Author Topic: Rifle barrel inserts for Shotguns (Read 2050 times)

Bigl · « **on:** October 30, 2004, 01:52:41 AM »

Hello Forum,
there is a company in Alaska that makes and sells rifle barrel inserts for single shot shotguns called MCA Sports. They list of many handgun and rifle calibers availible in these inserts for shotguns. They claim that they have been making and selling these inserts for several years.

I'm curious if any of you on this Forum has had any experience with type of device? Do you think that a good single shot shotgun action would handle the pressures of the larger rifle calibers they have listed?
Such as: 7.62X39, 30-40 Krag, 375 Win., 45-70 Govt..

For example, take an 1873 Trapdoor Springfield in 45-70 with the standard loading ammo. Wouldn't you think that the action of a modern day 12ga. single shot shotgun would be as strong or stronger than the Trapdoor Springfield???

Hoping you can shed some light on this for me, as I think it would be a neat device to have if it's safe to shoot in a shotgun.

Thanks,
Bigl

sgtt · « **Reply #1 on:** October 30, 2004, 08:26:47 PM »

I have a side by side with 45-70 inserts. I keep the pressures down. Mine were Italian made. Don't recall the name right now. Seems to work just fine.

gunnut69 · « **Reply #2 on:** October 30, 2004, 08:51:54 PM »

Most of the older single shots were made of cast iron as were most of the doubles. There are exceptions.. Some modern sngle shot shotguns are also sold rifle rifle barrels attached.. The 45/70 even loaded to trapdoor pressure levels is many times the pressure level these old shotguns can handle.. IF the gun has a steel frame and the pressure levels are kept low the may take it for awhile. Rmember cast iron is not very ductile, when it lets go it fragments... and it will be right next to your face.. That would most definitely be the first day of the rest of your life.

Bigl · « **Reply #3 on:** October 31, 2004, 02:02:49 AM »

gunnut69,

I was looking at the Numrich Gun Parts List under Stevens Model 94B single shot shotgun. It shows that this model shotgun action was made available with rifle barrels also. The rifle barrels listed are; 22 Hornet,
32-20 Win., and 30-30 Win.. I'm assuming that the Stevens & Springfield Mod. 94B was made to handle the pressures created by those cartridges.

My Dad told me that back in the late 1950's and early 1960's (when I was just a Kid) he had an old H&R Topper .410ga. single shot shotgun. He said that he had a Local Gunsmith order a 30-30 Win. caliber barrel from H&R and installed it to the .410 action.

Since those Firearms manufactures had these rifle barrels available for thier shotguns back then , apparently they thought the actions were built strong enough for calibers stated. With that in mind I'd think that other cartridges with comparable pressures would also be suitable for the shotgun actions mentioned (if fitted properly).

Regards,
Bigl

Mikey · « **Reply #4 on:** October 31, 2004, 03:39:02 AM »

Bigl: I've owned a number of the MCA products and they are OK with me. I have primarily used pistol cartridge inserts in bolt rifles, and have used 410 shotgun inserts in 12 gauge shotguns. All have worked well without problem.

Accuracy of the pistol cartridges wasn't all that great - the rifles had different twists than the pistol barrels did and the amount of 'free-bore' travel from the end of the case to the rifling may not have helped either.

I know that MCA makes full length barrel inserts for shotgun and sub-caliber inserts for rifles, etc. You can get pistol or rifle caliber inserts. One I am thinking about getting is a 7.62x39 insert for a 303 Brit. Same size bore. For that matter, I can also load the 303 Brit to any of the 7.62x39 loadings. Try a 30 Luger insert for a 303 Brit or a bolt action 7.62x39. Try a 7.62x25 Tokarev insert for any 30 (308) bore rifle.

Just remember one thing about these inserts. They are steel. Once you have fired the first shot through them they are sized to the specific chamber you have used. Hence, a 7.62x25mm insert for a Remingto 308 rifle will not fit a 308 Contender as the fired insert is sized to the Remington chamber. In other words, you have a one rifle or one chamber insert.

ON MCA's full length barrel inserts, he gives you a full length barrel tube, chambered in the caliber of your choice, but it is tensioned against the muzzle end of the barrel and you will have to deal with that when it comes to accuracy. HTH. Mikey.