Shells For 3½-Inch 12-Gauge Remington Model 870?
Q. I recently received a Remington Model 870 in 12 gauge chambered for 3½-inch magnum shells. Can I safely use 2¾- and 3-inch 12-gauge shells with this gun?

Art Zimmer
Parker, CO

A. All lengths of 12-gauge shells that are 3½ inches or shorter can be safely fired in your Remington pump gun.

Layne Simpson
Senior Field Editor

.45 Auto Gelatin Tests?
Q. I read very carefully the ballistics column in the August 2008 issue about the ammo gelatin tests. I like what Allan Jones reported, but I am curious about him telling police recruits that the .45 Auto Model 1911 firing 200-grain hollowpoints is his personal favorite when he provided almost nothing in the piece about the characteristics of the .45, except the inclusion of some data in the table and the comparison of the .45 (Long) Colt revolvers at the end of the column.

Frankly, I agree with him, but he gave no real basis for his "druthers." Did I miss something?

Jim Thompson
Bucklin, MO

A. I'd have loved to have given my .45-caliber "druthers," but I felt the space limitations would not permit. The things we discovered during the Dallas testing would make a decent book.

Basically, my personal choice of .45 Auto ammo followed the same pattern as the steps we used to recommend a .38 Special load--wound profile, recoil, potential for over-penetration, etc. The .45/200 wound profile was equal to a number of good .357 Magnum loads, but my control of the semiauto was much better. I could quickly pile a lot of 200-grain HPs into a pretty small group; if I tried the same thing with a .357 revolver, the group looked like a distant buckshot pattern.

Remember, the time frame of those tests was the late 1970s. Nearly all the .45-caliber pistols were Model 1911 variants, the larger police community had not yet embraced the cartridge, and the revolver was still "King of the Police Sidearms." As a result, ammo makers were not strongly pressured to do much with the .45 Auto cartridge, and those of us who valued the old veteran were glad to get what hollowpoints we had. I selected the 200-grain Speer "Ashcan" because, in actual shootings, it showed more reliable expansion. It also had a better wound profile than any of the 185-grain HP bullets. I also liked the second-generation Super Vel 190-grain load, but it had a lot more recoil. Both of those loads are now either discontinued (Super Vel) or replaced with new technology (Speer Gold Dot), and my two-part column was offered for its historical interest rather than recommendations of currently available products. That's a reason I did not list a lot of brands and specific varieties we tested; too many are now "no more" 30 years later.

Allan Jones
Ballistics Editor

Can I Shoot This Ammo?
Q. A friend of mine was cleaning out one of his apartments and found 2,000 rounds of 7.62x39 ammo. It is military ammo, and I am not sure of the manufacturer. It is Boxer primed, steel case, and loaded with pointed softpoint bullets. I unloaded a round and miked the bullet; it measured .311 inch in diameter. The markings on the head of the case appear to be "324" and "94," nothing else.

I purchased a Ruger Mini Thirty to shoot some of this ammo in, but since my Mini has a bore diameter of .308 inch, I am wondering if it is safe for me to shoot this ammo in it. What damage can be done? Should I just forget about firing this ammo in my Mini Thirty? I also have an SKS and could shoot the ammo in it if it is the only choice I have. Since I don't really care for this round, I plan to shoot about 1,000 rounds and then sell the Mini Thirty and the SKS.

Tracy Arbaugh
Inglewood, CA

A. Years ago when I purchased an early-production Mini Thirty, I also wondered if it would be okay to shoot steel-cased, military-type ammo in it. At the time, domestic ammo was scarce, but as you point out it's loaded with .310/.311-inch-diameter bullets. So I called Ruger and was assured the Mini Thirty chamber throat was configured to accommodate military ammo safely. When I received your letter, I called

Ruger again to confirm that previous advice. So, just enjoy shooting any surplus ammo in both of your rifles.

Lane Pearce
Reloading Editor