Using Modern Barrels for a muzzleloading shotgun?

[Archer46176]

Hello all,
I am a new guy from Indiana. I have been shooting muzzleloaders for about 20 yrs now since my Grandpa gave me a .45cal KY rifle at the age of 11. I have been searching for a dbl 12 or 20 to start hunting with and I have a 12 but it is pretty crusty. Barrels are in good shape and is the stock but the locks are pretty bad. Anyway, I am looking for a way to take a couple of modern dbl barrels and make them into muzzleloaders. Can anyone help me out. Anyone near Indianapolis that would like to show me? I would be a VERY WILLING student.
Paul

 

[shortstring]

You have a long road ahead of you but it's been done. As luck would have it a 7/8 14 tap will screw right into the chamber of a modern 12 ga barrel.

Paul

 

[CoyoteJoe]

I've pondered a bit on doing the same. The first problem is finding affordable barrels that will still be long enough after cutting off the three inch chamber. Then comes the issue of machining breechplugs, double shotgun plugs are rather complex little parts. Then stocking an ML double shotgun is no simple matter. By the time you pay for all the parts you could probably pick up a nice used Pedersoli for less money and a whole lot less aggravation. :grin:

 

Paul,
I'm not ambitious enough to try a double but I did build a single barrel for my grandson that he shoots trap with. I used an underhammer action and a Remington 870 barrel in 20 ga with a vent rib on it. Actually it was not to difficult. I have toyed with doing a 12 ga for myself. Cut off the barrel extension and thread the chamber for a breach plug. Cut off the magazine tube ring and leave part of the stud to drill and tap for a forearm attachment. Pretty simple.
Mark

 

[Many Klatch]

Archer, plan on coming to the Conner Rifles Gun Show in Noblesville the third weekend of February. It is held in the Noblesville 4H building just off IN-37. There will be all kinds of gunsmiths, shooters and fixins to get you started. You can also find out about the local clubs.

Many Klatch

 

[Leonredbeard]

Many years ago at Dixon's Muzzloading Shoppe's Gunmaker's Faire, one of the smiths had a double barrel 9 gauge flinter made from a set of modern 10 gauge barrels. The barrels were pretty old. They were a second set of barrels for a mixed serial numbers gun. He said that the barrels were backbored so long that it was easier just cylinder bore to 9 gauge. It was a gun I drooled over several times.
volatpluvia

 

[Dave K]

You have to get William Brockway's book,"Recreating the Double Barrel Muzzleloading Shotgun". As far as I know available at virtually all the muzzleloader shops that sell books. Many details on how to build the gun and how to breach modern barrels.

 

[paulvallandigham]

Joe: I have the plans for the " Friendship Special", and O/U DB 12 gauge percussion in-line action built on the Remington 870/1100 frame and stocks. The two barrels are modern, but they are connected by a plate at the rear, carefully drilled and reamed to fit over the ends of the barrel. The plate and barrels are in turn attached by screws to a plate at the front of the action.

I don't care much for the in-line percussion action( which is why I never tried to build one of these guns, and because of its limited room for big fingers!), but the engineering ideas could be easily adapted to a Mule Ear shotgun, with two triggers, and separate hammers, naturally, for each of the barrels. That would shorten the "action " portion considerably, allow the use of a rib on the top barrel, longer barrels, Jug chokes, or choke tubes, etc., and any stock configuration you might choose. Another benefit of a side hammer action is that you don't have to be as concerned about cap debris hitting your forearm, wrist, or hand.

Much more difficult is figuring out how to use Modern barrels as a basis for building a DB, SxS Flintlock shotgun. Now, an O/U Flintlock might be possible....

 

[tg]

I had a single barrel fowler that I was told was made from a modern barrel, it worked well and shot well, I was in a "thining the herd mode" mode at the time and sold it, it did have a multi-choke system while not Pc really offered so versitality to the gun from ball for deer to xtra full for gobble ducks.

 

[CoyoteJoe]

Well yes, an inline zip gun is by far the easiest way to get something that will shoot, but let's not go there. :grin:
As I think about it, the first gun I ever built was a NW trade gun using a modern 16 gauge barrel which I laboriously hand filed to octagon at the breech on the five flats that show. It turned out pretty good but that was a simple single barrel flintlock with a Pecatonica River pre-carved stock, no where near so complex as a side by side double.

 

[shortstring]

I've got a side by side flint shotgun to do the breech work on coming up. I'll try to remember to photo the procedure & revive this thread with the photos.

Paul

 

[Archer46176]

Thanks for all the info guys. I live pretty close to Deer Creek Mowery gunworks near Waldron Indiana. They make some rifles down there but I have never asked if they make shotguns. I am planning to gather as much info as I can before I start this project, as badly as I hate to I am gonna wait until after the first Friendship gathering in June, I will probably hit the one in Noblesville as well in Feb. Until then if I cannot refurbish the present shotgun i have I will just gather parts and possibly load up some shells with a blackpowder load to satisfy mu sulfer smell addiction.
Thanks again,
Paul

 

[Mike Brooks]

I've made a few SXS guns with fairly modern barrels. I use old percussion barrels and convert to flint. I can't bring myself to do all the work of building the gun and not having damascus.
SXS 1
SXS 2

 

[CoyoteJoe]

FANTASTIC!! :thumbsup:

 

[Dave K]

Mike, you are right, doesn't it have to be Damascus? What ga. your your SxS's in. I had one made in 16ga. and it works well. I would thing for appearance sake though, the 16ga. in a SxS flint is about as big as you want to go, without it looking huge in the lock area. Or as 20ga. appears to be about the ideal ga. Hard part is finding nice long 20ga. Damascus or Twist barrels, in good shape. I try not to pass them by if I see them.

 

[Mike Brooks]

The pictured ones are both 14ga. I prefer 16 bore and smaller.

 

[Ken Morrison]

Amazing workmanship Mike.
Why are the lock plates not parallel?
Shoot safely.

 

This one was built around a set of cartridge barrels.

 

[juancho]

:hatsoff: :hatsoff: :hatsoff:
That is somethig beautifull.
Has anyone ever tried a SxS under hummer?

 

[Mike Brooks]

Amazing workmanship Mike.
Why are the lock plates not parallel?
Shoot safely.

If you leave the lock plates parallel it makes too clunky of a gun.