picked up colt 1883 today, with 30" barrels...gun weighs 9 pounds and has 3" chambers...any other 1883's with 3" chambers? 1887 production...seems kinda early for 3" shells...

In the 1887 Union Metallic Cartridge Co. catalog they offered their 12-gauge BEST Quality brass NPEs in 2 1/2 and 2 5/8 inch lengths for ten cents each and in lengths from 2 3/4 inch to 3 1/4 inch for ten and a half cents each. Similarly their FIRST Quality 12-gauge paper NPEs in 2 5/8 inch length were $11.00 per thousand and in lengths from 2 3/4 to 3 1/4 inch were $12.00 per thousand. Their SECOND Quality, STAR Brand and CLUB Brand paper NPEs were only offered in 2 5/8 inch in 12-gauge.

In the 1880s the big companies, UMC, USCC and Winchester, only offered NPEs while loaded shot shells came from smaller local companies like Chamberlin Cartridge Co. in Cleveland, Ohio, using NPEs from the big three. UMC began offering factory loaded shot shells in 1891, both with black powder and smokeless powder.

My Colt 1883 12-gauge with 30-inch barrels was shipped in 1892, weighs 7 pounds 7.2 ounces, and has 2 5/8 inch chambers.

researcher: thanks for info...one definitely needs a gun bearer, to and from the blind for this one...