Originally Posted By: M&M


As to Joe Wood's Parker tag, I believe all 2 3/4" shells of the period and later were paper and roll crimped. When opened they were 2 5/8".


It could be that old, roll crimped paper shells marked 2 3/4" were less than that length when opened. However, looking in my 1940 Shooter's Bible, I find no shortage of 12ga factory loads listed as "2 5/8", which was the 12ga standard until the 1920's or so. Not sure why Parker would specify on a hang tag that 2 3/4" shells are good to go in 2 5/8" chambers when there was plenty of 2 5/8" ammo available.