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< 16ga. General Discussion ~ 16 GA History? |
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Posted:
Sat Jul 26, 2014 7:45 am
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Joined: 07 Apr 2007
Posts: 1624
Location: northwewst Wyoming
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Can anyone refer me to 16 gauge history sources? |
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Posted:
Sat Jul 26, 2014 9:00 am
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Member
Joined: 15 Apr 2007
Posts: 9464
Location: Amarillo, Texas
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Posted:
Sat Jul 26, 2014 9:21 am
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Joined: 07 Apr 2007
Posts: 1624
Location: northwewst Wyoming
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Thanks skeettex, yep, I know about the # of balls per pound. my question was spawned by members making references to 16 gauge history and other than the gauges past popularity, I know little of its history. |
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Posted:
Sat Jul 26, 2014 9:42 am
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Member
Joined: 15 Apr 2007
Posts: 9464
Location: Amarillo, Texas
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Posted:
Sat Jul 26, 2014 10:18 am
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Joined: 07 Apr 2007
Posts: 1624
Location: northwewst Wyoming
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Thank you. |
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Posted:
Sun Jul 27, 2014 7:03 am
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Joined: 13 Jun 2009
Posts: 696
Location: WA/AK
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Here is my --
16-Gauge History lesson --
From the late 1890s until after WW-I, the heaviest 16-gauge loads our North American ammunition companies offered were 2 3/4 drams of bulk smokeless powder or 22 grains of dense smokeless powder such as Infallible or Ballistite, pushing 1 ounce of shot. Those loads could be had in the "standard" 2 9/16 inch case or any of the longer 2 3/4, 2 7/8 or 3-inch cases. In late 1922 or early 1923, Western Cartridge Co. added the 16-gauge to their progressive burning powder loads called Super-X, but unlike the 1 1/4 ounce 12-gauge and 1 ounce 20-gauge Super-X loads which were put up in Western's 2 3/4 inch FIELD shells, the 1 1/8 ounce 16-gauge Super-X load was put up in their 2 9/16 inch FIELD shell. When the Lubaloy shot Super-X loads were introduced in July 1929, they were put up in Western's high brass RECORD shell, but the 16-gauge still in a 2 9/16 inch length case.
The 2 3/4 inch 16-gauge shell really began to get some traction when Remington Arms Co., Inc. introduced their Model 11 and "Sportsman" autoloaders in 16-gauge in 1931, chambered for 2 3/4 inch shells. While Remington's regular Nitro Express 16-gauge progressive burning powder load was put up in a 2 9/16 inch hull with a load of 3 drams equiv. pushing 1 1/8 ounce of shot, for their new 16-gauge autoloaders they introduced the slightly faster Auto-Express with a 3 1/4 drams equiv. charge pushing 1 1/8 ounce of shot --
I'm thin on Winchester ammo catalogues, but for sure by 1934, they were offering a similar 2 3/4 inch 16-gauge load.
The 2 3/4 inch Magnum shells with 1 1/2 ounce in 12-gauge, 1 1/4 ounce in 16-gauge and 1 1/8 ounce in 20-gauge first appear in the December 15, 1954, Western Cartridge Co. catalogues.
