16ga.com ~ View topic - I have a 1935 Parker Trojan,can I shoot 2-3/4" hi brass

Joined: 29 Oct 2011 Posts: 42

Gun is tight and right 28" m-f chokes. The 2-3/4" shells drop right in and fall right out. I am using it for Turkey and want to shoot 1-1/8 oz of 6 Remington Express loads.

fowler,

Measure the Chambers of your old Parker gun, it may have been made for 2 1/2" shells.
We recommend using the RST 2 1/2" shells even if the gun was made for 2 3/4" shells originally. The #6 RST 2 1/2" shells will kill a Turkey with no problem. Safe guard your old American Classic gun, by using the lighter shells.

all the best,

Pine Creek/Dave
L.C. Smith Man

Joined: 29 Oct 2011 Posts: 42

It's a 1935 Trojan with 2-3/4" chambers

Joined: 29 Oct 2011 Posts: 42

I could use lighter field loads as well. I only plan on one shell a year.

Issue is not the metal but the wood

Joined: 26 Apr 2010 Posts: 3181 Location: NCWa

Just an observation: loaded 2 3/4" shells will "drop right in" to a 2 9/16 chamber because they are 2 1/2" long. Just as a loaded 3" 12 ga will drop right in to a 2 3/4" chamber. It's the opened-up length that matters.

Joined: 29 Oct 2011 Posts: 42

I will try and pattern the RST number 6 ,1oz load,thanks

My 16ga Trojan dales from 1926; my Galazan chamber gauge reads 2-3/4"; don't know whether or not they've been lengthened. It has digested many boxes of modern factory loads with no issues, both 1oz and 1-1/8oz. Admittedly I try to say at 1200fps or lower and those Express Long Range loads show 1295fps, a little stiffer than I'd like, but I wouldn't be afraid to use them for the occasional shot. I've shot some Kent Bismuth at 1300fps out of mine.

Wood is a curious thing.

In the Dakota's a buddy came up to hunt with me with a vintage SxS.

Conversation was all about pressure, not payload.

Warning pressure was NOT THE ISSUE.

WOOD AGE WAS THE ISSUE.

Well the Magnum bug bit very heavily.

The attempt to explain fell on def ears.

My 3/4 oz is my Magnum load elicited much laughter, not to mention the # 9's size shot.

2nd day out very pretty vintage SxS with no visible signs of wood failures, guess what.

Forearm was in 2 pieces, the stock was in 7 pieces.

🤔

Metal seems to NOT BE THE ISSUE.

Low pressure loads aside , high payload weight destroyed a very nice looking set of wood in one shot.

Observation from actual eye witness, ME.

1 OZ LOADS IN OLD WOOD SHOULD BE APPROACHED WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF A TRIP TO THE STOCK MAKER .

Pressure on old metal IS NOT THE PROBLEM.

PAYLOAD WEIGHT IS A PROBLEM.

Use your 1 OZ + loads in your new or synthetic stocked shotguns.

Regards Nick

Gentlemen,

Charles Hammacks write up is right on the money, use the lighter shells in your 100 year old Classic guns, to safe guard them for longevity usage. Its the wood that needs safe guarded not the metals. Even before RST was in business we rolled our own shells for most of our Classic double guns, not one of them has ever been damaged when using the correct shells.

all the best,

Pine Creek/Dave
L.C. Smith Man

My Great Grandfathers L.C. Smith Pigeon Gun, used very heavily and still in perfect shape.

Joined: 12 Sep 2010 Posts: 1975 Location: Maine

The OP asked "can I do it?"

Yes, you can.

That does not make it a good idea.

Consider this: getting a Parker restocked starts at about $2200. At least that was what DelGrego quoted me in 2015 for my Trojan.

Joined: 29 Oct 2011 Posts: 42

Since the Parker cost in the high $3k , truly in unrestored near % 90 condition .I will stick with the recommended 7/8 oz range at 1100- 30 fps . And 1oz at same speed for that one Turkey shot. I will give my friend the box of Remington Express 1-1/8 at 1295 fps for his Ithaca Feather WeightM-37 pump. Save the wood on Old Reliable!!

fowlers,

I agree 100%, good post.

all the best,

Pine Creek/Dave
L.C. Smith Man