New Member new owner with an 1889 10 gauge questions

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mrmonster
Posts: 3
Joined: Sat Nov 16, 2013 7:22 pm

New Member new owner with an 1889 10 gauge questions

Post by mrmonster »

Gentlemen,
I am new to this group, and hope for some help.
I have been looking for sometime for a hammer double barrel in 10 gauge with non Damascus barrels. I was lucky to find an 1889 Remington grade one in 10 gauge with quite a bit of what looks like original finish a dark brown color with faded to gray case hardening to the hammers and locks.
Excellent plus wood and butt plate and locks up like a Swiss bank vault. The hammer pull is quite heavy to cock the gun, but is in excellent working condition
I hope you can help me with a date of manufacturer and if low pressure smokeless is an option for me. Unfortunately paper shells look like a search for snake hips so trimming the long plastic shells and the use of fibre wads are in my future for my ammo needs. I shoot a lot of black powder cartridge rifles so using black only is not a problem. Is there any load info for the 10 gauge in black powder out there on the web, and are shot cups out when using black?
The Serial number is 245191 with a number 1 on the water plate odd barrel numbers under the forearm, of A G with a 12 below them but it is a 10 gauge as my 10 gauge shells drop in flush and fill the extractor rim.

I intend to shoot the gun from time to time in CAS, but I would like to in the future shoot OO buckshot just for fun, and to crap out my Cowboy action friends. If my 65 year old arthritic shoulder can stand it.

Thank you

Donald Bowman
Researcher
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Joined: Sat Mar 22, 2003 11:06 pm
Location: Washington and Alaska

Re: New Member new owner with an 1889 10 gauge questions

Post by Researcher »

According to the serial number chronology Charles Semmer assembled in his book Remington Double Shotguns, your gun is of 1904 vintage. I know there were some excellant articles by Sherman Bell in The Double Gun Journal on loading for the old short Tens, but I'm a lazy guy and use a pair of Gauge Mates and shoot my light 12-gauge reloads in my old Tens. At the time your gun was made, the 10-gauge shell in North America had pretty well settled in to just the 2 7/8 inch length. The heaviest 10-gauge loads UMC was offering in 1904 were 3 3/4 drams of bulk smokeless powder or 30-grains of dense smokeless powder such as Infallible or Ballistite pushing 1 1/4 ounce of shot. The high velocity, progressive burning powder, 2 7/8 inch 10-gauge load of 4 3/4 drams equiv. pushing 1 5/8 ounce of shot came out about 1925 or 6.
dieNusse1
Posts: 400
Joined: Tue Jan 15, 2013 5:12 pm
Location: Mishawaka, IN

Re: New Member new owner with an 1889 10 gauge questions

Post by dieNusse1 »

As I recall, the general rule of thumb when loading black powder shot shells is to use equal volumes of powder and shot. I've loaded 12's for years and it works fine. I started with plastic cases but then moved on to brass because the plastic cases seem to develop holes in the side when used a couple times. Good luck and have fun!
paul harm
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Location: attica,mi
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Re: New Member new owner with an 1889 10 gauge questions

Post by paul harm »

I have a couple of 10's - a 1882 Remington and a Parker lifter - both damascus and both get shot with nitro or BP. You can get 10ga hulls from Precision Reloading or Ballistic Products. Think one of them has em on sale. If you want low pressure loads with nitro go to www.parkerguns.org and in their reloading forum there's a list of them. Sounds like you were afraid of damascus - don't be - they're as strong as the steel barrels. It took Sherman Bell around 32,000psi to blow a set up. Modern proof loads are 18,500 and normal loads are under 10,500. I to was afraid of them at one time, but now it's all I shoot. www.circlefly.com has wads. My Remington 10 is a bit heavy, but I only shoot SC's with it and it's one of my favorite guns. Go to a gun show [ or on the web ] and buy a old powder/shot measure. As said - equal powder and shot. have fun - Paul
dieNusse1
Posts: 400
Joined: Tue Jan 15, 2013 5:12 pm
Location: Mishawaka, IN

Re: New Member new owner with an 1889 10 gauge questions

Post by dieNusse1 »

I had another thought about black powder. You asked about shot cups. Pure cups with fiber over powder wads might work ok but my experience with one piece plastic wads is that they tend to melt leaving strips of plastic in the barrel. Don't think it's dangerous but it's not a good situation either. Of course if you use brass cases, you'll need to use paper and fiber wads. New brass cases go for about a buck apiece or so and will last forever if handled properly.
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