8 replies to this topic

[StrangeRanger]

Not particularly germane to US martial shotguns but...

 

It seems that not all shotshells are created equal.  I just picked up some NobelsportItalia 12 ga. buckshot rounds.  I already had several other brands in my stash.  All are nominally 2-3/4”/70mm which is the chamber length necessary to accommodate the fired hull, not the length of an unfired round

 

The unfired PMCs are the shortest at 2.22” AOL

The Remingtons are 2.30” as are some Kent birdshot loads.

The Winchesters are only slightly longer at 2.31

The Nobels are a whopping 2.48”

 

All the brands other than Nobel use the familiar star crimp; the Nobels use a plastic “card” over the shot charge and a short roll crimp.  It appears that the fired hulls will be very close to the same length as the other brands.

 

None of this means much until I load my 11-87P.  It has an 18-1/2” barrel with a barrel length mag tube.  The tube will hold 7 of the PMCs but just misses being able to take a 7th Remington or Winchester.  With the Nobels the limit is also 6 but with very little unused tube length.

 

So if you have a shotgun that comes close to accepting one more round, it may be worth looking at some off brands to see if they are sufficiently enough shorter fit in that extra

[TSMGguy]

Right, different manufacturers produce products to different designs and standards, though the caliber or gauge might be the same. 

[BillyDixon]

if just a short space left could you fit in one of those mexican  made real short 12 ga shells ? just wondering

[StrangeRanger]

I don't trust those things to feed 100% of the time, nor do they have the knock-down power of a 2-3/4" load.  Both are obvious concerns in a home defense shotgun

[Petroleum 1]

The only shotgun the mini shells work reliably for me is in my Mossberg 500 with the plastic adaptor installed.

[Roland the Thompsongunner]

The short shells feed well in my Ithaca 37. I think it would have enough stopping power for in home defense. I fired it at a car hood at about 20 feet and it was a pretty nasty set of holes

[Petroleum 1]

The short shells feed well in my Ithaca 37. I think it would have enough stopping power for in home defense. I fired it at a car hood at about 20 feet and it was a pretty nasty set of holes

I need to try them in my 1300...tried them and they run great in my 1300!!

Edited by Petroleum 1, 28 March 2021 - 08:18 AM.

[Baltimoreed11754]

Check the length of your mag tube spring. Might be longer than is needed and can be shortened. Also the follower might be long and bottoming out instead of the spring bottoming out. I’ve increased the capacity of my ‘97s and Marlin cas shotguns by messing with the springs and followers. I also build 2 inch shells that give me 7 rds instead of 6 and work nicely in my Marlin but you do have to tilt the gun a bit to help feeding them in the M12 and ‘97. 

[StrangeRanger]

I'm bottoming out on the Wilson follower notthe spring. I could trim it but there's no need. I have an almost full case of the PMC which is my SHTF load. Everything else is for practice