Low Cost Custom Slug Gun Build

[Lazermule]

So I've been in and out of my local pawn shop a few times in the past month and something has caught my eye.  There is a pile of old bolt action shotguns on a rack there that are darn near a dime a dozen.  These would be of the tube or clip fed variety in 12 and 20 gauge( Wards, Mossberg, JC Higgins).  There are many of them in like new condition and selling for $50-75.  My thought was to pick one up and cut the barrel down to 18" thread it for a rifled choke, and tap the receiver for a scope mount.  All the ones I looked at looked to have nice heavy receivers for tapping scope mounts into. Think it would make a halfway decent slug gun capable of "Minute of Deer" shots out to 100 yards with off the shelf slugs?  Probably a good $100 worth of smith work to be done and $50 for a choke in my estimation....worth it?  I don't know....

LM

[JimFromTN]

I have thought about doing the same thing.  One concern I would have would be whether the barrel is thick enough to be threaded for a choke tube.  It will never be as accurate as an H&R slug gun and it will cost almost as much.  That being said, projects like this are fun and if you enjoy it and its not too much money, then go for it.

I also thought about that for an old mauser 98 12 ga but from what I have heard they are not that safe.  They had to remove a bolt lug in order to get them to work.

[wreckhog]

I occasionally see bolt action Mossbergs that have been converted (cut, and open sights added) for $100+.

[gstewart44]

So I've been in and out of my local pawn shop a few times in the past month and something has caught my eye.  There is a pile of old bolt action shotguns on a rack there that are darn near a dime a dozen.  These would be of the tube or clip fed variety in 12 and 20 gauge( Wards, Mossberg, JC Higgins).  There are many of them in like new condition and selling for $50-75.  My thought was to pick one up and cut the barrel down to 18" thread it for a rifled choke, and tap the receiver for a scope mount.  All the ones I looked at looked to have nice heavy receivers for tapping scope mounts into. Think it would make a halfway decent slug gun capable of "Minute of Deer" shots out to 100 yards with off the shelf slugs?  Probably a good $100 worth of smith work to be done and $50 for a choke in my estimation....worth it?  I don't know....

LM

be careful if you come across an old JC Higgins bolt 12 g.    My father had one for many years but there was a recall some years back due to poor metallurgy on several models of this gun. Seems the bolts were cracking and failing, sometimes with dramatic consequences.   Since that time I have seen warnings of not firing these at all since you  cannot send them in anymore for warranty work.     Check the net for a recall listing before buying one.  

[gstewart44]

Found the recall notice that was published in 1994. 

HIGH STANDARD/J.C. HIGGINS
MODEL 10,
12 GAUGE BOLT ACTION SHOTGUN

AND

SEARS
MODEL NUMBERS: 583.13, 583.14, 583.15, 583.16, 583.17, 583.18, 583.19, 583.20, 583.21 AND 583.22

RECALL: The model of shotgun may be subject to a BOLT FAILURE. When this occurs the bolt will dislodge from the action, striking the shooter causing serious injury. These shotguns were manufactured for and sold by Sears, Roebuck & Co. during the 1950's.

Call (800) 817-9165 for identification verification. Instructions for the return of the bolt and refund of $160.00 will be provided.

Source:

American Rifleman, April 1998; page 24

[Lon371]

  I have a bad habit of spending to much on the wrong thing to make stuff work But it is usually entertaining. THEN I discovered the Handi's. I still try to do things the hard way, but that is the way I do things.
 
  1 warning if you are recoil sensative, if you get the Mossberg 500 bolt action, put a pad on it. I had one it beat me pretty good, sold it for $25. Bought it back couple years later, then remembered why I sold it Sold it again.

Lonny


I originally wrote it was a Mossy 500 - Not sure what I was thinking. I have and will continue to own a 500. Have been killing deer for 12=15 years with the same one. My to younger kids shoot the 20 and 410 Mossy's as well.

[Lazermule]

I probably wouldn't buy a Higgins based on the recalls, but there is a nice Mossberg there though WITH a recoil pad installed in nice shape that can be had for $50.  Thinkin' on it...

LM

[MSP Ret]

if your going to use it for slugs why the extra expense of threading it for choke tubes? I say shoot it first before you cut it to get a baseline of accuracy, then cut it and square and crown it, then shoot it again to check what the accuracy is from the cut down barrel. No expense here except for a box or two of inexpensive Forster style slugs. I will do this myself some day and will do it to either a 16 gauge for nostalgia (besides 16 gauge slugs have ALWAYS shot great for me) or a 20 guage if I can find an inexpensive, safe, used, bolt action with a thin barrel and/for overall light wieght....<><....

[jjas]

FWIW, for the money you are going to spend, I would buy either an H&R ultra slug hunter (maybe used) and go on with it.

Or, buy a Mossberg 500 and a rifled choke tube.  Then you can shoot either foster or lower velocity sabots and the gun is already drilled and tapped for scope use.

The H&R would give you a 150 yard deer gun and the Mossberg would give you a 100 yard deer gun that could also be used for other purposes (turkey, birds, small game) etc.....

