DuPont Trophy Oct 24 & 25,
1895 Capt. John L. Brewer was using a Greener gun of high grade. His shells were the U.M.C. Trap,
3 1/4 inches long, 4 Drams of DuPont (Bulk) powder by measure; one trap wad, two pink felts, 1/4 inch 11-gauge wad and one ordinary 12-gauge pink edge wad over the powder and 1 1/4 ounces of No. 7 chilled shot; the shell had a very hard square crimp.
Fred Gilbert (1865-1928) was one of the world’s best known shooters of his time, using a L.C. Smith to win the DuPont World’s Pigeon Shooting Championship in 1895 and the "E. C." Inanimate Target Championship Cup in 1896. Von Lengerke & Antoine Co. marketed a Winchester 12 gauge Live Bird load with a picture of Gilbert on the box marked SPECIAL WADDING GILBERT,
3 inch, 3 1/4 Drams DuPont, and 1 1/4 Ounces (1220 fps) No. 7 T.C. shot.
1898 Grand American Handicap at Live Birds
E.D. Fulford, the winner, used a Remington hammerless gun weighing 7 3/4 lbs., 3 1/2 drams “Schultze” powder in U.M.C. Trap shells,
three inches in length; 1 1/4 oz. No. 7 shot, a Union Metallic Cartridge Co. factory load.
Mrs. W.P. Shattuck was one of the participants (and) for a woman shoots a rather heavy charge. She uses an L.C. Smith gun weighing 7 3/4 pounds, 3 1/4 drams of DuPont powder 1 1/4 ounces No. 7 1/2 shot, in first barrel, and 3 1/2 drams, 1 1/4 ounces No. 7 shot in second barrel; loaded in a
3-inch Leader shell.
A 1903 UMC salesman’s catalogue shows paper 12 gauge shells available in 2 5/8, 2 3/4, 2 7/8, 3, and 3 1/4 inch lengths (courtesy of Researcher).
The Super-X 3 inch 12 gauge shell with 1 3/8 oz of shot and the 2 3/4 inch 3 3/4 dram equivalent 1 1/4 oz load (1330 fps) were both introduced in 1922. Winchester/Western brought out the 12 gauge 3 inch magnum with 1 5/8 oz of shot in 1935, the same year as the introduction of the Model 12 Heavy Duck gun.
