Your Thoughts on a Multi-Purpose SxS

moogles

moogles

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Alright folks, looking for some advice from those that have potentially been down a similar road or have experience and am able to answer a few questions. I'm fixing up and restoring an old 12ga side-by-side and was contemplating trying to make it a "Jack of all trades, master of none" type of firearm to fulfill multiple roles (if it's feasible).

Questions:
- What is a good barrel length to find a compromise between hunting and HD?
- Does shortening a SxS barrel alter its "regulation?"
- Has anyone used barrel adapters and found them to be accurate / practical?
- If so, what cartridges worked the best / made the most sense for versatility?
- Is this a silly idea altogether?

I've contemplated a combo or drilling, but from what others have said requiring diversity of function at the same time is rare, hence being able to convert with adapters based on the current intended use.

Thanks for reading and I look forward to your thoughts.
 
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I'll start by making some assumptions. The current barrels are 30" long. They have some significant choke, likely mod or tighter. The wood isn't cracked.

So a couple things in no particular order.

SxS were typically regulated to hit the same POA around 40 yards out. If you cut the barrels to say 22".......a common enough length I've seen barrels cut to....you lose all the choke. It's now just cylinder bore. Fine for things like grouse and woodcock inside 30 yards. Limiting on many other quarry. And yes, now the barrels' regulation is off. Short barrels can be fine in many hunting situations.....typically they need some choke.

I have no idea what you think is "old" but you could be getting into durability/safety issues if you are planning to shoot modern ammo through the gun.

Excessive recoil is a problem that wlll ruin the wood. And by ruin, I mean crack it into uselessness. As a reminder, recoil is a function of the weight of the gun (you just lightened it significantly when you cut the barrels), the speed the ejecta is accelerated to and the total weight of the ejecta. Recoil has nothing to do with peak pressure or with the gauge. That's the durability issue.

The safety issue is modern loads (unless stated as low pressure and costing a premium if you can find them) generate around 11,000 psi peak pressure. If the gun really is old, the barrels, even when they were brand new, weren't designed for that much pressure. And who knows the current condition. The question then becomes how much do you like your fingers and eyes.

IMHO a much better option is one of the relatively inexpensive short barreled Turkish O/U. Built for modern ammo, changeable chokes and newish, solid wood. You won't be putting thousands of rounds through this gun so perceived Turkish durability issues are moot. Or even one the short barreled semis as the automatic action will soak up some of the recoil.

Oh, and if you go ahead with the SxS resto.....forget adaptors.....tailor the load to the quarry, not the gauge. 3/4 oz of shot moving at 1200 fps is the same whether it comes from a 12, 16, 20 or 28 gauge. In fact, it likely patterns better out of the bigger barrels.
 
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The shotgun is a Stevens / Savage 530A with 18B on the receiver so 1950 manufacture. Restoration as in cleaning up rust / pitting. Refinishing wood. No cracks. I also contemplated the need for chokes if shortened.

This is a family hand-down, and I already have dedicated shotguns for each task, so figured it would be neat to do something unique with it. Any other suggestions to do something different with it are appreciated as well.
 
Not a particularly desirable/valuable gun, but a family hand-down. I'd say clean it up and then pass it on to someone in the family who may wish to use it as-is. Maybe someone who doesn't have any shotguns. It can be their intro to the sport.
 
moogles said:
The shotgun is a Stevens / Savage 530A with 18B on the receiver so 1950 manufacture. Restoration as in cleaning up rust / pitting. Refinishing wood. No cracks. I also contemplated the need for chokes if shortened.

This is a family hand-down, and I already have dedicated shotguns for each task, so figured it would be neat to do something unique with it. Any other suggestions to do something different with it are appreciated as well.
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Amending my earlier comments now that I know what it is/when made. Assuming barrels are in good shape, that gun is fine for modern SAAMI ammo pressures. But I'm with Grouse Man on this. Extra guns that aren't too valuable.......give someone a helping hand to get started in this sport. Especially a family member with a family hand me down.

