Larry,
I appreciate your concerns and I certainly didn't mean "Whoopee, magnum loads here I come!" I found standard field loads with off-the-shelf Wnchester and Federal 1-1/8 ounc standard loads work just fine, I prefer 1 ounce loads when I can find them. What I was remarking at was being out in the boonies somewhere with my 16 gauge and being stuck having to use "magnum" 1-1/8 ounce 16 gauge loads, take it or leave it, and having to pay a premium price for something I didn't really prefer to begin with. As far as the 2.5" chamber, I've found that simply lengthening the forcing cones makes digesting 2.75" shells much easier for the gun. After all we're only talking about 0.25".
Steve
PS as far as reloading, I purchased a 16 gauge reloader several months ago and still haven't used it. I'm hoping within the next 6 months to leave my sticks & bricks Texas home and move into a large RV and begin a mobile lifestyle with my falls/early winter spent up north in pheasant or ruffed grouse country. With that type of lifestyle you have to keep extra baggage (such as reloading equipment) to a minimum.
