doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Availability of 2.5 inch shells

I’ve got my eye on an elegant vintage shotgun (12 ga) that has 2.5 inch chambers. I’ve never owned a gun with 2.5 inch chambers, but I’ve read how the availability of 2.5 inch shells comes and goes. Reloading is not an option right now because I don’t have time or space for it. I’d mostly use the gun for doves with an occasional squirrel or rabbit. Across years, how hard is it to find 2.5 inch shells in 12 gauge with size 6 - 8 shot? I wouldn’t mind stocking up if I found a source. I’m trying to determine if this gun would be a good investment far me. I welcome helpful input. Thanks

Of course they are not going to be cheap, but typical by today's standards, Stock-up on Gamebore Regals @ $20 a box, probably British shot-sizes. But I cannot say enough about the Diamond Shot.

Hochachtungsvoll,

Raimey
rse

RST has 2 1/2” shells in stock now. When in doubt buy the shells first. Then the gun. Ammo will keep. A flat should take care if what you need and you could see about mixing different sizes shit to get maximum flexibility.

I've had good luck with https://claysammo.com/armusa-12-ga-...se-of-250-shells-from-145-free-shipping/

Ended up buying 4 cases to get the free shipping.

Chantry;

Are the 7.5 and 8 size shot American size shot?

Regards;
Stephen Howell

Browsing thru their website:

>>Shot Size: #7.5 (2.4 MM) #8 (2.3 MM) or #9 (2 MM)
Shot Type: Triple Sorted, Extra Magnum Grade -> 6% ANTIMONY <<,

Which occurs on several different varieties of the Spanish made cartridges.

I had forgotten about ARMUSA and I would like some of those 5s & 6s for those Kansas Ditch Parrots or Faisán.


Serbus,

Raimey
rse

I'm a big fan of these Armusa shells in 12 and 16ga. I spent most of the last 12 months mainly shooting a 2 1/2" chambered gun and I shot a lot of these. Very comfortable and clean.

Thanks Raimey. That is USA size. That much antimony is OK with me.

Stephen

If you reload 12 ga shells it is a simple matter to load a 2 1/2" shell, even when using a Mec progressive press. I load 7/8 oz and 3/4 oz loads in a cut down Rem shell. Pretty sure my cost is below $10/25

I do most of my pheasant hunting these days with my 16''s. But back when I owned a pair of Army&Navy 2 1/2" 12's, (made by Webley & Scott) I shot a lot of Kent Gamebore Pure Gold 30 Gram Brit #6shot. Going by "the book" , that load should contain 181 pellets. A favorite 12ga pheasant load of late American shotgun Gurus Michael McIntosh, Gene Hill, DonZutz, and Bob Brister was 1 1/4 oz of US6 shot which is just slightly larger than British 6 at 187 pellets in that load. One cold winter day, with nothing better to do, I literally dug into those two loads and discovered that the pellet counts were close enough to the "book" counts that they are very close to being ballistic twins. And both of them seemed to be reliable pheasant killers. But on foreign brands of shotgun ammo, it's always good to ask whether the shot size is US or foreign.
We also measure velocity differently than do our counterparts on the other side of the Atlantic, but that's an entirely different and even more complicated subject. Somewhere along the line, assuming Eley still puts it out, they used to publish a very handy little pocket book called " Eley shooter's diary" which helps to break the code on shotshells and ballistics. If you ever see one of those, make sure you pick one up. It is a small treasure of shotshell facts.