Old SxS Shotgun - Is it wrong to....

johNTO

johNTO

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I have an itch for a SxS coach gun with hammers. Know zero about them but interested in one as a Range Toy (25yrds)
I'm seeing a lot of 28" older SxS that are going "cheap" at TEC and got me thinking.....

-Is it blasphemy to cut an old SxS down to 20"?
-If not....are there "things" that need to be considered. eg may change the patterning of the pellets, etc.
-Looks like these older SxS are chambered for 2.75" and that's Ok. My shoulder needs a break at my age:)
-If I get your blessings...are there any tips on cutting one down? I'm thinking about getting a Smith/machine shop to cut it.

Thanks in advance.....
 
Well it depends on the name on the barrels. You have to take care you're not cutting down something rare and valuable. That said, there are lots of cheap doubles that would be no great loss if they're cut down.

One thing to keep in mind, is the ribs aren't solid all the way down. There's packing placed at intervals down the length of the barrels, but between the packing there's nothing but air. If you cut it between the packings you'll have a rib on top and on the bottom, with a big gap in between.
 
johNTO said:
I have an itch for a SxS coach gun with hammers. Know zero about them but interested in one as a Range Toy (25yrds)
I'm seeing a lot of 28" older SxS that are going "cheap" at TEC and got me thinking.....

-Is it blasphemy to cut an old SxS down to 20"?
-If not....are there "things" that need to be considered. eg may change the patterning of the pellets, etc.
-Looks like these older SxS are chambered for 2.75" and that's Ok. My shoulder needs a break at my age:)
-If I get your blessings...are there any tips on cutting one down? I'm thinking about getting a Smith/machine shop to cut it.

Thanks in advance.....
Click to expand...

Just buy one. Simpler, cheaper and no surprises.

And....yes it's blasphemous.
Yes, there are things to consider like the pattern WILL be different.
And no, it won't give your shoulder a break. The more you lighten the gun the more recoil you will feel, all else being equal.
And yes, get a smith to do it. Not a machinist and not yourself.
 
johNTO said:
are there "things" that need to be considered. eg may change the patterning of the pellets, etc.
Click to expand...

It isn't may change the patterning - it will. You will have no choke so it will be a very open pattern with possible holes in that pattern at 20 yards.
 
9.3mauser said:
Well it depends on the name on the barrels. You have to take care you're not cutting down something rare and valuable. That said, there are lots of cheap doubles that would be no great loss if they're cut down.

One thing to keep in mind, is the ribs aren't solid all the way down. There's packing placed at intervals down the length of the barrels, but between the packing there's nothing but RUST. If you cut it between the packings you'll have a rib on top and on the bottom, with a big gap in between.
Click to expand...

Corrected it for you ;)
 
Cut barrels are unlikely to shoot to the same point of impact. Most short barrel shotgun fans don't even notice, they just want to blast stuff. Handling, balance, patterns are irrelevant to that particular crowd. If you don't mind ruining the gun for any other future use, and it has no historical or sentimental value, it's OK. Have fun.
 
It's very likely that you can find something already like that. Look for a used cowboy action gun where the owner has lost interest.

Oh, and some guns can be purchased new with very short barrels.
 
canvasback said:
Just buy one. Simpler, cheaper and no surprises.

And....yes it's blasphemous.
Yes, there are things to consider like the pattern WILL be different.
And no, it won't give your shoulder a break. The more you lighten the gun the more recoil you will feel, all else being equal.
And yes, get a smith to do it. Not a machinist and not yourself.
Click to expand...

Why get a smith to do it? Its a shotgun, not a precision rifle.

OP, IMO it depends on what your end goal is. Do you just want to do it for the sake of doing it, and aren't concerned with having a gun that has a useful hunting or target purpose? At the end of the day it might not shoot to point of aim, the barrels wont be regulated, and the lack of chokes will make it useless for everything but the shortest ranges.... But if you don't care about those things, have at'er!

If you just want a gun to put holes in things and have a good time, your idea would work just fine. If you do the work yourself I don't think you can get a double barrel cheaper even if you bought Norinco?
 
Suther said:
Why get a smith to do it? Its a shotgun, not a precision rifle.

OP, IMO it depends on what your end goal is. Do you just want to do it for the sake of doing it, and aren't concerned with having a gun that has a useful hunting or target purpose? At the end of the day it might not shoot to point of aim, the barrels wont be regulated, and the lack of chokes will make it useless for everything but the shortest ranges.... But if you don't care about those things, have at'er!

If you just want a gun to put holes in things and have a good time, your idea would work just fine. If you do the work yourself I don't think you can get a double barrel cheaper even if you bought Norinco?
Click to expand...

Not disagreeing at all but on the plus side of a smith doing the work, he can professionally fill the gaps between the ribs once shortened and re-install the bead. I myself don't have much interest in coach guns but a low value hammergun with pistol grip and no bolt through the stock could be made into a wicked Mad Max highwayman. Maybe I'm childish in thinking that might be a lot of fun to shoot but I can either be mature or be myself.
 
Londonshooter said:
Not disagreeing at all but on the plus side of a smith doing the work, he can professionally fill the gaps between the ribs once shortened and re-install the bead. I myself don't have much interest in coach guns but a low value hammergun with pistol grip and no bolt through the stock could be made into a wicked Mad Max highwayman. Maybe I'm childish in thinking that might be a lot of fun to shoot but I can either be mature or be myself.
Click to expand...

The way I see it the project loses a lot of appeal once you pay a smith. At that point, the price difference between a bubba chop job and a factory made gun isn't enough to be worth the hassle, at least in my opinion.

To me, the only way this sort of project makes sense is if you are handy enough to do it yourself and will get some personal value out of either doing the work or knowing you did the work when its finished.
 
I sawed of a Russian O/U a couple month's ago. Trued it with a file and a square and a round file in the bore.
Filled the gap between the barrel with a cotton ball and epoxy.
Bought a magnetic front sight base with a hole to drill and tap a screw to hold it on.
Voilà!! Done!!
Now I have a 2 barrel set O/U shotgun!
 
I'm leaning towards buying a factory 20" coach gun BNIB. I won't be happy unless it's "clean".
Going to wait until the stores open up again so I can handle a few....
 
Ive cut down many old sxs guns. Never had an issue breaking targets on the skeet field or for stump jumping bunnies. Not even when the stock is cut into a pistol grip. The handling and pointability change but a 18.5 or 20" cyl barrel patterns no differently than a 28 or 30" barrel with a cylinder choke. They can be fun and serve a purpose for close range hunting
 
Cut the barrels to 24" if you decide to cut one. The gun will still as short or shorter than most pump action riot guns. The 24" tubes will allow some handling qualities and make a decent small game gun. Cylinder bore is more efficient with todays high tech plastic wads designs.

Darryl
 
I have a SxS Damascus barrel 10 gauge Parkhurst hammer coach gun.
Someone nailed one of those cheesy fake Wells Fargo badges on top of the wrist.
But what really attracted me was that the twenty inch barrels were not cut down from a previously longer length.
Chokes are full & full. So it's only half fake!
 
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