Wanting to find 2 1/2 inch 12 gauge shotgun shells

T

Tim#A19

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Hello,

I'm brand new to GunNutz, and was wanting to find out if anyone knows where in Canada I can purchase European (British, Italian) 2 1/2 inch, 12 gauge shotgun shells. I have a vintage english shotgun, proofed 1904-1925, so was wanting to use CIP proof pressure rated shells in order to avoid damage. Dealers in British Columbia or Alberta would be my preference.

Thanks.

Tim
 
might be a good shot to learn some reloading and start from there on your own shells, read read read then read again and load em up, either with a really light load or BP
 
I found a box at Wholesale Sports here in Winterpeg.
It was a proper 2 1/2" long shell, but I found the recoil to be more than the light target loads.
I did buy the shells a year or two ago, so you might be SOL, and then again maybe not.
 
Kent imports and sells Gamebore 2 1/2 inch shells.

Gotta be on yer toes and buy a couple boxes when you see them come in.

PM or Email P&D Enterprises in Edmonton, and check with them if they have any in.Was about $14 a box out the door when I bought some last time. Beats the $50 the bandit at the gun show was looking for! For that kind of money, I would rather be without!

FWIW if you dig around on the Doublegun Journal site, you can find some great info WRT using Target 2 3/4" loads in old 2 1/2" chambers. One of the guys there decided to actually test out the 'common knowledge' and mounted some pressure transducers to a couple old guns and actually measured what happens. Worth reading.

Oh yeah. Whatcha got? I have an Army and Navy CSL made in the early 1920's with 2 1/2" chambers. I know that my father used to shoot trap/skeet/whatever it was, with it, and it was shot a lot with 2 3/4" shells, to no apparent ill effects. I have measured the chambers, and they are 2 1/2".
But I'd rather have the correct length shells if I can.

Cheers
Trev
 
Thanks for the info. I did go to Kent Cartridges website, and there is a Dealer listed in Merritt, BC that sells their product, so I will try and contact him to order a few cases. I was surprised how little ammo is available in Canada for vintage type shotguns.

I did have a good discussion about this issue on the Double Gun Journal forum website. I have been shooting Winchester AA Low Noise Low recoil loads in my gun without any noticeable problems, but the American made ammunition apparently has too high of pressures for these old vintage guns. I was just trying to figure out my options; trying to find out if there are any other European shotgun shell distributors around, like Eley, Fiocchi, Baschieri & Pellagri, etc. I haven't come across Gambore or Fiocchi for years now.

Tim
 
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I'd say that simply learning to reload and going from there is like to be your best bet, if you want to control what the pressures are in that gun.

Reloading makes very little sense for general 'blastin awat at cans' type ammo, but when compared to $10-$15 a box premium loads, it starts to look downright affordable, and gives you total control over what goes in your gun.

So. Why look for 2 1/2 inch shells if you have a 2 3/4" chamber? Seems a waste of time when you should by my estimation, be looking for the lowest pressure 2 3/4 inch loads available. Just sayin.

Oh yeah. Linking to another forum.Y'all gonna be in the poo, IIRC, it's one of the 'bad' things to do around here. Go to your post, click edit, and chuck a space in there to kill the link, all good. Silly yes, but the site owner has decided..

Cheers
Trev
 
Thanks trevj for the advice. Yeah, I guess reloading is an option, I just have never done it before because I can still get 12 and 20 gauge shells on the cheap for my other shotguns. As to the 2 1/2 inch shells, that is all you can get in Gambore English traditional loads according to the Kent website. Years ago I remember buying Gambore White Gold in 2 3/4 inch, and it was CIP proof pressure rated to 3 1/4 tons per square inch so it was okay for my vintage gun. I don't care whether it is 2 3/4 inch; 2 1/2 inch or even the 2 inch loads would be fine for shooting in my vintage shotgun. I just shoot a little trap, and hunt grouse with it anyways.

Tim
 
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