4inch shells

[MDman]

My boss at work tells me he has a Mossberg that shoots 4inch shells. I’ve never seen anything like that and have been looking for both ammo and the gun online, and can not find either. Does this exists?

[mikejonestkd]

no mention of 4" shotguns at the mossberg website. i've never heard of 4" modern shotgun loads. Perhaps he was thinking of 3 1/2" loads or perhaps confusing shot size ( #4 ) with the case length.

I would place a friendly bet with him and make some money...LOL

[MDman]

While it’s true my boss does not know his guns, I sent one of my friends over there to check it out. He said he does indeed have the gun and some shells. I don’t think the gun is that old, something like 20 years maybe? If it does exists what would it be used for, geese?

[Smitty in CT]

"That's gonna leave a mark!!!"

I don't like shooting 3-1/2" shells anymore because they hurt too much, I can't even think of why some masochist would dream of shooting a 4" shell...maybe from a bench, with some sort of remote trigger....

[Jseime]

No chance, I have a mossberg shotgun and its a 3 inch the biggest they make is a 3 1/2.

I have enough trouble after touching off a few rounds of 3 inch magnums let alone 4 inch. I have an urge to throw the gun down disgustedly and cuss at it after about five shots. If you want something that hits harder than a 3 1/2 incher on geese get a 10 gauge.

[wolverine350]

ask him to show ya the gun and shells:D

[MDman]

well im heading into work now...Im going to try and get some proof.

[gordo b.]

I'm taking bets.:rolleyes:
I'm in for a $100, no make that $1000, got to be factory marked though:D

[hexidismal]

Chances are that he is mistaken. The only thing I can think of though, and yeah it's a stretch, is that he may have an 8 gauge. I believe the standard 8g shell is about 4 inches. It certainly wouldn't be a mossberg though. The 8 gauge gun is relatively unheard of here but it still used in europe as a duck gun by some of the wealthier hunters. I very much doubt it of course, but noone had mentioned even the existance of a 4 inch shell.

[FirstFreedom]

While it’s true my boss does not know his guns, I sent one of my friends over there to check it out. He said he does indeed have the gun and some shells

Likely that your friend has as much knowledge, acumen, and/or truthfulness as your boss. No such thing exists, outside of custom/wildcat rigs. Sounds like you need a pair of waders to work around this character.

[MDman]

Well im back from work and I have returned empty handed. I asked to borrow one of his 4inch shells so I could take pictures and post them, but he seemed very attached to them and not willing to let me borrow them. I am going to try and go to his house with a camera so I can find out.

[FirstFreedom]

but he seemed very attached to them and not willing to let me borrow them

Lol, well imagine that! :)

[kcshooter]

Does this exists?

First of all, no.

Second, ouch.

[roy reali]

Even if four inch shells existed, what would be the purpose of them?

Maybe the guy is measuring the hulls after the have been fired.:confused:

[SDC]

Shotgun shells in 4" lengths DO exist, but they're in gauges that aren't commonly available anymore and which aren't legal for hunting waterfowl anymore; if he has one, it won't be a Mossberg. The length of a shotgun shell IS the fired length, ie. a fired 3 1/2" shell should be 3 1/2" long; this is also why you can fit a 3" shell in a 2 3/4" chamber, but definitely don't want to fire it.

[roy reali]

oops!

[hksigwalther]

Maybe he was just rounding up from 3½.

[hexidismal]

I just returned from my garage. I took out several different brands of 2 3/4 inch shotshells. I grabbed my RCBS calipers. I measured the rounds. Guess what? They measured 2.75" long. Actually, they were a tad longer. These were unfired shells.
Do some of you like to make stuff up here on this forum? Do some of you take a couple of hits of some mind-altering substance before deciding to reply?
It would be nice if folks that actually knew what they were talking about replied.

Um.. What exactly are you talking about roy reali ? It's especially funny that you're being insulting to other posters (and accusing them of substance abuse which is odd enough on its own merit), when you are NOT correct. The shell length DOES refer to an unloaded (or fired) hull. I will post pictures shortly to demonstrate. Maybe we should ask what YOU'VE been smoking, huh ?

