump guns, or get someone hurt! just want to shoot some clays with my sons.
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Comments

8 comments

Date Votes
  • duckhunter
    Trap loads will work fine.
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  • babun
    I have found that it is VERY important that you use the right length
    shell. Many old guns may have a 2 1/2 or 2 9/16 inch chamber. Don't think if the UNFIRED 2 3/4 inch shell drops in, it's okay. The lenght is measured AFTER firing. The pressure will skyrocket if the chamber is too short. Bob
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  • Toolman286
    I have a 12ga 620 that I fire 00B & slugs thru.
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  • Duck Head
    All shotshell loads are factory loaded to be under a certain max. pressure and should be safe to shoot in any modern,non damascus twist barrel gun. It don't matter if it's a "low" brass,"high" brass or magnum the pressure level can't be over a certain amount and the guns are made to take it. There is no 16 ga. "trap" loads.Many people think a "low" brass has lower pressure. Just look at a loading manual and you'll see that light shot charges and slow speeds can equal heavy shot charges and high speeds with nearly the same pressure levels. Sometimes you can load a magnum to lower pressure than a "light" load. I know you're not reloading I'm just trying to make a point. Which is,if it's factory loaded it's safe to shoot no matter what the load.Just make sure it's a 2 3/4" chamber. The factories don't want nobody hurt either.BTW, on older guns I have a M12 pump 12 ga made in 1927 which might be older than your Stevens 16ga I don't know, but it is safe with any modern 2 3/4" shell and made to shoot lots of them.All gauge guns are tested and designed to take anything the factories put out and the factories know that and make their shells accordingly.Unless you're gun has a picture of the Mayflower on it being so old.LOL The only damage you "might" have is shooting more shells than the gun was designed for. Like a cheap rabbit gun being used in competition shooting 100's of rounds a week. Or shooting 1,000 magnums in a year. Just consider what the gun was made for.A box of shells a year.. maybe? OK, so you shoot 2 boxes this year, it will be wore out a year earlier.LOL Don't worry about it. Buy some light recoiling shells for the boys and have a blast.
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  • Mark G
    I have an Ithica 16GA SXS of 1921 vintage (before NID) and I use Remington Game Loads with 7-1/2 shot. Pretty inexpensive round and shoots well out of the old gun.
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  • asphalt cowboy
    If you have pressure concerns or are recoil sensitive Polywad has the Vintager line of low pressure, short chasmber loads.

    And no, not all non-damascus guns will withstand the pressures of modern amunition. My brother borrowed, yeah right, borrowed, one of my 16g Husqvarna Mod 20's and literally destroyed it with the 11,000 psi loads I load for my 2 1/2" A5.
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  • 45er
    dkish, Howdy
    To answer your good question...

    To give another option for the Remington shells with #7 1/2 shot, as pointed out by Mark G., is Winchester Super X in 1oz #8 shot.

    It is the lightest 16ga Winny makes at this time, as they sadly do not produce target shells in 16ga.

    Either should be fine for intended purpose.

    These both are light game loads off the shelf. So, perhaps easier to find locally than something more specialized?

    Happy shootin'!
    45er
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  • dkish
    thanks for the advice. i bought the winchester shells, and will try the remington as well. always a wealth of info on this site!
    Dave
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