and anyone else who might interested.

Finding 2 1/2" 12g shells seems to be an impossibility at the moment so desperate times require desperate measures.

I ordered this little device called the Trim Doctor to shorten 2 3/4" hulls down to 2 1/2"s. It works like a champ and makes very precise cuts, fast. It will shorten any hull length to whatever size you want.

As for roll crimping. This antique roll crimper does a great job, even on plastic hulls.

If I can just find some powder.

After seeing all of these 2.5" posts I gotta ask. Why not have the chambers lengthened? I have a 16 ga with 2&9/16" chambers. I shot a lot of 2&3/4" shells through it and never blew it up. I finally just had the chambers lengthened.

That is a pretty simple fix for a break barrel. A semi or pump may need the opening on the action opened too. It can also take away from resale value to alter guns.

How much does something like that cost? I've got a SxS 16 I'd like to have done.

Up until this latest ammo shortage, finding 2 1/2" shells wasn't that big a deal. Now you can't even find powder for anything shotgun related.

Like most everything else we used to build in this country, our guns were robust and stout. Whittling away some steel in the chamber was and is pretty common. Not so much with British guns.

Those guns were/are individually submitted for proof testing and any alteration near the action puts it out of proof. It can also drop the guns value if one was ever of a mind to sell it. It's illegal to do so on the other side of the pond without having the gun resubmitted for proof. The stocks are thinner and not necessarily designed to handle the stress of heavier loads.

I'm a blue-collar guy who likes British guns. The supply shortage won't last forever.

Those are some cool tools fool !! I really like that crimper !!

Now I know what to get you for Christmas.

The trim Doctor works great. I use it on my 410 hulls once the folds wear out to prep for roll crimping. I tried a few homemade trimming solutions from the net, but the trim Doctor is quick, easy, and makes nice square cuts

They seem to be extremely well built. Have you had to replace a blade yet?

Awesome tools!

I’ve trimmed around 250 410 so far blade is still nice and sharp.

Cool tools and nice solution. Had I known about this I would have bought a model 12 made in 1919 I thin It was but it requires short shells so I passed on it. It was tight as a new one.. guy at the shop said I wouldn't be able to get shells for it.