Shotgun shells - the long and the short

[GunnyGene]

When I was at the local LGS the other day buying, they didn't have my regular Royal Rio 00, so I bought a couple boxes of Fiocchi for the same price. Haven't shot it yet, but it's supposed to be good ammo.

Anyway I noticed that it seemed a little shorter than the Rio, so I lined up the 4 different shotshells I have on hand and snapped a pic.

Periodically someone wonders why they can't stuff 8 shells in their 8+1 gun, so this should illustrate the difference. Note the Rio 00buck is about 1/4" longer than the others. MV is not significantly higher with the Rio 00 than the Fiocchi. The Brenneke is, of course, the fastest (1475fps) and pushes a heavier load (1 1/4oz ).

So, for those interested in carrying the max in the tube, you probably don't want to use Rio 00.

From left to right (All 2/34" nominal)

Fiocchi 00 buck nickel plated 9 pellets
Brenneke Green Lightning Slug
Rio #4 birdshot
Rio 00 buck

 

[DGW1949]

As I recall, shotshells are designed to fit within the confines of the gun's chamber-length AFTER they've been fired.....which is why ya can't use a modern "folded crimp" shotshell in a gun that was made back when shotshells used a "rolled-over crimp". In other words, the chambers is different.

Just sayin' that an unfired 2-3/4" shot shell aint ever 2-3/4" long, so what you've discovered don't surprize me none.
I suspect that the difference in lenghts mostly has to do with what powder and what wadding the different manufatures use.
Seems to be quite a bit of difference in the brass-part too, eh?

DGW

 

[Rick Courtright]

Hi,

Looks suspiciously like a box of 3" shells got in the mix, and that one's a 3". Another possibility is a roll crimp on the long one, folded crimp on the other three?

I'd suggest asking Rio, but just went to their website and saw the sad news they had an accident at the plant on April 16th. It took the life of one employee, and injured several more. So they've asked for our prayers while holding off on sending questions for a while as they go thru the investigations and all...

Rick C

 

[Mobuck]

Youngsters!!!!!
Rolled crimp shells have always been longer(unfired) than folded crimp shells.

 

[GunnyGene]

Hi,

Looks suspiciously like a box of 3" shells got in the mix, and that one's a 3". Another possibility is a roll crimp on the long one, folded crimp on the other three?

I'd suggest asking Rio, but just went to their website and saw the sad news they had an accident at the plant on April 16th. It took the life of one employee, and injured several more. So they've asked for our prayers while holding off on sending questions for a while as they go thru the investigations and all...

Rick C

No, there's no 3" shells. I don't own any. I posted this for those who are unfamiliar with shotgunning, not for my own education.

Here's the business end of the same shells in the same order as above. Probably should have posted this earlier with the other pic.