Mr. Myrick: Shells need to be appropriate to the gun digesting them. Older guns normally require something a bit easier on the heads of the stocks as well. I'm a great fan of the shells loaded by the good folks at RST in Pennsylvania. I shoot the 2 1/2-inch loads my gun was essentially built for, although I could use longer (2 3/4-inch shells). I'd like to think the gun should go another 110-years if I do my part.