Break action shotgun chamber adapters: good or bad?

[0faustus0]

Break action shotgun chamber adapters: good or bad?

So I always wondered how accurate and useful these break action shotgun chamber adapter are. From reading on the Internet it is hard to tell … opinions range from totally useless … to small game killers at 50m. So what is the truth? How accurate are they? In order to find out I bought two 12ga to 22LR adapters. One 8 inches long and rifled. And the other 3 inches long and smooth bore (no rifling). The two adapters are from Short Lane Gun Adapters:

8” rifled adapter:
http://www.gunadapters.com/12-gauge-to-22-lr-pathfinder-series/

3” smooth bore adapter"
http://www.gunadapters.com/12-gauge-to-22-lr-or-shorts-scavenger-series/

In order to test accuracy I was wondering how I would do this with just a bead sight on my shotgun … hmmm … how accurate can you shoot with just a bead sight? Probably not very accurate … right? And then I had an idea … will these adapters fit into my deer hunting rifled slug gun? Ten minutes later I had my answer: they fit nicely into my H&R Ultra Slug Hunter and which has a 3-9 x 50 scope. Bingo! That is pretty precise!

First I need to say that I sighted the scope in this year … and at 50m I am getting these groups. From the picture it seems I am off to the left a bit …

My first test was with the 3” smoothbore 22LR adapter at 20 meters. Here the result …. I got a 12” group at 20 meters. I guess that is not the sort of accuracy you need to hunt small game at that distance … My decision: that adapter will stay at home in the future and collect dust! :-(

My next test was wit the 8” rifled adapter at 50 meters and I have to say I was surprised. First, I got a 3 inch group and I thought …”Wow, that is not bad!" However, second, the group was 10 inches off from where I was aiming at. Even though the grouping would be accurate enough I would have missed any rabbit I would be trying to harvest. :-(

Next test was a 20 meters … and here is the result: 1.5 to 2 inch groups and point of aim off by around 4 inches to the upper right.

Ok, now might be the time to go into the details of how I used this adapter. Rimfire adapters are not centered but offset and I used mine always in the 12 o’clock position. The H&R Ultra Slug Hunter would extract the adapter after each shot so that I had to push it in after each shot. Further, I took the adapter out of the gun in between shooting the groups and the results were consistent: this particular adapter will shoot to the upper right in the 12 o’clock position, around 4 inches at 20 meters.

After I realized this, I adjusted my point of aim as you can see in the picture, and I got a nice centered group.

After all this testing I am still not quite sure how useful this 8 inch adapter would be for small game hunting. And I am thinking around the lines of a wilderness scenario … (like canoeing a months in the great north) … where … lets say you can’t take along two guns and where you have to carry yourself all the ammunition that you need. I can carry 200 rounds of 22LR all day long and not feel the weight in my backpack. But carrying 200 rounds of 12ga … ufffffff …. :-(

Now I am curious … what’s your opinion? Would you take the adapter along on a wilderness trip?

p.s.: one more note ... on a wilderness trip I still want to shoot bird shot, buck shot and slugs out of my shotgun ... so I wouldn't adjust the sights (yes there are shotguns with sights) for the adapter .... I guess I would have to learn how to compensate ... Kentucky windage ... :-(

?????????????

 

[brybenn]

Buy a sxs. Adaptor in one barrel and the other is still loaded with what ever 12 ga load you wish. I've tried a set in my baikal ij58 and they shot very close to point aim at 20 yards. Centered for both barrels just a couple inches high using the bead. I could hit a pop can 9-10 times if I held at the bottom of the can. A 7.5+ lbs double 22lr just wasn't my thing so I didn't buy them

 

[Juster]

Great review, thanks for the post. Do you think you can aim well enough to hit a rabbit with bead sights?
You can get a Pack-Rifle 22lr that weighs less than a pound, what does the adaptor weigh?
I love the idea of the adapters, but I'm wondering if they are only useful with a rifle sighted shotgun. I would rather have an ultralight second gun that is useful, than carry an adapter and 200 rounds of ammo that I can't use accurately.
There must be a way to use the adapter successfully without a scope, open to suggestions.

 

[hoytcanon]

Why don't you try rotating the adapter in the chamber and shooting groups... maybe it shoots to the same POI as your scope at some point in the rotation.

 

[grelmar]

I did some testing with my 8" Shortlane a while ago... About this time last year, actually - must be something about fall.

Anyway, I found the accuracy and consistency to be "adequate" as a survival gun stopgap. After doing up the video and scanning these targets, I tinkered with the rig over the winter - mostly to stiffen up the ad-hoc weaver rail attachment. Did some more testing off and on over the spring, and found I could get very consistent results.

Basically, "minute of squirrel" out to 25 yards(ish) with a Red Dot sight.

The biggest problem I have with the Shortlane is rust. I have to keep it wrapped in an oily rage, otherwise it starts to rust if you so much as look at it funny.

Video and scans of the target:

 

[0faustus0]

Everyone,
thanks for the input ....

@grelmar: Wow, thanks for sharing, that was interesting.

I just wanted to clarify something. I am not intending to shoot that adapter out of a shotgun with a bead sight. Bead sights are just not accurate enough. However, I realized that I can shoot 4 -5 inch groups at 50 meters and out of my 870 Police with ghost ring sights and with Brenneke type slugs.

So, that sighting system should be accurate enough for small game at 20 meters.
Now I wish that this 8" adapter would work with my 870P and I would have the perfect setup ... but it does not. :-(

So, currently I am looking for a double barrel 12ga shotgun with double triggers and rifle or ghost ring sights.
If anybody has any recommendations, please feel free to share ...
Appreciate the input ...

 

[hoytcanon]

Another option is to just pattern your gun and learn to knock the heads off of any small game...and just forget the SHTF scenario.

 

[sgt.rock]

Why don't you try some .22 shotshells out of the 3" adapter? I always see tons of these for sale at Walmart, and always wished I had a smoothbore .22 to try them out in.

 

[bp2626]

I believe that bird shoot is probably more useful than 22 LR overall in the survival situation. Hard to miss a rabbit or grouse with an open choke.

 

[grelmar]

Why don't you try some .22 shotshells out of the 3" adapter? I always see tons of these for sale at Walmart, and always wished I had a smoothbore .22 to try them out in.

I'll save you the cost of buying a box.

There's a slim outside chance they might kill a gopher or mouse within 10 feet. Maybe. If you're lucky. On a good day.

 

[brybenn]

I couldn't break a clay pigeon at 10 paces with a full length smooth barrel. I shot a big farm rat once with the rat shot from my Rossi 37. Seemed to just piss him off.
Unless using the 22 adapter for signaling with sound or for one barrel of a sxs for grouse while big game hunting I don't see the point. How long do you plan on surviving before being found or walking out that you couldn't survive on 2 boxes of 12 ga ammo?

 

[brybenn]

If weight is a factor buy a 28 or 410

 

[bjjzak]

If using a 22 "shot" cartridge at least use the CCI ones. These will do a mouse in at 6-8 feet most of the time. Nickle case, blue shot "bullet". Some of these inserts could actually be handy in the right gun. Moreso a 9 or 45. A 40 s&w might be fun as well, but I don't see that one offered. I once had a 32 to 308 win adapter,. Non existent recoil, with a light pop sound.

 

[Butcherbill]

Why don't you try rotating the adapter in the chamber and shooting groups... maybe it shoots to the same POI as your scope at some point in the rotation.

This is what I would try to do, once you time it right it might shoot poi or close enough to poi that you can hit a grouse or rabbit. Then again I'd just shoot it with bird shot in the first place lol.