16 Sterlingworth hard to open...

[CableguyJJS3]

I realize if I load my own the savings will be minimal if any at all. But flip side of that, good low pressure taget loads are hard to find, if at all. I enjoy shooting my Fox and I don't see any need to continue pumping the factory stuff down it on a sporting clays course when I can make my own and minimize the abuse on the shotgun. I know these guns are plenty strong enough to handle it, but it's not necessary for clays. Plus I have a few old LeFever damascus guns I'd like to shoot, so i'll need to make ammo for those anyways. And I have a guy I shoot with alot who loads his own for his 20 Fox, so we can kinda share costs a little bit buying a bunch of stuff at a time. Like I said though, I know any savings would be minimal, but knowing what I am shooting and preserving these old girls even in the slightest is worth it to me.

[jolly bill]

CableGuy,

Did you ever try to get an accurate measurement of the chamber length in your 16 gauge Sterlingworth?

And that measurement is . . . . .

Jolly

[CableguyJJS3]

I don't have a set of chamber gauges to measure with. But best guessing with my scale I'm showing 2 3/4" If I can figure out how to do it with snap gauges and micrometers I can do it that way, but don't know how to do it that way. I've done some searching but everything I'm finding is chamber gauges or the scale.

[jolly bill]

Cableguy,

A simple but accurate chamber gauge . . .

In your case, take a fired 16 gauge shell, preferably plastic, and cut the end of the shell off just before the crimp. Similarly, cut the metal base off. Try to make nice square cuts. Clean the cut areas. You should have a nice straight tube. Measure the length of the cut tube.

Take the barrels off the gun and slide the 16 gauge tube in the chamber until it stops against the start of the forcing cone. With a machinists scale measure how far down the end of your tube is. Add that to the length of the shell. Drill or make a small hole near the end of the tube to facilitate pulling the case out with dental pick or such.

Do the same for other gauges. Works great.

Jolly

[CableguyJJS3]

Sounds easy enough, I will make upp one of these and see what I can come up with. Thanks for the help. Jim

[J. A. Early]

Primer type, plain and simple. Have a 16 Trojan that does the same thing with Winchester primers. But I was told that Remington was going to stop marketing reloading components. Is that just a rumor? I can't imagine they would lose that market but one never understands a big company's thinking.

[fox shooter]

I reload the black Remington hulls for my Sterly 16 and have never had a problem. I do use Remington primers and load on a Mec Jr. I've only had issues using the Win 209 primers in my Sterly 12 loads. Normally it won't give me trouble opening unless I fire both barrels. I use the AAs and Rem STSs for the 12, and the Rems. don't give me any problems. Must be the primers????
Chris....AZ