16ga.com ~ View topic - Best shells that will cycle through a pump gun.

Joined: 22 Feb 2007 Posts: 29 Location: Massachusetts

I recently bought a 16 gauge Ithaca model 37 pump. I have been having a bad time with it, When I first got it I couldn't extract a shell from the chamber. I could take the barrel off, put an empty hull in the chamber and then I couldn't pull it out again. I had to insert a rod down through the barrel to tap it out. I examined the chamber and found heavy tool marks left from a reamer. I honed the chamber with a flex hone and it is much better than it was, but the gun is still rough to pump at times and sometimes very hard to pump. I read that this had to do with the steel bases used on the shells and if I switched to an all brass based shell I wouldn't have that problem. The trouble is I can't find any manufacturer that makes an all brass based 16 Ga shotshell.

I was hoping that someone here has experiance with this problem and could tell me what the best hull is to use.

Thanks, Pete

You're probably better off with a low base shell, less steel to stick in the chamber. May also want to look at replacing the extractor.

Sorry the hone didn't work out. Skeetx's recommendation seems sound. Have the chamber measured and reamed by a gunsmith. I'd contact Ithaca and see if they could help. There's no way to tell you what shell would work best in your gun without trying them out.

In the 16 Gauge you are out of luck looking for hulls with brass heads. Everything now has steel heads. However steel heads have nothing to do with the hulls sticking in the chamber.

I don't see his post but skeetx has it right, go to a good gunsmith and get the chamber cut properly.

SxS,
Diamond gunsmithing would be the best at trouble shooting your 37, Les knows them better than anyone.
Charlie Wink

607-273-4510
diamondgunsmithing.com/

I have a tight chambered Winchester 97. It will feed Winchester & RGL's just fine. Federals tend to hang up as the poster describes.

I solved the problem by using my MEC Super-Sizer and re-sizing the base of all the factory Federals before using.
This can be verified by using a Calibers and measuring the base where it meets the plastic. You will find the Federals are slightly larger at the top of the base.

Your problem is not the chamber of the barrel, it is shell size with steel bases.

Joined: 26 Apr 2010 Posts: 3178 Location: NCWa

Just checked a one shell sample of several 16s on hand. The diameter of the base where it joins the plastic are:
CIL .730"
Rem Black .734"
Win CF .735"
Kent .736"
Spanish .736"
B&P .737"
Win Poly .738"
Fed .740"

A sample of one is nowhere near statistical significance, but it is interesting that the Federal was the largest, but only 2 thousands more than to current production Winchester.

Joined: 18 Jan 2005 Posts: 56 Location: tulsa

Interesting topic to me since I had the opposite problem with a 16 ga 97. The 97 did not want to eject some shells. The Winchester shells were the worse. The heavier the shell was the better it ejected. The Reminton and Federal worked just fine.
The promo Winchesters in 12 ga have caused me several problems in various semi-auto and pump shotguns. My Ithica 20 ga works fine with the promo Winchesters, but the 1100 20ga has problems with them.
My Rem 105 CTI does not like the promo Winchesters or even AA hulls that have been reloaded several times, but will work perfectly with new AAs or the Walmart Winchester Universals which look just like the Super X promo shells.
I am afraid we are getting to the point you have to try brands of shells in a specific gun to see if you are going to have problems with no matter which gauge you are shooting

Member Joined: 02 Oct 2007 Posts: 1975

Like skeetx said, get the chamber measured.
I had problems with my LC Smith hanging up after firing. Had the chambers measured and one was a couple thousands smaller then the other. The shell would go in with no problem, but after firing it expanded enough to stick in the one chamber. After honing, never had another problem.

Suppose the chamber is more cone shaped than cylindrical and small end of the cone is at the feed end. All it would take is a few thousands tighter at the feed end to cause the problems you have. In the other thread you indicated you could see tool marks in the chamber. The factory reamer could have been slightly defective. Gil

I re-load using a MEC SizeMaster which has the sizing collet built in to the de-capping stage. However for purposes of Quality check on factory shells with the steel heads I now run all through the MEC Supersizer.

Nothing spoils a Bird hunt more than to have a shell hang-up on extraction after the first shot when the Quail are flushed and flying fast.

Our older Guns were chambered for Brass base shells.

Be careful on how far you ream chambers, I polish only.

Here's the earlier thread regarding the problem:
http://www.16ga.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=105929&highlight=#105929

My Remington 870/16 made in 1954 schuks the shells like corn thru a Goose. Like's them all.
Not so with the Winchester 97/16 made in 1941, it is particular as to what it like's to be fed. Prefers Winchester/Cheditte type hulls. Then RGL black's and least and last Federals.

Lefty

If you have a dial indicator, would you please measure the diameter of the chamber at the head of these shotguns?

Thanks
Mike