I have a high condition 1933 vintage 16-gauge A-Grade that has all Philadelphia shaped parts and barrels marked CHROMOX FLUID COMPRESSED STEEL and it has the 2 7/16 inch chambers intended for 2 9/16 inch shells. I also have a high condition 1936 vintage A-Grade 16-gauge that has forearm, top-lever and safety slide in the Savage-style, but still CHROMOX FLUID COMPRESSED STEEL marked barrels and it has 2 3/4 inch chambers. Bottom line a lot of the Savage era guns were short chambered.
The SAAMI meeting where it was suggested that manufacturers mark the chamber length on their guns was in 1937. I've seen some 1938 vintage Fox guns that got this style roll-stamp --
and all guns from 1939 and later. In the 1938 Fox catalogs they begin stating for each gun "Chambered for 2 3/4" shells." We also see this roll-stamp on guns of all eras that were returned to Savage for maintenance. Their policy was to rechamber and reproof the gun to 2 3/4 inch at the owner's risk before any work would be done. If the barrels failed to meet their proof standards they would fit new barrels, destroying the old ones, at cost as a matter of customer good will!!
Similar on my Remington pumps and autoloaders from the 1930s. Those from 1938 and earlier only marked as to gauge. I don't have a 1939 or 40 but those from 1941 onward are marked "For 2 3/4 or shorter shells."
