Rifle Liner For SxS Shotgun

[NKBJ]

Anyone here used a liner in a shotgun barrel (permanent installation) to make a side by side rifle-shotgun?
What decisions did you run into? How did you handle the hard parts? What were your end results?

 

[Beowulf]

I was actually hoping someone would have answered your question. It's something I've been curious about (relining shotguns). I've considered getting an SBS variant of a Howdah pistol made with one of the old Belgian clones of one of the under lever Holland and Holland 12ga shotguns and getting the barrels bored and lined down to something like 28 gauge smooth bore or .577 rifled, to replicate a true Howdah, but be something you could actually dare to shoot (unlike a real H&H Howdah).

But all the info I could find on boring and lining shotgun barrels was an extremely expensive process, pretty much only done on very high end, older shotguns. Which is weird, since there are plenty of gunsmiths who do barrel relining in rifles and handguns way, way cheaper (I had an old C96 Mauser that was shot out relined to 9mm from 7.63 and it was like $200).

 

[Leadeye]

SBS rifles have the problem of registration, not sure you would get any better accuracy with a conversion than you would with a shotgun slug.

 

[Beowulf]

SBS rifles have the problem of registration, not sure you would get any better accuracy with a conversion than you would with a shotgun slug.

Well, I don't know if NKBJ wants an NFA item.

For me, I was looking at relining for 2 reasons.

1) Those old Damascus barrels aren't exactly that robust, especially if I'm cutting them down. I'd feel a lot better with some modern steel in there.
2) The original caliber for those H&H Howdahs was .577 Snider, which is much smaller than 12ga.

 

[Thor]

By registration I'm pretty sure he means making both barrels hit to point of aim. It's generally considered an art in the manufacture of double guns.

 

[Beowulf]

By registration I'm pretty sure he means making both barrels hit to point of aim. It's generally considered an art in the manufacture of double guns.

Ah, gotcha. Shows what I know.

My complete lack of knowledge on the subject is one of the reasons I've more or less shelved my entire project. Well, that, and I can't seem to find a donor gun in a price range I can stomach, considering all I'd have to do to it.

 

[Leadeye]

By registration I'm pretty sure he means making both barrels hit to point of aim. It's generally considered an art in the manufacture of double guns.

Thor is correct.

 

[two70]

The actual term is regulation for doubles.

To the OP, unless you want a big bore why not try one of the non permanent rifle conversion tubes first to see how well it works before going the permanent route? If you want a big bore other than .45/70 then you are going to spend $$$$. I'm not sure if Clark Custom is still in business but they used to convert CZ SXS shotguns into double rifles for about $5k and you can buy an actual Sabatti double rifle for less than that.

 

[DRob]

Clark Custom is still in business https://clarkcustomguns.com I can testify they make, or used to make, excellent 10/22 barrels.

I believe Kay Miculek, Jerry's wife, is of that Clark family. The Clark boys routinely appear on the Miculek's TV show.

 

[NKBJ]

I was thinking about side by side rifle-shotgun such as was known (in them days of yore) as a cape gun.
Like for instance if you have a 12 ga SxS and use some surplus shuttle tile glue or better yet JB-Weld to install a rifle barrel inside the left or right 12 bore.
Thinking back forty years ago, my dad had a 16 gauge / 9.3x72R that was a fine piece.

 

[Hookeye]

There is a German maker of shotgun barrel inserts (convert to rifle) that can be adjusted at the muzzle end for regulation.
They are not cheap.

EAA used to sell some inserts, and there is MC Ace in Alaska.

Connecticut Shotgun Manufacturing used to offer the RBL Professional........a rifled bbl side by side 20 ga.
$3500 and up last I saw. Maybe no longer made.

 

[AmmoManAaron]

I was thinking about side by side rifle-shotgun such as was known (in them days of yore) as a cape gun.
Like for instance if you have a 12 ga SxS and use some surplus shuttle tile glue or better yet JB-Weld to install a rifle barrel inside the left or right 12 bore.
Thinking back forty years ago, my dad had a 16 gauge / 9.3x72R that was a fine piece.

Instead of all the work and worry, you might want to just buy a nice vintage cape gun. Fairly nice ones can be had for between $1,000 and $1,500...sometimes less depending on market factors. Based on some of your other posts, the odd caliber reloading for the rifle barrel probably wouldn't discourage you too much.

 

[NKBJ]

The last smith I knew that had experience regulating doubles was J.D. Sauer who ran the Pasadena Gun Center store in the seventies.
Long since passed away and his son sold the place a few years ago.
They built my 6-06 (also long since gone) and .38 Long Cox (.375x45-70) cast bullet deer hunting rifle.

I've toyed around with getting a side by side rifle-shot gun and being able to install an insert seems a sensible approach, so though I'd ask if anyone has tried it.