I've given a few guns away to teenagers whose families didn't have much extra to spend on a gun. They were meaningless to me until I gave them away. Then they acquired some meaning.
 
Although I agree with canvasback on all points. A cut down sxs can be alot of fun. I've cut many down over the years. Better quality doubles will generally still pattern shot to the original poi if the ribs are solid. I've found I prefer 25 to 26" barrels on doubles. Rifle or pistol caliber adapters are more miss than hit. Using smaller gauge adapters just adds weight. As canvasback said tailor the load to the game. A lee load all 2 can be had cheap and they work great. It's amazing what you can find that will fit thru a cylinder choke if you like to experiment.
A cut off sxs can still be an exception hunting tool
 
It may not be worth much in monetary value, but it's worth a lot in sentiment being my grandfather's shotgun (that he allegedly crawled into a bear den with). A 22" SxS with interchangable chokes, as canvasback mentioned, has me extremely intrigued.
 
You want to make sure you pick the right gun to cut. I've handled what may have been one of the top 5 best vintage SxS I've ever picked up, that unmolested would be in the $10K range of value. But it's barrels got cut and its value is now well under $1000.
 
Threading for choke tubes IIRC is around $200/bbl, and no idea what it would cost to cut and reseal the muzzle end. Could be another $200. So you're $600 in on your project.
 
So many good double guns have been ruined by this sort of project. Just the cutting and threaded / removable choke work with shipping both ways would cost a fair bit more than that gun is worth, and you may end up with a gun that shoots crossed patterns or patterns that don't hit the same spot. It's a good start the the case colours have been restored. I'd also suggest restoring it to a pleasing wood and barrel finish ( rust blued, NOT hot blued) , and perhaps open one choke if your smith knows how to do that with a proper piloted reamer from the breech end. You'd have a nice looking, functional gun that should shoot as good as it looks.
 
moogles said:
It may not be worth much in monetary value, but it's worth a lot in sentiment being my grandfather's shotgun
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I wouldn't bubba something that's got sentimental value. As Canvas back said: Passed it down to someone else that might enjoy it in its current form (and build new memories)

As far as a SxS do-it all shotgun... Yes! If I was to start over again I'd probably go with
- 24'' to 26" barrel... short enough to lug in the bush... but still shoulder nicely.
- I/C and Mod chokes (or screw-in if you are so inclined)
- Probably 12G, because it's so readily available
- I like straight stock and double trigger, but that's all about preferences.
 
All this talk about perfect sxs and now I've gone and done it in a moment of weakness. Having been looking at the CZ Bobwhite G2 Project upland off and on for a while fits nice points well, on sale at Reliable customer appreciation day and I quite literally pulled the trigger. Get it this week ...
 
What is a good barrel length to find a compromise between hunting and HD?
20-24 inches still has decent balance while being short

- Does shortening a SxS barrel alter its "regulation?"
No but yes. You may think it shoots high because the sight plane is altered.


- Has anyone used barrel adapters and found them to be accurate / practical?
The only good ones will cost more than the gun

- Is this a silly idea altogether?
For true practicality buy a SxS with Full/Full chokes and ream to your desired constriction, like mod/ic or full/cyl
 
sillymike said:
I guess it depends really what's you end goal
- For sh!t and giggles blasting snowmen, shooting from the hip... Sure

Viable option for hunting and HD
- It probably doesn't make financial sens... and you'd still end up with a so-so product.
Click to expand...

Option 2 was the intent, even though separate dedicated shotguns obviously do their intended roles better.
 
There's lots of sxs guns being brought in for reasonable money. Buy one that you like the features of and start cutting. Chop an inch off shoot and repeat. You just can't add on. A good buddy talked me out of my last cut down sxs. It was a Spanish boxlock called the winner. Beautiful case colors against light toned walnut. It looked good. Chopped to 23.5"
 
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