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I have a 10 ga. Remington 1885 grade 1 with decarbonized steel barrels. It is a heavy 10 with 3" chambers (measured with the Galazan chamber gauge). What pressures should I be looking at to stay under? I've been trying to look up Sherman Bells 10 ga. articles in DGJ to see what he had done.

Thanks,

Jack K

Jack, Remington regularly used the "decarbonized" designation on its early fluid steel sxs. I recall discussing it here before, but I don't remember whether we came up with a consensus recommendation on what one should shoot in those guns. That gun may well be old enough that standardization on shell length hadn't yet occurred, because the old "short tens" were 2 7/8", and the modern "long ten" is 3 1/2". If someone has service pressure data for the old 2 7/8" 10's, I think that would be your best answer.

I don't know what the pressure would be.

Pete

I have an E grade Lefever from ca 1887 in 10ga whose chambers also measure 3". This is a 32" 10lb gun. I also have some old 10ga shells which I am most certain are original factory loads which are 2 5/8". I do not know for certain when the 2 7/8" shell was standardized, but believe in the early days 10ga guns & shells were available to order in lengths at least from 2 5/8" to 3¼" in 1/8" steps. I suspect these 3" chambers were original chamberings as would have been little call for a re-chambering to that length after standardizing.

Contact Bladesmith as he shoots 12 gauge Remingtons with decarbonized steel barrels. I do know that he keeps the pressure low as he would for damascus barrels.

Decarbonized steel is soft.

Found some info from the 1930's. Hunter Arms (LC Smith) used a proof of 16,000 psi on the old 2 7/8" 10ga. I think the usual formula is to take 2/3 of that for service pressure, but personally with the pre-1900 fluid steel guns I'd want to stay lower than that, probably well under 10,000 psi.

You should have no trouble getting good performing light loads with pressures under 7,500 psi. Keep the pressure down for the benefit of the metal parts and the recoil down for the benefit of the wood and the shooter.

Hey Guys,
Thanks for the input. I wanted to find out about where I should be pressurewise. Even though it an "early fluid steel" I figgured it might be pretty soft material and you guys confirmed it; certainly not Remingtons Ordinance Steel. I think most of my handloads will be in the 1-1/8 oz range, maybe 1-3/8 oz if I try for a turkey. Do you think RST shells are low enough in pressure if I wanted to just buy some?
2-Piper, you're right about the various shell lengths in 10 ga. I have a reprint of M Hartley Co catalog from 1902 or 1903 and they list the 10 in several lenghts. I think the heaviest factory loads listed were 1-1/4 oz.

Jack K

Jack K, ask RST about pressure. Otherwise, check the pressure in loading manuals.

There are early Parkers that have decarbonized barrels, they say they're left over Civil War musket tubes that were bored out for shotguns. I don't think they're fluid steel in any way, I think they're some sort of cast steel.

DLH