Poor Mans Double Rifle

[TedH]

I got a wild hair and decided to put together my idea of a poor mans double rifle, er...shotgun. I found an inexpensive Spanish made 12 ga SxS that looked like a good donor. Knowing the regulation of a SxS shotty is not comparable to an actual double rifle, I wanted to see if it was even going to be anything to work with. I lopped 6" off the barrels and super glued some sights on the rib. I fired 4 slugs, two from each barrel from 35 yards, and I was pleasantly surprised when they all landed on the target.
I ordered a Williams rear sight and blade, and a ramp with a fiber optic insert for the front. Drilling and tapping was simple with the hollow space under the rib giving a little room for error.
I bought every brand of rifled slug that Bass Pro had on the shelf which amounted to 6 different loads to try and see what would perform the best. They ranged from pathetic to very impressive. The best in accuracy and regulation was a 1 ounce 2 3/4" slug from Herters. It shoots each barrel into ragged holes at 50 yards and clocks 1615 fps.
The barrels were not crossing, and POI was about 4" apart. While that's very respectable for what we're working with here, I wanted to see if I could get them a little closer together. Some careful filing of the muzzles to put a slight chamfer on the side of the needed direction of movement and that got me to within about 2" of spread between the barrels at 50 yards. I decided to stop there as these barrels are very thin to begin with.
Range sessions are limited to about 20 rounds as recoil in this 6.25 lb gun is not much fun, even with a 1/2" Past Recoil Pad on my shoulder. I'm in the process refinishing the wood now, and may add some weight to the hollow cavity in the buttstock. If I can slow down the recoil the barrels should hit even closer together. Time will tell.

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[GunnyMack]

That'll work just fine!
While in school one of my instructors walked into class one morning with a box of parts, barrels sticking out. He announced this is for sale. I hollered SOLD, not even knowing what it was other than an O/U shotgun. He proceeded to explain he bought it many years before but never got around to putting it together. He then told me that every moment both of us could spare we would get this unknown gun together. I had to fit everything, it was rough milled though the barrels were indeed 'struck' so not much work there.
There was not a single mark on the gun that was any kind of identification. A true question mark. At the time the running joke in class was about being a Red Headed Stepchild so that's what I need it.
Anyhow I used slugs to get the exact POA/POI.

[Scott Tschirhart]

A 12 gauge slug is a fearsome thing. That looks to be quite useful and you don’t give up anything as you can still shoot buckshot for use up close.

[.45colt]

Very Nice!! I have killed many Deer here in Ohio with slugs over the years ,one that is memorable was a Big Doe that offered a Texas Heart shot at 50 yards. the slug traversed the length of Her body and I found it under the skin at the base of the neck. That's a Good looking job.

[TedH]

you can still shoot buckshot for use up close.

I wanted to know about this too, so I fired a couple rounds of 00 Buck at 10 yards. It put 9 pellets in about 5 - 6 inch circle.

[AmBraCol]

A few years ago I picked up a Rossi external hammer double 12 gauge. The firing pins were peened something fierce, but Jack First supplied new and improved ones. Part of the allure for the piece was that very "poor man's double rifle" vibe. BUT there was that panic driven shortage going on and so far haven't had a chance to pick up any slugs to try through it. Someday, someday. I hope. That's a cool looking setup you've got there, Ted.

[Bill in Oregon]

Ted, I have dreamed of a project like this for some time now. Yours is an inspiration. I enjoyed working with the Pedersoli Kodiak percussion doubles in .58 and .72, but now in my dotage, might look for a 16- or 20-gauge donor for this sort of thing.
You are so fortunate that your barrels are well regulated -- that's my biggest concern. I'd love to make one of these up that was accurate with cast round balls and black powder out of a brass Magtech shell.

[TedH]

You are so fortunate that your barrels are well regulated -- that's my biggest concern. I'd love to make one of these up that was accurate with cast round balls and black powder out of a brass Magtech shell.

