chamber length

[3birddogs]

What was the chamber length of the early "The Sterlingworth Co" pin guns, was it 2 5/8"?

[Researcher]

That is the assumption, but we don't know for sure. The catalog text doesn't say --

The earliest Sterlingworth hang-tag that I've seen is into the A.H. Fox Gun Co. time, but the text on the back and the tag material seems to be from The Sterlingworth Co. time. At any rate, no mention of chamber length.

The 3 dram, 1 1/8-ounce load of #8 shot that 55808 was targeted with could be had in any 12-gauge shells from 2 5/8-inch on up. The next Sterlingworth tag I've got a picture of is 77086 and that gun was targeted with a 3 1/8 dram, 1 1/4-ounce load of #7 1/2 shot which was only available in 2 3/4-inch or longer shells.

[3birddogs]

Thanks Dave, that's what I thought. Pulled it out of the back of the safe yesterday, and it got me thinking. It is a very light 12, with 28" cyl/Mod chokes on 4 wt barrels, the 4 plainly visible on both barrels. It weighs 6lbs 12 oz on a postage scale. Not enjoying recoil, I shoot light loads thru it, for targets usually 7/8 oz at 1150 fps with Rem GCs. Debating in carrying it in SD for pheasant.
It is ser# 52042 with the Philly address.
Might you be at Hausmanns this year?

[Researcher]

With the big players like Winchester with their Model 1897, Remington with their Remington Autoloading & Repeating Shotguns, and J. Stevens Arms & Tool Co. with their No. 520 pump all made for 12-gauge 2 3/4-inch shells, I can't imagine that any manufacturer would think they could sell guns that couldn't handle the 2 3/4-inch shell.