Edit: Heres the pics I just took. Clearly a loaded and unfired 2 3/4 " shell measures in at just over 2 1/4 inches. And the 3 Inch shell at just over 2 1/2.
http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j110/hexidismal29/234.jpg
http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j110/hexidismal29/3in.jpg

[mikejonestkd]

just a quick minor correction for you....a 3 1/2" shell is 3 1/2" long after it has been fired....and about 3" ( actually a tad over ) when loaded and unfired.

For a shell to be 4" long it would either mean that he is measuring a 4 1/2 inch loaded shell that has not been fired OR a 4" shell that has been fired....unfortunately neither of these exist commercially today.

The boss is wrong, plain and simple.

[hexidismal]

hehe .. you know.. If it was my boss (don't have one anymore), maybe I'd just let it slide. I, like most of you I'm sure, hear all sorts of bad gun information out of the mouths of the uninformed. Actually sometimes out of the mouths of those you'd think would be just so informed .. say, gun store clerks for example. Honestly though, sometimes it's best to just nod and let it go. It is true that it's good practice for us as enthusiasts, who want to retain our rights, to keep the sheeple.. er, I mean people informed. Most of the time though they don't care to learn, and therefore won't no matter what you say. These people either got some mistake into their heads at some point, or they are just trying to be a big shot. The truth of the matter will mean nothing to most of this type of person , and all you'll do by hounding them is hurt their feelings and they are likely to get naturally defensive and stubborn about it. If I feel that I really must correct someone, I'll say something along the lines of "I can see why you might think that , it's a common misconception, but.. etc". You'll gain nothing by pressing the issue of how wrong they are. IMHO the best thing to do when someone makes blatent mistakes about guns is to invite them to come shoot with you and possibly get them genuinely interested in shooting sports, rather than being snarky and snobby about how much you know. They'll appreciate you more for letting a slip of BS slide, and maybe you'll help gain supporters for our rights.
Just my thoughts.

[Doggieman]

yes, the official measurement of a shotgun shell is AFTER it's fired, because the chamber has to clear the opened flap. So most will be a half inch or so shorter if you measure them before you fire 'em.

[MDman]

Little bit of an update…My boss is telling me that its called a Mossberg 835??

The only reason that I don’t just blow him off as wrong is because my friend went over his house, held a 3 1/2 in one hand and the "legendary" 4in in the other.

[Bill DeShivs]

They are jerking your chain.

[Doggieman]

The internet has lots of info on it. Why doesn't the original poster try to find information on 4" shotgun shells there. I'd like to see what he comes up with.

[pesta2]

Mossberg 835 fires a 3-1/2 mag. not some mythical 4".


Here are some from my collection and about as big as shot shells get:

Punt Gun Hull
0 Gauge U.S Military Experamintal
4 Gauge Hull
8 Gauge
10 Gauge Winchester Long
10 Gauge
12 Gauge


http://www.thefiringline.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=20540&d=1159965362

[SDC]

Pesta2, your "10 Ga Winchester Long" shell is an AN-MK4 Navy Practice Bomb Signal, used by Navy aircraft prior to WW2 in their practice bombs; these things are loaded with black powder (to give lots of smoke) and flare material (to burn brightly), so pilots could see how accurate they are with their bombs.

[Jseime]

I hate dealing with people who own guns yet know F*** all about them. It drives me up the wall and makes me want to take their guns away.

[pesta2]

Thanks SDC for the info about the shell, I heard two other stories about it which did not make much sense to me. One guy told me it was for shooting unexploded ordnance during WWI. Full of shot and a little powered the shot would have traveled maybe 2 feet.

[SDC]

No problem; page 2 of this pdf shows the "bomb" they were used in, and how the cartridge is inserted in it. http://www.swf.usace.army.mil/pubdata/fuds/5points/documents/asr/appendixc.pdf

[MDman]

Well some closure to this thread, I went to his house and you all were right. It’s just a 3 1/2 slug gun. Nothing special...I was really hoping he had some wild gun ,oh well...

[Doggieman]

did you knee him in the groin?

[Jseime]

Yeah as per normal someone with guns knows nothing about them. Some people are just stunned I guess.