Got my copy of recreating the double barrel muzzleloading shotgun.

[8Ga.]

I went to the library. Finally my copy of William brickbats book arrived. After reading through it I am a little discouraged. I was hoping I would be able to make a nice double barrel shotgun with some modern barrel blanks, but this seems to be a daunting task, to say the least. The book suggests finding old Damascus barrels, but I don’t want to go that route. I take comfort in modern day barrel blanks. Anyone have some words of wisdom for me? Where do I start? Can I use blanks? Should I start with a single barrel, even though I don’t want a single barrel, just to get my feet wet?

I only have the book for 3 weeks, so that is a problem as well.

 

[Sam squanch]

Unless you have a lot of spare time, tools, and like to create, you are better off buying an existing double. You can put a LOT of time into one and lots of things can go wrong. I never liked Brockway‘s breeching idea anyway. If you are determined, make a single shot to learn on.

 

[64Springer]

You say building a double barrel shotgun from scratch seems like a daunting task.

Did you think you were going to crank one out in an afternoon.

There's no easy way to build a firearm from a gaggle of raw parts.

Jump in and swim.

 

[Felonious]

I would buy a modern ML barrel, from a reputable manufacturer if you decide to go the total DIY route. From what I understand, most modern shotgun barrels don't have a thick enough breach to support the threads from a plug.

I recently finished building a Pedersoli SxS 12 guage kit, it was the first gun I've ever put together. I don't know your skill level, but I'll say this. I'm a pretty crafty guy, I do all of the work on my own home, cars, and I love building mechanical and electrical things in my spare time. My friends and family tell me I'm pretty good at it. If I had tried to build my first gun from mixed parts, it would have never been finished, undoubtedly. I would have never been able to inlet the stock properly without having seen and shaped one that was properly inletted already.

I also had enough trouble trying to fit together parts that I knew were supposed to fit together, trying to match up thread pitches and drill perfectly centered holes in parts from different manufacturers would have just been too much for a first project.

Anyway, what I'm getting at is suggesting that you buy a kit to start with. You know you'll have all of the parts, they'll fit together, and most of them come with some kind of warranty if you end up missing a few parts, or they're broken. You can always sell the kit when you're finished, and put that money towards your custom project as well.

I think now that I have built one from a kit, and understand the basic functionings of a lock, trigger mechanism, and how it all fits together, I could probably build one from parts.

 

[8Ga.]

Unless you have a lot of spare time, tools, and like to create, you are better off buying an existing double. You can put a LOT of time into one and lots of things can go wrong. I never liked Brockway‘s breeching idea anyway. If you are determined, make a single shot to learn on.

I’m a machinist, I have a lathe, drill press, many hand tools. I could do it, but it looks very difficult. I only have an fcaw welder though. That may be a problem.

 

[8Ga.]

You say building a double barrel shotgun from scratch seems like a daunting task.

Did you think you were going to crank one out in an afternoon.

There's no easy way to build a firearm from a gaggle of raw parts.

Jump in and swim.

I’m pretty well versed, I knew what it would take, but lack of time, funds, etc…

I have too many hobbies. The idea was to make my own and save some money and learn new skills, rather than buy a pedersoli 12 gauge.

You’re right though. I need to just start on it and go slowly. Idk why finding and testing a set of premade barrels bothers me.

I’m really hoping someone has suggestions on how to start from scratch, if one were to go that route.

 

[8Ga.]

I would buy a modern ML barrel, from a reputable manufacturer if you decide to go the total DIY route. From what I understand, most modern shotgun barrels don't have a thick enough breach to support the threads from a plug.

I recently finished building a Pedersoli SxS 12 guage kit, it was the first gun I've ever put together. I don't know your skill level, but I'll say this. I'm a pretty crafty guy, I do all of the work on my own home, cars, and I love building mechanical and electrical things in my spare time. My friends and family tell me I'm pretty good at it. If I had tried to build my first gun from mixed parts, it would have never been finished, undoubtedly. I would have never been able to inlet the stock properly without having seen and shaped one that was properly inletted already.

I also had enough trouble trying to fit together parts that I knew were supposed to fit together, trying to match up thread pitches and drill perfectly centered holes in parts from different manufacturers would have just been too much for a first project.

Anyway, what I'm getting at is suggesting that you buy a kit to start with. You know you'll have all of the parts, they'll fit together, and most of them come with some kind of warranty if you end up missing a few parts, or they're broken. You can always sell the kit when you're finished, and put that money towards your custom project as well.

I think now that I have built one from a kit, and understand the basic functionings of a lock, trigger mechanism, and how it all fits together, I could probably build one from parts.

I’m not concerned about wether I can. It’s more about the time it will take and the alignment of the barrels, finding blanks that will work, or finding used barrels that will work.

I don’t like taking something someone else made and modifying, or not knowing the ins and outs of it. I wasn’t the one that made it, so I don’t know it as well as if I made it from scratch.

It’s kind of like working on a house, or car, and not wanting to take over half way through because the way the person before did it isn’t how I would have done it.

I didn’t buy the kit because I didn’t want to pay 800-1200 on a kit.

I’m a machinist, not a pro by any means, but I can operate. I will be able to make the parts exactly to the specs on the drawings, if not, I will make another. At the end they will fit together if they are dimensionally accurate.

