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Member Joined: 03 Dec 2006 Posts: 58

I just heard about gauge adapters, has anyone used them and is there any draw backs to them and can they hurt the gun.

This from the manufacturer:
We have commissioned independent
pressure/velocity test with Winchester
AA
and Remington STS ammunition in 12 to 20, 12 to
28 and 16 to 28-g
adapters.
Pressure testing was done at the forcing cone
area. Because different
test guns
were used, the 12-g gun was measured at 3" and
the 16-g at 3 5/16" from
the
breech face. There are no industry standards for
pressure at that point.
Here is a sample of the data.

16 to 28 Winchester AA -- 5900 psi and 1252 fps
16 to 28-g Remington STS -- 5100 psi and 1215 fps

Nominal velocity for both brands is 1200 fps
SAAMI pressure standard for 16-g at one inch from
the breech face is
11,500 psi.

Inserts were reviewed in both the March/April Shooting Sportsman and Pointing Dog Journal. I've used the Browning Little Skeeters-simple tube/sleeve to slide the smaller shell into. They were messy with powder blow back into the receiver and even AAs or STSs will eventually get stuck, and Estates and others will stick the first time. The Gauge-Mate Tubes are similar but have a little cut out to help remove the spent shell. Both might work ONCE in a repeater but if you don't catch the spent tube it's going to get dinged pretty bad if it hits the concrete pad.
The Chamber Mates http://www.gunshop.com/chambermates.htm and the GaugeMate-Golds http://www.gauge-mate.com/steves_corner.htm both stay in the gun by rubber O-rings. The Chamber Mates have integral extractors and the GaugeMate-Golds have a larger cut our so the extractor of the gun should work.
Most testers, and I agree, got good patterns esp. if going down only a gauge or two: 12 to 20 or 16 to 28, but some patterned well even 12 to .410.
Advertised cost: Gauge-Mate Tubes $40, GaugeMate-Gold $130-150, Chamber Mates $240. I think my Brownings were $50 and I'm not sure they're still offered.

Member Joined: 08 Nov 2005 Posts: 3438 Location: Illinois

I have tried them all---save your money and buy full length Kolars-----Too many ejection,burning-pattern problems-------The pictures/stories the use are nice but the cold,hard truth is they can't hold a candle to the full length tubes.Of which Kolar leaves Briley in the dust Twisted Evil