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Wonder how crazy expensive this would be?

2K views 28 replies 10 participants last post by  shootbrownelk 
#1 ·
Get a 410 shotgun barrel bored and rifled for 45 Colt?

I've got this 410 SxS. The barrel walls are .115. I measured six other shotguns. They ran from .075 to .090.

I measured a 45 Colt rifle. .078 in a groove.

The OD of the 410 is .617. The OD of the 45 Colt is .625.

I noticed, when I got the gun, that the barrel walls were extremely thick.

3" 410 max pressure is 13,500, while the 45 Colt max is 14,000. I don't load max, so it should handle it.

Thinking of having one barrel rechambered, turning that 410 coach gun into a cape gun.

Idle thoughts on a Sunday afternoon.
 
#3 ·
Idle thoughts from a barrel maker, reaming and rifling a .410 to .45 Colt is possible if the barrel is thick enough for safety. However, fixturing a double in machinery designed for holding a single barrel and rotating it around it's bore centerline might pose a problem.

Not an unsolvable problem mind you, but it's a problem none the less.
 
#4 ·
gr and Griz are both right. I have no idea of how to do what you're thinking but after almost 30 years of messing around with double rifles what they suggest and mention are facts. What gr described makes the most sense to me. I think that's called a "mono block" but I'm certainly subject to correction.
 
#5 ·
While it would be neat, I would go with two new barrels. Should be a lot easier and cost effective.
 
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#8 ·
Probably the easiest and least expensive way to turn a SxS shotgun into a combination gun is to line one bore to the caliber you want it to be rather than try to re bore and rifle the original barrel.

A .410/.25-20 combo gun would be a sweet little toy to take to the range. ;)
 
#10 ·
Yeah, Griz, after reading your first post I concluded that drilling and lining would undoubtedly be cheaper.

25/20, would require new brass, dies and bullets. I already do 32/20, so as a small/medium game cape gun, that might not be bad. Or if I went with 38/40 or 44/40, they would work with the current extractor.

Hmmmmm.
 
#11 ·
If I had the task, I'd first ream out any choke. Get another barrel to use as a guide, set them up muzzle to muzzle, make a rifling tool, the end to carry the cutter, the middle (bore length+ away) a follower/guide to ride in the other barrel, the remaining length long enuf as a puller. Then drag it thru taking a light cut about six times & repeat same for each groove, a little deeper eeach time.

That's how I recall rifling a barrel about 1955. I did no precision measurements & used foil under the cutter to raise it. The barrel shot 1.5" groups at 50 yards, about as good as others in our black powder club ----->
 
#12 ·
Bill, I can depending on caliber desired.

I haven't got a rifling head for the .45 Colt. I could do it in .45-70 providing the breech and barrel walls are thick enough. I don't think it will be able to be chambered for the .44 special or WCF, the .410 chamber is too big, or rather too long.

Send me a P.M. if your interested in contact info.
 
#13 ·
Yeah, I first thought about freshening it to .427, and going 44/40, but the three inch chamber would blow the neck all the way out.

For a "non-reloader" who cares about short brass life.

But me - thaaaat's a different story.
 
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#14 ·
I thought of 45/70, but that's 30,000 psi. Seems a little hot for a 410 (14,000 psi) frame.
 
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#15 ·
I don't think you told us what manufactor of frame you have. It can make a world of difference.

Have you looked into a "rifle tube" for your shotgun. At one time you could get removable tubes in just about any size. The other , if they still make them , is a tube that fits the 410 chamber and has a locking ring or solder ring at the end of the barrel. Even if you have to get one custom made , it might be the way to go. And it still preserves the looks of your shotgun.
 
#18 ·
I rather like the idea of having the barrel lined/re-lined and the 44-40/38-40 makes a lot of sense...to me. The 25-20 and 32-20 make sense if one is looking to sort of duplicate the old garden guns/rook rifles but then so would 38 S&W or 38 Spl. but, as you mentioned, then you get into the extractor issue.
 
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#20 ·
Might make an interesting "walking around" gun.

Brown Product Wood Photograph Gun
 
#21 ·
The more i think, the more this would cost.

Replace the bead with an actual front sight. Put a Lyman folding leaf rear on the rib. Have the rifle in the left barrel. Have the choke opened to modified.

Carry it with the rear sight down. For "jump shooting", I could get that right hammer back as I brought it up. Rabbit, squirrel, close-in flushing quail.

Bigger game - plenty of time to lift that rear sight, cock that (harder to reach) left hammer, and take aim.

Probably won't do it, it's interesting to think about.
 
#22 ·
Hmmm. Wish I was a woodworker. Maybe could reshape that pistol grip to an English wrist. Thin that beavertail down to a splinter.

Yeah, I bet if I dumped seven or eight hundred dollars into that $200 gun, I'd have something halfway nice. :p
 
#25 ·
Haha! Sounds like trying to get a Ruger 10-22 to shoot as well as a $200 Marlin bolt rifle. :D
 
#23 ·
Why not just shop around for a SXS or O/U German or Austrian combination gun and be done with it? If you pay attention to what you're about you won't lose any money on one and should have a first class firearm in the bargain.
 
#26 ·
Husqvarna made good rifles. I have one based on the '96 Mauser in 9.3 X 57. It took a bit of work to make it a cast bullet shooter but I got it done.

You do know the 9.3 X 57R/360 is not the same as the 9.3 X 57R based on the Mauser case?
 
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#27 ·
No, that had not occurred to me. I figgered the 360 was the diameter of the bullet.

Doing a little research, the case looks like it would fireform out from a 38/55.
 
#28 ·
Donnely's says to use 9.3 X 72R brass, full length size and trim to its 2.25 length. The 38-55 has a .009 smaller head dimension and a .026 larger rim diameter. It would probably work ok given both are low pressure cartridges but there would be some swelling at the head and the rim would have to be turned. I think someone is making 9.3 X 57R/360 Express brass but if not 9.3 X 72R is fairly readily available.

I have an Outschar stalking rifle chambered in a cartridge very similar to the 9.3 X 57R/360 Express and as with the 38-55 it is very accurate.
 
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