Guest fourtrax_300 Posted January 15, 2006 Report Share Posted January 15, 2006 i have a H&R topper model 158 20 ga that is very old and i'm wnating to try a few 3" shells in. but i dont know for sure if it has a 3" chamber. it has no markings to tell the chamber length and i measured the chamber and i got 3". so i'm almost positive that it will handle 3" sheels but i dont want to try it if it cant ! does anyone happen to know for sure ? thanks in advance Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogdoc Posted January 15, 2006 Report Share Posted January 15, 2006 Re: help ! 2 3/4 or 3\" chamber ? if it doesn't say on the barrel that it is chambered for 3" shells then it probably isn't! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJ Posted January 15, 2006 Report Share Posted January 15, 2006 Re: help ! 2 3/4 or 3\" chamber ? Hmmm, didn't like the answer I gave you this morning huh? Oh well. The answer is still the same. You need to measure it. If you can't figure out a way to do it accurately, take it to a gunsmith or get a Chamber Gauge like this one: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest fourtrax_300 Posted January 16, 2006 Report Share Posted January 16, 2006 Re: help ! 2 3/4 or 3\" chamber ? hmm, i posted a reply last night but something must have hapened cause it's not here. AJ- i liked the reply i just dont have a local gun smith around here and i dont have money to buy those gages and i thought maby someone would have the same gun and know what size the chamber is. thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LifeNRA Posted January 16, 2006 Report Share Posted January 16, 2006 Re: help ! 2 3/4 or 3\" chamber ? [ QUOTE ] if it doesn't say on the barrel that it is chambered for 3" shells then it probably isn't! [/ QUOTE ] What he said! I wouldn't try 3" then! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnf Posted January 16, 2006 Report Share Posted January 16, 2006 Re: help ! 2 3/4 or 3\" chamber ? Couldn't you just put a 3" shell in it and see if it fits? I would think if it were a 2&3/4 chamber, the 3" shell would bottom out. Wouldn't it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJ Posted January 16, 2006 Report Share Posted January 16, 2006 Re: help ! 2 3/4 or 3\" chamber ? [ QUOTE ] Couldn't you just put a 3" shell in it and see if it fits? I would think if it were a 2&3/4 chamber, the 3" shell would bottom out. Wouldn't it? [/ QUOTE ] Nope, shotshell ammo is measured in the empty hull. You have to measure the rim to the end of the open crimp. A 3" loaded round is gues what....2 3/4" long!! How about that. So no you can't tell by that. You could stick in a 3.5" magnum and measure how much is sticking out. But again you don't subtract the part sticking out from 3.5". Measure the portion left in the chamber and it will tell you how long it is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LETMGROW Posted January 17, 2006 Report Share Posted January 17, 2006 Re: help ! 2 3/4 or 3\" chamber ? AND IF IN DOUBT Don't try it. It's your head you may blow off!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LETMGROW Posted January 17, 2006 Report Share Posted January 17, 2006 Re: help ! 2 3/4 or 3\" chamber ? I just went back and read your original post. If I was absolutely sure, positive and really knew for a fact, I still wouldn't tell you to try 3" loads. Probably no one else is going to either. If they do don't listen to them. Get the point? Safety first!!! AJ, Hope I'm not out of line here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest OldBuckhunter Posted January 17, 2006 Report Share Posted January 17, 2006 Re: help ! 2 3/4 or 3\" chamber ? I would not try 3" in that gun. It should say 3"on barrel. Read my saying on bottom here and make a choice before you try 3" shell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Born2Hunt Posted January 17, 2006 Report Share Posted January 17, 2006 Re: help ! 2 3/4 or 3\" chamber ? I would call the company with the ser.# and ask them. Why risk blowing your head off? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJ Posted January 17, 2006 Report Share Posted January 17, 2006 Re: help ! 2 3/4 or 3\" chamber ? [ QUOTE ] I would call the company with the ser.# and ask them. Why risk blowing your head off? [/ QUOTE ] This is still not reliable since the gun can have different barrels fitted to it. Short chambers can also be reamed to longer dimentions. The only true way of knowing is to measure the chamber length. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Xen Posted January 23, 2006 Report Share Posted January 23, 2006 Re: help ! 2 3/4 or 3\" chamber ? aw come on, what's the worst that could happen... it's a 12 gauge shotgun, be safe. find a gunsmith and get it measured, take a ride in the car, or shell out a couple of bucks for a chamber gauge. that would really suck if that blows up in your face. safety first, always. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canadian_Goose Posted January 23, 2006 Report Share Posted January 23, 2006 Re: help ! 2 3/4 or 3\" chamber ? what if he stuck an empty 3" shell in the barrel? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJ Posted January 23, 2006 Report Share Posted January 23, 2006 Re: help ! 2 3/4 or 3\" chamber ? [ QUOTE ] what if he stuck an empty 3" shell in the barrel? [/ QUOTE ] It would probably go in all the way. The crimp would slightly compress as it enters the forcing cone, and the shell will go all the way in. I know, I have done it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest fourtrax_300 Posted January 24, 2006 Report Share Posted January 24, 2006 Re: help ! 2 3/4 or 3\" chamber ? hey i am being safe, i havent tried it and i'm not going too. i'm gonna take it to a gun smith when i get my truck back cause it's broke down. thanks for the help guys Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canadian_Goose Posted January 24, 2006 Report Share Posted January 24, 2006 Re: help ! 2 3/4 or 3\" chamber ? Just wondering... I trust AJ is the God of Guns around here though. Good to have someone that knowledgable or experienced anyways ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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