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Old March 7, 2013, 03:36 AM   #1
Bake
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Shooting a 2 3/4" in a 3 1/2" chamber?

I've been looking at some good deals on 12 ga shotguns lately, and I've been wondering if their is any problems shooting the light 2 3/4" in a 3 1/2".

I would think the semi auto, and the pump would jam up, but maybe a double or single would work?
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Old March 7, 2013, 04:05 AM   #2
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Semi autos can be finicky depending on the gun. If you are looking at cheap semi autos, they will probably have problems with light 2 3/4" loads. Heck, even gas guns with 3" chambers can have problems with light 2 3/4" loads. Benelli recommends (I believe) a 1 1/8 oz shot with their 3" guns (not sure about their 3.5" guns) and my Beretta needs the same to run without occasionally having problems (3" chamber).

A pump you won't have any problems unless the shooter short-strokes the gun. What makes you think that pumps would have problems?
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Old March 7, 2013, 05:07 AM   #3
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Mechanical?

I see that the Benelli (web sight) SBEII (Performance Shop) should able to handle 2 3/4, 3, & 3 1/2 without any adjustment....

Last edited by Bake; March 7, 2013 at 05:17 AM.
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Old March 7, 2013, 06:59 AM   #4
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I have seen more than one SBE2 have issues with light loads. There is more to it than just shell length.
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Old March 7, 2013, 10:31 AM   #5
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I shoot 2 3/4", 1 1/8th ounce loads out of my 3 1/2" Maxus and have yet to have a problem. I owned an 11-87 Super Mag prior to the Maxus and it failed to cycle the lighter loads well over half the time.
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Old March 7, 2013, 10:58 AM   #6
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My SBE has no trouble cycling 1 1/8 ounce loads. At one time I even used 1 ounce loads of 7.5 shot without trouble, but that was back in 1995 (I had to as I had taken such a beating using 2.25 ounce lead loads that I needed a super light load for the next two months).
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Old March 7, 2013, 11:00 AM   #7
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You'll be fine with a pump gun. There is always the possibity of short stroking, but the odd's are no greater than when shooting 2 3/4" shells from a 2 3/4" chamber.

Good advice on semi-autos. Heavy 2 3/4" loads will probably work, but the lighter the load the more likely you are to have issues, especially with 3 1/2" semi's.
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Old March 7, 2013, 12:24 PM   #8
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I have as SBE that is finicky with AA lite target loads..2 3/4" 2 3/4 dram 1 oz loads.

My M1 Super90 eats everything I feed it just fine. I had a Remington 11-87 3" that would not feed any target loads less than 1 1/8.

The only thing mechanical about cycling a pump action is your elbow.
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Old March 7, 2013, 01:32 PM   #9
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I have an A400 Xplor Unico, the green receiver, 3.5"inch Beretta gas gun. I reload 2-3/4", 3/4oz VERY light reloads. Shot it today at 5-stand and FITASC. No issues. This gun has at least 5000 rounds through it and it has never malfed with factory or reloads, no matter how stout or light
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Old March 7, 2013, 02:15 PM   #10
Bake
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Thanks Guys, for your comments.

So I guess the answer is in a single shot, o/u, & sxs, there won't be anymore problems than shooting a 38 Spe. in a 357.

The pump's only problem maybe getting used to the longer stroke.

The semi-auto still required enough gases, or recoil to cycle.
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Old March 7, 2013, 10:55 PM   #11
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The semi auto if new probably has a set of rings and instructions in how to install them for the loads you are shooting. We shoot 2 3/4" loads exclusively in my brothers Browning A-5 without a hitch. Same with my Winchester and Mossberg pump shotguns, 2 3/4 shells work just fine.
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Old March 7, 2013, 11:13 PM   #12
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Quote:
The pump's only problem maybe getting used to the longer stroke.
Not sure what the "" meant, but the pump should be cycled the same regardless of shell length. So nothing at all to get used to there.
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Old March 8, 2013, 03:52 AM   #13
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The means "No Problem". or at most, by the time I get to station 3, I won't notice it...
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Old March 8, 2013, 08:53 AM   #14
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Quote:
The semi-auto still required enough gases, or recoil to cycle
I reload 2-3/4", 3/4oz VERY light reloads
it has never malfed with factory or reloads, no matter how stout or light

Nothing to change around, a good modern gas gun will be self regulating
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Old March 8, 2013, 09:01 AM   #15
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Length of the shell is irrelevent....