Western Cartridge Co. added a 2 3/4 inch 16-gauge to their Super-X offerings for 1938. From 1938 through 1942 they called this 16-gauge 2 3/4 inch Super-X shell "Magnum", even though it was still a 1 1/8 ounce payload. By Western Cartridge Co.'s March 7, 1946, catalogue the term "Magnum" was gone from this 2 3/4 inch 16-gauge Super-X shell. In Western's January 2, 1947, catalogue, the 2 9/16 inch 16-gauge Super-X shell was gone from both the chilled shot and the Lubaloy offerings, and their only 2 9/16 inch shells being offered were Xpert. This may have been an oversight, as the 2 9/16 inch 16-gauge Super-X shell with chilled shot is back in Western Cartridge Co.'s April 8, 1948, catalogue and price list, and the 2 9/16 inch 16-gauge Super-X loads remained until their last appearance on Western Cartridge Co.'s January 2, 1962, catalogue and price lists, where it is "available until stocks depleted." By Western Cartridge Co.’s January 2, 1963, catalogue and price lists the new Mark 5 was introduced and all the 16-gauge Super-X offerings are 2 3/4 inch. By the January 2, 1964, Western Cartridge Co. catalogue and price list the 16-gauge 2 9/16 inch Xpert shell is gone as well. |
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Posted:
Sun Jul 27, 2014 7:21 am
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Joined: 07 Apr 2007
Posts: 1624
Location: northwewst Wyoming
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Thanks researcher, very informative. |
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Posted:
Mon Jul 28, 2014 7:36 pm
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Joined: 25 Feb 2012
Posts: 40
Location: NE Kansas
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Interesting I had thought that the 16ga 3" shell was developed in the 1920's or 30's along side the 3" 20ga but was phased out. I just love history especially when it contradicts what many believe to be true. Like the 4" 12ga or 3" 28ga shells that where developed before the turn of the 20th century. |
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Posted:
Tue Jul 29, 2014 10:43 am
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Joined: 13 Jun 2009
Posts: 696
Location: WA/AK
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Quote: |
Like the 4" 12ga or 3" 28ga shells that where developed before the turn of the 20th century.
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Don't think so.
Paper Shot Shell Lengths
In reviewing old Union Metallic Cartridge Co. catalogues and price lists, the first time I see mention of extra length paper shot shells is in the 1889 catalogue, before they were offering any smokeless powder shells. Smokeless powder begins appearing in the 1891 catalogue. After the introduction of smokeless powder loads the first catalogue I’ve found to offer longer paper shells is 1895 where they offer 10-gauge shells in 2 5/8 and 2 7/8 inch lengths, 12-gauge shells in 2 5/8 or 2 3/4 inch lengths, while 16-gauge is just 2 9/16 inch and 20-gauge just 2 1/2 inch. In the September 1896 catalogue they offer 12-gauge paper "Smokeless" shell in lengths up to 3-inch. All brass 10- and 12-gauge NPEs were offered up to 3 1/4 inch length. By the April 1899 UMC Catalogue things are really taking off and they've added 2 3/4 and 2 7/8 inch lengths to both 16- and 20-gauge offerings, and the 3 1/4 inch 12-gauge length in their "Trap" shell. By the May 1900 UMC catalogue the 3-inch 16- and 20-gauge length is being offered in their salmon colored "Smokeless" shell and their green colored "Trap" shell.
That pretty much covers paper shot shell lengths and when they appeared. So, by 1900 we had paper 12-gauge shells in 2 5/8, 2 3/4, 2 7/8, 3 and 3 1/4 inch lengths; 16-gauge shells in 2 9/16, 2 3/4, 2 7/8 and 3-inch lengths; and 20-gauge shells in 2 1/2, 2 3/4, 2 7/8 and 3-inch lengths.
From my search of a century worth of old North American ammunition company catalogues I only find the 28-gauge offered in the "standard" 2 1/2 inch shell with a load of 1 3/4 drams of bulk smokeless powder pushing a charge of 5/8 ounce of shot. The extra length 2 7/8 inch cases where sold as NPEs, but sporadically offered with 2 drams of bulk smokeless and 5/8 ounce of shot loading. Western Cartridge Co. introduced their 3/4 ounce Super-X 28-gauge load in 1932, put up in a 2 7/8 inch case. Shortly before WW-II the 2 3/4 inch 28-gauge shells begin to appear, and very soon after WW-II, 2 3/4 inch is the 28-gauge length.
From the 1890s into the early 1920s, these longer shot shells didn't carry a heavier payload than one could get in a 2 3/4 inch 12-gauge shell, just more/better wadding, which many serious Pigeon shooters believed to be an advantage. The maximum smokeless powder loads offered in the 2 5/8 inch 12-gauge shell and the 2 1/2 inch 20-gauge shell were a bit lighter than those offered in 2 ¾ inch and longer shells.
Those extreme length, 4 to seven inch paper 12-gauge shells, found from time to time, were made by the companies for use as salesman sample window shells and/or party favors for company events, not "real" shotshells!! |
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