Shot Tubes

These tubes into which the BBs are loaded, and which screw into the barrel, were originally called “shooting barrels.”  Today, they are simply called shot tubes and that is the expression we use.  All Plymouth No. 25 shot tubes were designed to hold 50 shot. 

To load the gun, it was first cocked.  The tube was removed by unscrewing it from the barrel.  Then the tube’s spring was compressed by moving a tab, called the “shot follower,” toward the front of the tube and locking the tab into a notch.  This done, the BBs could be loaded into the tube through a loading hole.  When full, the shot follower was released, allowing the spring to put pressure against the loaded shot.  The tube was then screwed back into the barrel making sure to hold the muzzle downward to prevent shot from falling out the back of the tube.  If this happened, the tube might not screw back into the gun.

Front and back of early No. 25 instructions tag.

It contains instructions for loading and using the No. 25 pump gun.

Seven variations of early shot tubes – left to right, earliest to latest

Earliest nickel tube

Later nickel tube

First blued tube

1930 vintage blued tube

First tube with retainer spring - circa 1932

Blued tube with normal retainer spring

Painted tube

Continue to The No. 105 Junior Pump Gun