Hi all, very interesting thread indeed!! I enjoyed all the various ideas and thoughts on this subject.
I do think that COL Brown has hit the nail on the head. In the "old" days when Brit guns were first started to be imported here in numbers, 2 1/2" loads were not common at all, in fact rare. Many owners and importers for that matter did let chambers out to 2 3/4" for our market. At that time British proof was either ignored or not understood by and large.. Thus chambers were let out and our ammo used. The results were mixed of course, some guns could and did withstand our higher pressures, others did not fair so well.
Then, thanks to forums like this one and publications like the DG Journal we got wiser and more informed. Also, 2 1/2" became more common and we found out that they work just as well and sometimes better than our "standard" American loads. It seems like it just took time to overcome our "bigger is better" with regards to Brit guns. Still we Americans do fall into the "Bigger is Better" high velocity hype with autos and pumps when it comes to hunting loads. But at least we know better now about there use in Brit guns.
The 3 1/4 Tons PSI is the standard service pressure for 2 3/4" chambered Brit guns. It works out to be 9682psi as opposed to our 2 3/4" at 11,500psi.
Great post!!!
Best!
Greg
