Gallery

Shotgun Ammo for Vintage Guns

It is amazing how many old vintage shotguns are still in use in South Africa and worldwide. Some of these guns are over 120 years old and still as good as the day they left the factory. There is just something special about heading out for a day of hunting or shooting with one of these beautiful treasures of gunmaker’s art over your arm.

However, finding and using the correct cartridges and loads for these older guns can be a problem. Most of the vintage guns have a chamber length of 2½-inches (65mm) with loads of 1 or 1 ounces of shot (30 to 32 grams) as maximum. A good option for these old guns has always been a 1 ounce (28gr) load.

An important factor is cartridge case length. Longer, more modern cartridges, are normally 2¾-inches (70mm) long which tend to create excessive pressure on firing when the crimp of the longer case opens into the forcing cone linking the chamber and barrel. Some cartridge manufacturers such as Hull Cartridge Company manufacture a 2.63" (67mm) cartridge which can be safely used in 65mm or 70mm chambered guns – provided the load is within the safety margins of the gun proof.

Good news for South African shooters is that Hull cartridges are available in a variety of loads for vintage and modern guns, with a choice of shot sizes for clay