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Posted By: Blue Grouse English 10 gauge chamber lengths? - 11/20/12 06:24 AM
Greetings all,
Can someone please inform me if there were any standard (or sort of standard) chamber lengths for the English 10 gauge? I have seen everything from 2 1/2" to 3" in 1/8" increments and I'm trying to determine what's real and what's a person that just can't measure chambers!
I do know there were 2 5/8"(67mm) and 2 7/8"(73mm) for sure but was wondering about the rest.
Thanks for the expertise!
Posted By: Mark Ouellette Re: English 10 gauge chamber lengths? - 11/20/12 11:26 AM
I have a Parker proofed for the 3", 3.5 TON load. That's about 10,500 PSI which isn't too bad for one of those old Damascus barreled guns! The SAAMI average mean pressure for any 10 gauge is 11,000.
Posted By: Hugh Lomas Re: English 10 gauge chamber lengths? - 11/20/12 01:58 PM
1954 Rules of Proof List only 2 lengths for 10ga 2&5/8th , 2&7/8th inches which were pretty much std from @ 1900 onwards other variations were made special order and the Proof house would test based on info supplied by the maker . I seem to recall 3 &1/4" was not unheard of for wildfowling guns.
Posted By: crossedchisles Re: English 10 gauge chamber lengths? - 11/20/12 03:01 PM
Hugh Lomas, "Old Doc" has just sent me "Pics & Stats" of a H&H 10bore "All Original" has 3 1/4" Chambers ? Whadya think? See it on www.gun-vault.com. I will do a "Cerrosafe casting to determine actual C/Length. I dont think it weighs much more than 7 Lbs.!!! (He wants to actually SHOOT it !!! C/C aka dt.
Posted By: AmarilloMike Re: English 10 gauge chamber lengths? - 11/20/12 03:37 PM
Burrard's The Modern Shotgun Volume 3, page 208, has a table titled "Loads for All Size of British Cartridges" and in ten bore shows 3-1/4", 3", 2-7/8", and 2-5/8". Another table on page 320 "Proof and Service Charges for Different Gauges" lists the same lengths for the ten.

This edition was published in 1932.
Posted By: Hugh Lomas Re: English 10 gauge chamber lengths? - 11/20/12 03:38 PM
David,quite possibly original from H&H as I know they would make non std length chambers per clients request. I had a Royal through the shop with 12b-2&5/8th chambers @ 1900 manufacture, extra bbls made up in 1923 also in 2&5/8th all so marked with London proof.Checked out by H&H NYC and all very original.
Gun was ordered by a wealthy Canadian from Winnipeg, I speculate he had as much opportunity for ducks as upland birds so went for something that would handle a heavier load.
All the best,
Posted By: Stallones Re: English 10 gauge chamber lengths? - 11/20/12 04:05 PM
MY TOLLEY HAMMERGUN 10 GA IS STAMPED 3 1/4 PAPER ON THE BOTTOM OF ONE BARREL
Posted By: Blue Grouse Re: English 10 gauge chamber lengths? - 11/20/12 04:59 PM
Thanks for the responses. I had suspected as such but I have seen so many different lengths listed for guns on sale that I was starting to wonder. My assumption was that the odd lengths were listed by folks unfamiliar with what they were looking at.
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