modern bbl breeching ???

[gunmaker]

Anyone out there have experience in breeching a modern shotgun barrel for black powder use ?  How would you get around the chamber for shells ?  Is it worthwhile,Tom or just simply stay to bbls. made for muzzleloader use ? ......................TOM

[pathfinder]

The book ''Re-creating the american double barrel shotgun" has a very good chapter on doing just that. If you cant find that book,I think the Log cabin shop in lodi Ohio,(worth the trip from ANYWHERE!),i'll pull it out and try to explain it. Really easy! Even
I did it twice!

SO much gun building info in there,if you never build a shotgun,you'll keep this book as a referance!

[gunmaker]

Thanks pathfinder,  I've heard of that book, so I'll plan on adding it to my library...........Tom

[pathfinder]

Heading to Vegas next Thursday,Freind's christening. Gonna be around till Tuesday. Wanna borrow it?

[gunmaker]

you coming to Las Vegas ?  Sounds great, what I could do is copy those pages if you wouldn't mind.  Would be great meeting another member & riflesmith.  Call me @ 702-456-1482 we can visit a spell....Where are you staying in town ? house is allways open to like minded BP shooters.............Tom

[Ironhand]

I once had a 10 gauge ctg barrel converted to ML. We cut most of the chamber off and turned a custom breech plug to fit the chamber section we had left. worked well.

Ironhand

[pathfinder]

I'll get a hold of you when we hit town. Our freind's are in the Sunrise Mt, area. It's ALWAY'S a pleasure to meet others from here.

My wife was there for 25 years until we got back together and she came home. Maryland Parkway/Charelston area.

I've been there a number of times and LOVED IT!

[gunmaker]

We're about 2 miles west of Sam's town casino, easy to find.  Sunrise mt. is where my wife teaches school.  Look forward to seeing you....Tom  P.S. keep yer paw on yer poke. (wallet)  I'm retired so can visit most anytime..

[gunmaker]

Ironhand, Cut off chamber & there was still enough steel left for a plug ? I thought those might be too thin  I'm going to look at pathfinders book & see whats what.  thanks......Tom

[Captchee]

Yes I have done it , many times
There are really 3 ways to do  what your asking about .
 Bill Brockway and I have discussed this several time  and bill covers it in his book .
 In.fact that’s the way I do it to .
 That being said , I have seen it done a third way

#1 has you cutting the chambers back / shortening the barrels  so as to provide for a shorter breech plug .  Threading the chamber , followed by  then facing the plug  to match either the forcing cone or step face of the chamber .

# 2,  concerns not shortening the barrels . Instead you make a longer breech plug  that is counter bored . The breech is  again faced to the forcing cone or step face of the chamber .
 This method  while keeping the length of the barrel  also then requires you to maintain a rather large minimum charge . I have done 10 gage SXS  that required 70 grains to fill the breech  because I used a larger counter bore .

#3 is a way that I have not yet done . But again I have seen it done .
 This way  basically entails lining the chamber area  with a bore size liner . Then threading the plugs to the liner ..

  Rifle barrels are done the same as #1 ,#2 .
IMO #1 is the best way for rifle barrels as their chambers are small . Thus making a counter bored breech plug even smaller .
 But depending on what your making  you may want that counter bored breech
You just have to make sure the  plug is face to the forcing cone

[Captchee]

Ironhand, Cut off chamber & there was still enough steel left for a plug ? I thought those might be too thin  I'm going to look at pathfinders book & see whats what.  thanks......Tom

 no it wont be to thin.
 just cut them back a 3/4 of an inch from the  face of the chamber . thread the chamber down to the face . then  take your breech plug and face it to match the chamber face  so that the plug seals .

at one time i had a tutorial that was part of a build that i did as part of a review of Bills book , as well as full tutorials on restocking CVA rifles , converting from capo to flint , how to do sand casting . casting pewter nose caps ............. all posted here on the web site  in this forum .

 here are some photos from the SXS build .
Started with a set of Damascus cartridge shot gun barrels

cutting the stock from black walnut




 finished and dilivered to customer


customers first harvest with 12 gage SXS using converted cartradge barrels

[Riley/MN]

That is awesome Charlie!

[gunmaker]

Really fine work captchee,  I'm gonna do it.  You turned that round stock down & ran thds. on it to fit bbl. thds, leaving enough sticking out for nipples & hook ?  or flint vents............Tom  thanks guys.

[Captchee]

Really fine work captchee, I'm gonna do it. You turned that round stock down & ran thds. on it to fit bbl. thds, leaving enough sticking out for nipples & hook ? or flint vents............Tom thanks guys.

 yep
Bill does it the same way . but he uses different sized bar stock .  so the out side of one plug is larger then the other . then the side is  ground away so that the smaller plug sets inside the larger one . then its all filed down to match the rib .
 but the way i did it was to simple mount a section of  rib  between the plugs

 get Bill Brockways book . its well worth it. alot of the information is also  transferable to  rifle builds