As far as the modern barrels not being thick enough. That’s the kind of information I need from y’all. I don’t remember seeing that in the book, but I fell asleep reading a couple times last night, so I may have missed it.

 

[user 34300]

I did one about 20 years ago. It takes patience and determination. I bought a trigger set, trigger guard, locks and butplate. For me, working slowly and on a know path is easier than a precarve parts set.

You need a lathe for sure. A mill will help things along too.

Breech loader barrels are used. That is a major theme of the book. A long chambered plug in threaded in to the chamber area. The nose of the plug is a crush fit in the forcing cone. The chamber hold a little less than the anticipated powder charge.

Making the hooked breech is tedious. It is made from large channel stock.

Instead of making the rib extension that is part of the right breech plug I soldered a piece or rib shaped material on the plugs.

Unfortunately I made the stock to short. IT was very fancy walnut too. Someone liked it more than me and paid me a lot for it.

IF I could find a set of barrels that are long enough I might make another at some point. IN my area steel shot is mandated for all hunting. That make the project less appealing since steel shot is not compatible with black powder. If I could shoot lead I might just buy a high condition English gun and enjoy that.

 

[8Ga.]

I did one about 20 years ago. It takes patience and determination. I bought a trigger set, trigger guard, locks and butplate. For me, working slowly and on a know path is easier than a precarve parts set.

You need a lathe for sure. A mill will help things along too.

Breech loader barrels are used. That is a major theme of the book. A long chambered plug in threaded in to the chamber area. The nose of the plug is a crush fit in the forcing cone. The chamber hold a little less than the anticipated powder charge.

Making the hooked breech is tedious. It is made from large channel stock.

Instead of making the rib extension that is part of the right breech plug I soldered a piece or rib shaped material on the plugs.

Unfortunately I made the stock to short. IT was very fancy walnut too. Someone liked it more than me and paid me a lot for it.

IF I could find a set of barrels that are long enough I might make another at some point. IN my area steel shot is mandated for all hunting. That make the project less appealing since steel shot is not compatible with black powder. If I could shoot lead I might just buy a high condition English gun and enjoy that.

Can’t steel shot be used with a shot cup? Is it about the barrel damage, or the ferrous material sparking and setting off the bp? Or both?

Idk, I guess I’m in for a lot more research. I think I just don’t know enough about muzzleloading shotguns and that’s where the second guessing is coming from. I need to find some good double barrels, or start making each piece slowly.

 

[user 34300]

It is not about damaging the gun. Steel shot must be driven to higher velocities than is practical for black powder to be effective on game. I shot it several times on Blue bill ducks from a stilt blind. Those ducks are really dumb and will get right in your face if you are patient. Even so at 20 yards they would not fall to #2 steel from a Beretta o/u 12 ga sidelock. I was shooting 3 3/4 drams and 1 1/8 oz of shot. IT was not fast enough to impart a would sufficient to drop the birds. And yes I was hitting them square. Simply substituting lead #4 ......ssssssh , and they dropped like a stones.

 

[8Ga.]

It is not about damaging the gun. Steel shot must be driven to higher velocities than is practical for black powder to be effective on game. I shot it several times on Blue bill ducks from a stilt blind. Those ducks are really dumb and will get right in your face if you are patient. Even so at 20 yards they would not fall to #2 steel from a Beretta o/u 12 ga sidelock. I was shooting 3 3/4 drams and 1 1/8 oz of shot. IT was not fast enough to impart a would sufficient to drop the birds. And yes I was hitting them square. Simply substituting lead #4 ......ssssssh , and they dropped like a stones.

Interesting. I would be shooting mainly clay birds with mine. I was under the impression black powder or subs muzzleloading shotguns could easily hit 1250 fps

 

[stank]

Following

 

[11Bravo]

Here is a thought. find a vintage single shot inline shotgun made by I believe H&R in the 70s. Make a solid breach plug with tang add a drum and nipple. Start with a single barrel to get your feet wet. JMO

 

[SOLANCO]

Maybe I missed it. Has there been any mention of regulating your double gun? An unregulated double is a misery to the shooter.

 

[Sam squanch]

For the amount of time and energy, you can buy an old classic double in good shape and shoot it. They are out there…..

 

[11Bravo]

For the amount of time and energy, you can buy an old classic double in good shape and shoot it. They are out there…..

That's what I do, I'll rather bring them back to life than build them. I different kind of challenge.

 

[Splitear]

If your concern is the book, I have a copy that I would part with for slightly lower than the going rate online. Message me if you’re interested.

 

[8Ga.]

Here is a thought. find a vintage single shot inline shotgun made by I believe H&R in the 70s. Make a solid breach plug with tang add a drum and nipple. Start with a single barrel to get your feet wet. JMO

I think that might be the best thing.

 

[8Ga.]

Maybe I missed it. Has there been any mention of regulating your double gun? An unregulated double is a misery to the shooter.

Regulating?

 

[SOLANCO]

Regulating?

A properly regulated double gun will have both barrels hitting the same point of impact at a specific distance. The shooter who knows that distance can then compensate for greater or lesser ranges. This is obviously more critical for a double rifle, but at a given distance shot patterns should overlap also. In an unregulated gun you may find your are consistently more accurate with one barrel over another.