If the ejection port is too short, it's because the gun has short chambers. I would bet you dollars to donuts that your gun has 2-9/16" chambers instead of the more modern 2-3/4".

Even if you open up the ejection port, the chamber will still be too short for 2-3/4" shells which can be dangerous as the shell will be opening up into the forcing cone and bore which can raise pressures.

I would very strongly suggest keeping that gun as original as possible and either shoot short shells (which in 16 ga are very expensive) or trading it for a gun that you can use with easily found shells. Be sure you tell whomever you would trade the gun with that yours has short chambers. There are certain screwballs (I'm one of them) who don't care and like owning something old and original and are willing to go through the inconvenience of getting the short shells.

 

Thanks for the reply but it is a 23/4 " gun. The problem is that in 1955 the shells were paper with a roll crimp. The modern plastic shells have a little longer crimp than the old paper shells. This is a common problem with the 16ga. I might take your advice though and keep it original and just stock up on the remington shells. It is all original at about 90%. I used it all dove season and now for rabbits.

 

The modern plastic shells have a little longer crimp than the old paper shells.

With all due respect, your thinking isn't correct.

A 2-3/4" shell is a 2-3/4" shell, whether paper with a roll crimp or plastic with folded crimp. The length of the shell is measured when it is UNcrimped and open, i.e. as it would be when being ejected after firing. You're correct that the crimp is longer, but the body of the shell below the crimp is shorter so the overall length will be the same. Thus, a 2-3/4" plastic shell will fit through the same ejection port as a 2-3/4" paper shell.

If you say your gun is 2-3/4", I believe you but 2-9/16" was also common in that era for 16 ga.. I know, I have three such guns.

 

I just pulled it out of the safe just to make sure. It says model 12-16 ga- 23/4 cham and right bellow that it says full. Talk about learning something new. I was about to tell you that you were nuts but instead got out some shells and a ruler. I have been reloading shot shells since i was 16 years old and i am 46 now and never knew what you just told me. the two and three quarter shells measure two and one quarter unfired and the paper two and nine sixteenth shell measure the same. Thanks for setting me straight. I have some old winchester plastic shells that work and the remington game loads work but the new winchester shells hulls are just long enough to were they hang up. I will google winchester model 12 and find the forum that talks about the 16ga and see if i can find some more info.

 

I will google winchester model 12 and find the forum that talks about the 16ga and see if i can find some more info.

Glad that you gun is 2-3/4". That makes things easier.

Check out http://www.16ga.com/. It's a great resource for issues such as yours.

 

I freaking love the info you get on this forum. Great thread guys and great info.

 

Oh, give Wright's Gunsmithing a call http://www.wrightsgunsmiths.com/. They're pretty well know for their work on Winchester Model 12s and Super X-1s.

 

Call Robert Watts at 573-485-8588. No one knows more about model 12's and 42's than this man. Tell him Preston told you to call.

 

I gave robert a call and left a message for him to call me back. I will see what he says before i call the gun smith. I liked the sixteen ga. site and made it to page nine and seen the problems guys are having are with the shorter chamber guns. I might just buy a couple cases of the remingtons game loads and call it good. I use the gun for doves and rabbits. First gun i ever owned and still do is a winchester model 37 single shot in sixteen ga. that i got when my grandpa died. Hunted a lot of my young years with that gun but it is retired now and just for lookin at. Thanks guys. Well as i was writing this robert called back and gave me a couple things to look at. A real nice guy to talk to. This turned out to be a real good thread and i am glad i asked the question. This was great. I needed a little break from the 1911 wars going on in the other forums.

 

This is getting crazy now. I measured the fired shells of the ones that work and the ones that dont. The shells that eject are longer than the ones that dont but the rim thickness on the ones that dont work is thicker than the ones that do. Robert told me to check the extracters to make sure they are holding the shell tight to the bolt face. The extracters might be wore enough that they cant get a good grip to hold the shell tight but with the thinner rimmed shells they can engage fully and get the empty out of the gun. He said he had a lot of extracters if i needed some. Looks like i might get this problem solved after all.

 

I see that this is old, but I have a Model 12 I picked up earlier. Tried it out today, and it wouldn't eject the shells. It's a 16 gauge, 2 3/4.

Any updates? Did you try a new extractor?




God Bless,
David B.

 

Nope i just shoot the remington game loads out of it and they work fine. When i talked to Robert he said this was the first time he ever heard of the problem i was having. He said he had extra extracters if i needed them but i did not want to start something i might but have been able to finish. Call him up he is a great guy to talk to and will help you out. If you get on that 16ga. forum mentioned above you will find guys with the same problem and they all say the remington game loads are the way to go. Had mine out a couple days ago after some rabbits and it is a sweet shooter. Good luck and let us know what you find out.

 

Thanks,

More than likely, I'll just try the Rem. game loads.

God Bless,
David B.