doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com 2 1/2" vs 2 3/4 " chambers

Good Morning All!

I am in need of some "dutch uncle" advice and direction.

I've been fortunate to collect and shoot some very lovely guns over the last several years. ( 2 Grant Sidelevers, Charles Boswell Sidlock, Purdey Pigeon 2 barrel set etc. Boswel and Grants are 2 1/2" chambers, Purdey is 2/3/4".)

Purdey is used for weekly sporting clays and others are used monthly on the skeet range. All see occassional dove and preserve pheasant hunts Sept.- March.

I use RST shells for most purposes and enjoy shooting S x S's and the history of each.

Question: Am I throwing good money after bad buying 2 1/2" chambered guns ?

I rarely sell guns and suppose the problem of value would fall to my wife on my passing. ( hopefully many years from now ).

Many of the fine guns I look at are chambered in 2 1/2 ".
( There is a gorgeous Westley on Fox Hill's site now ! )

I have no expertise, but enjoy owning fine guns made by skilled artisans.

Thoughts ?

The quality of the gun drives the price more than the chamber length. If you buy a good make and model of gun in good condition and care for it by shooting the right size ammo and not needlessly modifying them you are ok.

I do not believe guns are investments, so don't count on making money. When sold from estates they are often sold at less than a premium, so it is important to educate your agent the best ways to sell for best money and the need for some paitence for price.

My course of action has been to reduce the number of guns I own and increase the quality. One day I will be at three or four good guns to pass on, but I am not there yet and probably never will be.

My son may or may not continue to hold on to my guns, his children (if there end up being any) who knows.

I am in the UK, where these guns were built and where 2 1/2" cartridges are still (if not the norm) widely available.

My view firstly is that NO - you are not 'wasting money'. They are lovely guns - and 2 1/2 is how they were made.

I would use the guns as much as you like - but personally I would use (and do use in my old guns) 2 1/2" suitably light cartridges.

Here in the UK (and many will disagree with this view) the guidelines from the proof houses (and as far as I know all UK gunsmiths) are NOT to use 2 3/4 cartridges in a 2 1/2" chamber. I follow this advice.

My view is continue to collect, enjoy and use your guns, but follow the gunmakers/proofhouse recommendations on cartridge length and load. I use 21 gramme 12 bore loads in 2 1/2 inch felt/fibre wad cases.

I think you asked this same question back in October of 2012....?......The 6 pages of answers (opinions) would probably still be the same.....?.....

http://www.doublegunshop.com/forums/ubbt...6949#Post296949

Hello Teeny,

I would think you already answered your question twofold:

"I... enjoy shooting shooting SxS's and the history of each."
"I... enjoy owning fine guns made by skilled artisans."

I understand the above are the main motivations for your purchases and not just
a profitable financial investment for your/your wife's future.

Keep on enjoying them, that is the main return on your investment!

JC

P.S.: some pictures of them would be appreciated, jc

Correct.

Thread was more focused on loads, proof and chamber length rather than value of guns based on chamber length.

Very helpful at the time. My concern was buying more guns with 2 1/2" chambers.

Thanks for your help.

Teeny,

I don't think any of the short chamber guns lose anything in value over their long chamber brothers, maker for maker, if that is your question........

I believe condition, condition and condition sell guns more than anything else......"as long as the price is where it should be in the buyer's eye"........JMO.........

I think everybody pretty much buys what they fancy and always looks for nice examples of those guns.......

Best,

I would be feeling blessed to have those guns and purchasing 2 1/2" shells would not concern me.
Some of my shooting buddies have been purchaseing the B&P Comp1 shells to shoot in their old doubles. One guy has a Purdey hammer gun in 2 1/2" chambers and he did the research and they meet the required chamber pressure. So he shoots them fine.
I recently just traded away a couple of English sidelocks and purchased a Purdey and an Atkin. Just so happens they are both 2 3/4" chambers. I would have bought them anyway even with the short chambers because they are both fine Best London guns.
So my opinion, in your afterlife when your wife decides to sell the person who will be buying them will be just as informed as you were (or not) and I am sure he will not have a problem have the chambers lengthened to 2 3/4" down at Joe's gunshop and gunsmithing.
Just hope she gets what they are worth.

Shooting is a sport. Collecting guns is a hobby. Not much money in either for most of us as both are recreational pursuits. Look at it as therapy from your normal hectic work day. That's how I explain it to my wife. See says she needs to go to Mexico, I say I need to buy another shotgun. We go to Mexico and I buy another shotgun. See how easy that was. Has absolutely nothing to do with chamber length. Jim

If I am in the market for British guns, and I often am, I think I would rather have the traditional 2 1/2" gun. I know I would rather have it than one that has had its chambers lengthened. Thinking further, I guess that I have no 2 3/4" guns at all, so it would make zero difference to me if I were to buy them from your wife at some much later date. Prolly won't be around to buy them but you get the idea....I like 2 1/2" guns and all the Brit gun enthusiasts I know do as well.