Best of luck with whatever your choose.

Jim

[FLNT4EVR]

Ok ,  your looking for an inexpensive slug gun, And your looking to buy a cheap gun and modify it yourself. So far not a problem. However you have to reduce your yardage expectations somewhat. Smooth bore slug guns I would say about 75 yds for the best of them .A home made , cut back barrel, I would reduce that to 50 yds,  maybe even 60 if you do a realy nice job . An expierenced hunter,who knows his gun should have no problem under 50 yds.Where do you plan to hunt.?  Deep woods ? Brush country ? Open farm fields. ? All of these things make a difference in the gun you should use.

[FLNT4EVR]

Heres one I just finished today. H&R 12GA .i wouldn't expect useable accuracy to be over 50 yds.

[mcgiiver]

Found the recall notice that was published in 1994. 

HIGH STANDARD/J.C. HIGGINS
MODEL 10,
12 GAUGE BOLT ACTION SHOTGUN

AND

SEARS
MODEL NUMBERS: 583.13, 583.14, 583.15, 583.16, 583.17, 583.18, 583.19, 583.20, 583.21 AND 583.22

RECALL: The model of shotgun may be subject to a BOLT FAILURE. When this occurs the bolt will dislodge from the action, striking the shooter causing serious injury. These shotguns were manufactured for and sold by Sears, Roebuck & Co. during the 1950's.

Call (800) 817-9165 for identification verification. Instructions for the return of the bolt and refund of $160.00 will be provided.

Source:

American Rifleman, April 1998; page 24

Wish I knew about the recall before the back half of the bolt broke off upon firing and hit my forehead. Sent the gun back to Sears, they claim they fixed it, came back, same problem, same forehead. Twice is enough, sold the gun with warning to the new owner.

[mbopp]

Eons ago, before rifled slug barrels, I had an Ithaca M37 with a 20" slug barrel. It wouldn't shoot worth a durn so I sold the barrel and bought a VR 28" modified barrel. I proceded to cut 2" off the end (back to the first rib mount) to take all the choke out. I cobbled a set of sights and it threw Forster slugs decently.
A few years back I had the receiver D&T'd for a scope mount and put a Holosight on it. At 75 yards it'll shoot 4" groups or Minute of Deer with Federal Forster slugs. Good enough for me.
Dad's got an old bolt (Mossberg?) 12 ga he retired. It's a heavy SOB, I might get it from him just to see how well it really shoots.

[Forestclimber]

I agree with jjas.

[vabowhntr]

I saw one of these converted (20 ga) to a rifled barrel by some guy in New Jersey on gunbroker one time.  It was a shooter for sure.  I would be sure to buy one with enough metal on top to drill and tap for a scope mount.  When I was looking at them, the mossberg design was the only one I wanted.  Then I got a Mossberg 695 for cheap, which is basically a factory made version of what I was going to do.  It will shoot 2" CTC groups all day long with lightfields at 100 yards and really hammers deer out to that range. 

Now that savage has a 20 ga bolt gun, I don't even think I would look at converting an old gun, though.

[vabowhntr]

And for minute of deer, you could cut the barrel down to 19-20" and try some of the better smoothbore slug designs.  I knew one old guy that did that and shot 5" groups at 100 with bren. KO's with the cyl barrel and red dot.  If it didn't work, you could get your money out of it by reselling it.

[gcrank1]

Buy an old Mossberg and cut just enough off to get the choke out of it and give it a go with Win. Fosters. If it shoots decent bob it back by 2" at a time to a still legal length and tell us about it as you go  .

[jather]

been there, done that. first a 12ga, put rifled barrel on, drill/tap mounted scope, bedded action/chamber of barrel. used win. supreme 1oz sabot slugs to take deer out to 140yards. second, same model gun but just cut barrel back approx 4in. to remove choke with the rest of same treatments as first gun. win. 1oz foster slugs out to approx 120 yards. jast two for young ladies' hunting, 20ga with same treatment as gun #2. again liked win. foster slugs out to 100yards. all were mossberg bolt action later models-395, 485- that had both the bolt handle and precisely opposing bolt lug. early models-190,185,etc.- only had the bolt handle root as the only locking lug. one other mod done on all, there's only approx 3/4in wood between recoil lug and magazine hole in stock. some had reinforcing cross screw but were flush inletted. i drilled 3/8in. hole thru and glued in matching hardwood dowel full width of stock to increase strength. the rebarrel job really wouldn't be cost effective copared to just buying a lightly used 695 that already has the barrel and scope mounting done. however, if handy enough to do mods personally, the smoothbore is entirely capable of deer shooting accuracy out to 100 yards or a bit better, at which distance most deer are probably taken anyway. btw, i am not a professional 'smith, just good with my hands and some inexpensive power tools. takes some effort and time, but i liked making/hunting with something i put together/modified. just MUST NOT BE DONE in a sloppy, lackadaisical manner- it is still a potentially dangerous tool you're working with. any doubts, refer to a reputable gunsmith. regards, jather....