10 gauge shot gun

Question
QUESTION: Bob: is there such a thing as a 10 gauge shot gun chambered for a  2 & 7/8" Shell. I have never heard of such a thing. Thank You for any info You can give me.

ANSWER: Hello Howard.

Some of the older shotguns were chambered for 10 gauge to accept a variety of shell lengths ranging from 2 1/2" to 4". In the late 1800's and early 1900s Winchester made 10 gauge shells in 2 1/2", 2 9/16", 2 3/4", 2 7/8", 3", 3 1/4", and 3 1/2" sizes. Some 10 gauge British shotguns of that era were chambered for shells up to 4".

Keep in mind that many of these older shotguns were designed to accept black powder shells which were much less powerful than the modern smokeless powder loads. In most cases it would not be safe to shoot modern shells in a black powder shotgun because the gun could explode like a grenade due to the increased pressure. The following site has some good info on black powder shotgun shells:

http://www.tbullock.com/BPSG.html

If you want to see some of the 10 gauge guns you can find many for sale with photos on the following site. Just search for "10 gauge":

http://www.gunsinternational.com/

Here are some good search links if you want to learn more:

General info:
http://www.google.com/search?q=2+7%2F8%22+10+gauge+shotgun

Images:
http://images.google.com/images?q=2+7%2F8%22+10+gauge+shotgun

Hope this helps!

Bob

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: I have heard shot gun shells referred to as  high base & low base - also as high brass & low brass. Please tell me what do these terms mean.   Thank You.

Answer
High brass shells are generally more powerful because they contain more powder in the base of the shell, which is why the brass cup at the base of the shell is taller than you would normally see on standard or low brass shells. A typical low brass shell has a brass cup that is roughly 1/4" tall while a high brass shell cup can range from 1/2" to 3/4" or even longer. Some of the older shotgun shells were made of solid brass tubes but these were for the older black powder loads so don't confuse these with modern plastic shells that only have a partial brass cup at the base.