In my Benelli's ( Inertia operated ) ....they will cycle all of my reloads 100% as long as they are at least 1200 fps ....and whether they are 3/4 oz or 1 1/8 oz is also irrelevent..../ 1200 fps is the only thing that matters...
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Old March 8, 2013, 09:17 AM   #16
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Quote:
Benelli recommends (I believe) a 1 1/8 oz shot with their 3" guns (not sure about their 3.5" guns) and my Beretta needs the same to run without occasionally having problems (3" chamber).
I have a 3” chambered Benelli Vinci and if I start with a clean gun I can shoot 2 3/4” 1 oz Gun Club loads for around 250-300 shells before they won’t fully cycle the gun anymore. With 1 1/8 oz GC’s I don’t know where the failure point is because I’ve yet to reach it.

To BigJimP’s point I believe the 1 oz loads are just under 1200 FPS and the 1 1/8 oz loads are right at 1200 FPS so he may be on to something there.
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Old March 8, 2013, 10:09 AM   #17
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2 3/4 field loads and target loads are not the same thing. Never had a problem with field loads of any length as long as the gun was marked for that length shell.
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Old March 8, 2013, 01:47 PM   #18
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Some autoloaders are more sensitive to light loads than others.

Last weekend my friend had his Moss. 930 Blackwater out for the second time. It choked on almost every shot with Win. 3 1/4 Dr. 1 Oz. loads. Failures to cycle, jams, it just wouldn't run. I dropped in 3 1/4 Dr. 1 1/8 oz. loads and it ran fine. Followed that up with 3 3/4 Dr. 1 1/4 oz loads and it ran fine.

Even within other brands where people say that such and such runs fine with uber light loads you may find other models or even guns within their model that won't. A variety of factors come into play.
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Old March 8, 2013, 02:32 PM   #19
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If that gun won't run a 1300fps 1 oz load (3-1/4DE), something isn't right - I would check the gas port(s). You said second time out - was the gun completely cleaned and degreased?
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Old March 8, 2013, 02:52 PM   #20
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Let me ask a simple question here. Are all of these guns hanging up while they're clean with good open ports, or are they hanging up after you guys have shot a couple hundred shells through them on the skeet range, etc.?
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Old March 8, 2013, 03:27 PM   #21
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It was cleaned out the day he brought it home. On its first trip it choked on the same loads. It was cleaned out after the first trip. He had me look it over and couldn't see anything obvious. The ports were clear, the chamber clean, etc.; Second trip it choked on the same loads used first trip. I fed it MY 1 1/8 oz. 3 1/4 dr. loads and it worked fine. Maybe when it has a few hundred rounds through it it may change but for now it doesn't like 1 oz. Winchester Super X loads (XU127).
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Old March 8, 2013, 05:56 PM   #22
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My Benelli SuperSport models...have run without issues for a morning session of about 200 shells ...and an afternoon session of at least 200 shells...with no issues ( and no cleaning in between ) ...for training, etc.

I do keep my gun clean - after every range trip ...and it is properly lubed ( a little on the wet side )...because that is what I prefer.

I have shot the Benelli Super Sport 12ga ...in some 5 day sporting clays events...with practice, prelim events, 5 stand, etc...probably averaging 300 shells a day ....but in those cases, I clean it every evening before I leave the range and go back to my motel / so it isn't like I'm running 1500 shells thru it before I clean it .... ( and I've shot a lot of 3/4oz, 7/8oz and 1 oz shells in it - all at 1200 fps )....with a variety of new shooters...( grandkids, boy scouts, youth groups, etc...

90% of my usage is my own reloads....but when I travel by air ( I usually take just this one gun / as a jack of all trades..) ...and I just buy whatever ammo is available ....Rio, Estate, Rem, etc.../ and while I find a lot of that stuff pretty dirty ...its never jammed on any of that stuff either even on 300 or so shells in a day - and I just make sure its 1200 fps or a little faster...
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Old March 8, 2013, 08:43 PM   #23
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SAAMI pressure for 2 3/4" and 3" shells is 11,500 psi; SAAMI pressure for the 3 1/2 " shell is 14,000 psi. Depending on the pressure/time curve, if you have powder burn-out before the gas port, some semi-automatics may malfunction due to insufficient pressure from 2 3/4" and 3" shells.

Performance will be dependent on the amount of pressure a particular semi-automatic requires to function and the pressure generated as the wad/shot column passes the gas port.
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