Bill, I knew it would be a stuff shoot as far as the regulation, especially with a $250 shotgun from the '60's. I just got lucky I suppose.
I do have some .690" round balls i want to load in wads and crimp if i can ever find 209 primers locally.
I may just open up some birdshot loads and dump the pellets and replace with the round balls to try for now.

[Bill in Oregon]

Ted, if you want to try BP loads in Magtech brass shells, they take large pistol primers and are loaded with hand tools.

https://circlefly.com/bp-cartridges

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1657554245?pid=554245

[Drawdown]

Hey, finished product looks great to me! Actually for most deer hunting around here, that'd be hard to beat, brush & heavy cover deer rifle 2nd to none, a 12ga slug is awesome load. Can't hunt with 00Buck here, but lotta states down south permit it, and rightfully so!

[Pisgah]

Now, that is a gun that says something... and that would be, "Stop!" Nice work, and a great tool for any sort of up-close-brushy work.

[Ray]

This is most interesting.....

I have experimented similarly with both slugs and pistol cartridge rifled inserts with nowhere near the positive results you have achieved.

Bravo Zulu !

[Bill in Oregon]

By the way, Ted, your method of adjusting regulation by filing the muzzle crowns is very effective, but it gave Cabelas a massive customer relations headache when it was found that many of the Sabatti double rifles it was selling had been regulated this way at the factory! Quite the scandal a few years back.

[GunnyMack]

Filing is a WHOLE LOT easier than wiring wedges between the ribs and barrels to move POA/POI to regulate them!
I know from school, one instructor was trained by Westley Richards and he gave us the process but never had the chance to do it. Lots of pine pitch , tin and torch work!

[TedH]

By the way, Ted, your method of adjusting regulation by filing the muzzle crowns is very effective, but it gave Cabelas a massive customer relations headache when it was found that many of the Sabatti double rifles it was selling had been regulated this way at the factory! Quite the scandal a few years back.

I remember reading about that. I'm ok with a little scandal though. Haha

[AJMD429]

.
I've always wondered what would happen if you put an adapter/insert in one side (or both for that matter), for something like a 30-30 or other decent centerfire rifle cartridge - you could surely get an adjustable sight setup that would align with that side for your rifle shooting, and use the other barrel for shot. If the insert had a decently long barrel (I've seen some 12" or so) and you indexed it so it didn't slip/rotate on you, it might be a kind of fun gun at least, perhaps a survival/truck gun for sure, and maybe even turn out to be a practical hunting, or at least woods-walking, gun.

[Paladin]

Well done, I took a FOX and did the same thing, but for BUCKSHOT and gave it to a fellow state trooper to carry in his cruiser. Very effective for a backwoods WV drinking establishment. I have not tried slugs in it, or the most recent one I made.

[Scott Tschirhart]

Stevens used to make a police version of their double barrel shotgun. Wish I could find one of those. Stevens 311R

[TedH]

I finished up the stock refinishing last night and for giggles I filled the hollow cavity in the buttstock with 1.25 lb of lead shot. I was expecting some change in handling but let me tell you, it feels like there's a cinder block hanging off the butt now when you shoulder it. Totally messed up the balance. Ill shoot it tonight and see if it brings the regulation in any more. It should help with recoil along with the new Pachmyer Decelerator butt pad. If it doesn't change the POI any I'll probably dump the shot as its really quick handling otherwise.

[GunnyMack]

Ted try and 8oz recoil reducer. It's mercury inside an aluminum tube. It will still feel lively in your hands but will also reduce the recoil. I put one in my Browning BPS 10ga and it made all the difference in the world when shooting 3.5" buckshot.

[Scott Tschirhart]

I think this is such a good idea.

On a side note.

New York issued a lot of Stevens 311R shotguns to detectives (apparently they did not believe that a detective could operate a pump shotgun).

18 1/4 inch barrels with a simple bead front sight. Perfect for the job.

[TedH]

Scott, that was my backup plan for this project if the barrels were not regulated well enough to be useful with slugs. The barrels would have gone another 4" shorter, down to 20" and just a bead installed.