I need to take pictures of shells in question. In the 50's shotgun shells often if ever had shot cups. The load consisted of a primer, powder, over powder wads, shot, over shot wad. The over shot was was held in place by the roll over crimp. Thisroll over crimp was. Very short. I know that there were star crimp shells as early as before WWII because dad had bought several cases of Remington shells so made. There was no difference in length of these as loaded. The length of the roll crimp shells after firing was a good deal shorter than the star crimped shells.
I've accidently shot a 3" magnum star crimped load in my 2 3/4" Model twelve once. But only once the shell extracted ok, but didn't eject as the opening on the side of the receiver was too short. I was concerned at the time and still am that the pressure of the shell in that chamber might have been high. Also of concern was the crimp opening up into the barrel in front of the chamber may have deformed the shot column.
The sxs I'm talking about has a design at 3" from the face of the barrel which I believe indicates the length of the chamber being 3".
This shotgun is mechanically sound, locks up tight, no rust, & no dents.
The finish on the stock is gut wrenching ugly.
If the ' hamber/throat' of this shotgun is designed for the shorter roll crimp shells, I'd have the same concerns I had with firing a 3" shell in a 2 3/4" chamber.
And no the fired shells do vary in length depending on crimp style.
