12 ga X 50mm rare valuable or just obsolite ???

[Magnum Wheel Man]

I was going through my shotgun stuff the other day, & ran across a box of 50mm 12 ga shells... I talked to my cartridge collector buddy, & he's never seen one, & wanted 2 of them for his collection... the box was one short, & I put one in my cartridge collection as well... that left me 21 in the box... they are 6 shot, shells, & I don't think they are old, probably only European... the box is 4 color printed in gloss

are there shotguns out there that are chambered only for the 50mm shells... any value ???

I'm likely going to sell the balance of the box at the next gun show... I have no idea what they are worth???

 

[FITASC]

Sounds like you might have a box of 2" shells

Euro shell lengths are measured in mm.

 

[Dreaming100Straight]

How long and what brand are they? Paper or plastic? 50mm rounds up to 2". What do they measure unfired?

 

[Magnum Wheel Man]

Thanks for the replies... They have very short brass, are plastic hulls, roll crimped, with a card paper end that has the number 6 on it ( they are 6 shot ) & have a 12 & a star alternating around the headstamp, & have 50 mm printed on the sides of the hulls... not positive here at work on the crimped length, or fired length, but assume one of those is 50 mm

 

[FITASC]

The 12 and star means Cheddite hulls (Framce) but they make hulls for companies world-wide (as well as ammo). The 50mm is the length. I know Arrietta still makes a 2" chambered 12 gauge that weighs about 6#, so I am thinking that these shells were made for guns of similar chambering.

I have a similar round of ammo, except mine is a folded crimp for a little longer chamber. It is labeled "Vintager" (from Polywad) and is 2" and 7.5 shot.

 

[Dreaming100Straight]

Just to be clear, is 50 mm the length unfired or after the crimp opens?

 

[FITASC]

After, and with a roll crimp, it isn't much. A 70 mm shell is 2-3/4, which is the fired length.

 

[Jimbo-Indy]

I think 50 mm shells are currently made for use in older shotguns which have shorter chambers. Many shotguns made in the 1800's and early 1900's have 2 1/2" chambers. Using modern 2 3/4" (70mm) shells can drive pressures way up because of lack of room for the crimp to open up. I've got an old "Flues" model Ithaca from 1909 that had short chambers. Chambers have been opened up but I still keep loads very mild and mostly shoot black powder in brass cases even though it is labeled "smokeless powder" .