Magnum Shotgun?

Question

Can I fit a 3" Magnum shotgun shell in a 3" chamber?

Or does it have to be a 2 3/4" Magnum in a 3" chamber?

Answer 1

as long as the length of the shell is the same or less you can put any shell of that guage in the chamber

Answer 2

any 3 inch shell will fit in a 3 inch chamber

magnum just means 'a bit more power'

A long time ago most guns were 2 3/4th inch chambers (or even long ago, you'd get some bizzare 2 1/2 inch chambers too)

Steel got better and stronger, so shotgun companies came up with magnum  2 3/4th shells, which were loaded to higher pressures.  Some old guns couldn't take those pressures, but newer guns could.  So gun manufacturers started to stamp 2 3/4th magnum on the gun barrels, so people would know they were safe for magnum shell use.

Then gun makers and ammo makers started creating 3 inch shells.  As all 3 inch guns were modern, they can all use 3 inch magnum shells, which are shells loaded to a bit higher pressure than normal 3 inch shells.

People like to use normal 3 inch shells because you can have more shot inside them, but still have lighter recoil.  3 inch magnum shells recoil HARD

Answer 3

Magnum simply means 3" shell when you see the designation stamped on a shotgun receiver.  Shell length and Magnum marked receivers have nothing to do with a "Magnum" shell.  A Magnum marked shell means a hotter load.  2 3/4" magnum shells can go in 2 3/4" non magnum receivers and 3" magnum shells must go in a 3" or larger receiver.    

Answer 4

a 3 inch shell is a 3 inch shell. you will be fine.

Answer 5

Some barrels will be marked 2 3/4 and 3..* If yours says only 3" on it that means you can shoot both 2 3/4 and 3" shells in it.*

Answer 6

Unlike rifle calibres, shotguns are chambered in a certain length, the term "magnum" simply refers to an increased velocity (and recoil!) of the projectile(s), generally by using more gunpowder. A 3" chamber will fit any 3" shotshell, be it magnum, super-magnum, leadshot, steelshot, buckshot or birdshot, slugs or frangible shot. (of course the ability to fire any of these wil be limited by other factors of your shotgun.)