Didn't some american manufacturers intentionally cut their chambers to 2/5/8 and label them 2 3/4" I think I have more than one like in my safe?
Jerry
They did indeed, Jerry--back during the paper shell era, when American gun companies were converting to the 2 3/4" standard. They discovered that patterns were better with shells that opened a bit into the forcing cone, because the shot--of course unprotected by plastic wads in those days--was somewhat cushioned by the case mouth on its initial contact with the barrel walls.
As for "originality", some Americans seem to have a serious hangup with it. It's one thing on a "collector" gun: high grade, not many made in the first place, or perhaps even a field grade in mint or near mint condition. But if you buy a gun as a shooter, why not alter the stock to fit you (rather than trying to alter your shooting style to fit the stock), why not open the chokes to suit (since very few American doubles had the chokes marked anyhow, who's to know minus a factory letter)? As for reblacking barrels, refinishing stocks, recutting checkering . . . the Brits do it all the time. In fact, especially on a nicer Brit double, they'd look at you as if you were crazy if that Purdey, showing a bunch of wear, checkering almost gone, bluing significantly faded, were described as "all original"--as if that were a virtue. Their thought would be, "The owner didn't care enough to send it back to the maker to have it kept up properly?" Different strokes, I guess.
