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Just bought a spencer gun co. 16bore not sure how old it is looks to be 1930s ish. has fluid steele barrels. wondering what type of shot is best suited to the gun due to its age. can it take hard shot or should i stick with lead? any help would be very much apreciated.

Absolutely you must use lead in a gun of that age unless you wish to damage the barrels. Don't shoot steel or the heavy shot. Federal does make what they call tungsten-matrix which is soft enough to use in old guns. I don't know if it's available in 16 ga. though. Another shot that you can use is Bismuth and it's avalable for reloading.

thanks alot for you advice. now at least i dont have to worry about blowing myself up. mucho apreciado.

I think we need to get a better estimate of it's age before you run off and get a case of current lead shot ammo for it. Spencer was making shotguns pretty early coming off their Civil War success and there is a good possiblility this gun is short chambered, and older than it may appear. Is is a double, single or pump?

its a double. its not short chambered. i can see the chambers and they are longer than the 2 3/4 shells that i have been useing. and this is made by the spencer gun co. produced by crescent firearms not the spencer of civil war carbine fame. however as i am no expert nore do i claim to be i could be completely full of shit. please reply. i need all the info i can get. thanks

Any indication on the gun as to location of manufacture? Choices are Norwich or Chicopee? Shell length is measured with the crimp unfolded. So a 2 9/16" chamber (usually what a short 16ga chamber measures) will let a loaded 2 3/4" shell close in the gun. The more important issue is the gun's intended service pressure. Guns from 1920s were mostly designed for the older service loads which were less than the modern 11,500 psi average of current SAAMI standards. I wouldn't use current loads in a 1920 or earlier gun, especially if you want the gun to last. On the other hand this is only a $200 gun at most so if it shoots loose no large loss. Pressures of steel shot aren't any different but the steel shot will tend to score the barrel if it makes contact and will tend to open the chokes if tighter than modified with possible rings at the choke area. You aren't likely to have a disastrous failure if you do shoot current factory ammo, just more rapid deterioration than with proper ammo. Is it safe? Shoot it with 2 1/2" shells or reloads with lower pressures and it should last quite well

Not sure where the gun was manufactured. it isnt stamped with that info anywhere. I wasnt aware that the chamber is measured that way I will check it as soon as i get home. if it is 2.5 as you suggest where would be the best place to get ammo, would gander mtn. have it? Thank you very much for all the info you have provided thus far. you have been most helpfull

I use RST ammo in my 16ga from 1912. It is lower pressure, premium quality ammo that does a great job on birds. Low pressure doesn't mean puny results. RST has a new website which someone posted on here recently. Polywad has a vintager load which is another possible source but I have never used those. William Larkin Moore also has his own house brand I have used a couple times, his website is listed in the advertisers on this web page.

I am confused about how you know this gun is a Crescent with Spencer name on it. Exactly what markings are on the gun?

the gun is marked " Spencer Gun Co." "Model A" after doing a little research I found that "Spencer Gun Co." is one of a larg list of names that Crescent produced under. the Pat. Date on the action is something like Nov. 15 1890 and seeing as crescent was producing from doubles from 1890 till the early 40's I figured that this was a logical conclusion! Could I be wrong ? I will check out RST, its definatly a better alternative than damageing my weapon. Even if it is a 200$ utility gun.

Oh, Yeah! almost forgot, Measured my chambers last night with a 6" mechanics ruler and they are deaper than the 2 3/4 shells with the crimp out. does this mean its ok for 2 3/4 shells???