Advice on converting 12ga rifled barrel into a muzzle loader

IanC

IanC

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I got a great deal on a mossberg 500 combo 12 gauge shotgun i will use the vent rib barrel but the rifled slug barrel is surplus to my needs.
Especially when a pack of sabot slugs cost $1-2 each. I have heard of getting a plug installed with a 209 primer holder so i can turn it into a muzzle loader.
Ive heard of people using round balls but am having trouble finding them or any leads on doing this.
I dont hunt big game but could see this as a muzzle loader being a really fun thing!
 
It would be very simple for someone handy with a lath to make a chamber insert that mimics a 12 gauge cartridge but has a primer pocket for a shot shell primer, or is threaded for a rifle or musket nipple.
The gas seal could be done with two neoprene " O " rings. The length of the chamber may complicate things as I would shorten the brass breech plug considerably - this leaves a long chamber before the rifling starts.

For that matter a shortened brass shotshell would work as a removable breech plug.

A pure lead mini style (hollow base) bullet would be easy to load from the muzzle.
or you could go the patched ball route. There is no choke on a rifled 12 gauge barrel so that is not an issue.

The other question is , other than the fun of doing this, why???
 
Thanks for the thoughts
Yes the reason is the fun in doing this. I really dont hunt so a .690 muzzle loader seems like a fun range toy to me.
Im just wondering if anyone else has done this, it doesnt look too popular. well i will look into it some more i guess to
really see if the work is worthwhile.
 
thatguymoses said:
Ive seen a few single shot 12g that were converted to BP muzzleloaders. They used a machined plug like 10x suggests. Just like a 12g shell with a little notch by the primer hole to pick out the primer.

Thatguy
Click to expand...

H&R manufactured a break action 12 gauge muzzle loader. The action could never be used for center fire primers as the firing pin is at least 3/16 in diameter and has a flat tip for percussion caps.
The breach plug pushed out with a ramrod...
 
For the same price as breaching the barrel, I think you could buy a second hand barrel around 50 - 54 caliber and make a far more suitable muzzle loader. I think the 12 guage would use a lot of powder and a lot of lead compared to what most of us shoot at targets. I also think it would be hard to make it look like a traditional muzzle loader

cheers mooncoon
 
The slug barrel, if designed to shoot saboted bullets, probably has a twist that is too fast for round balls. On the other hand, if you shoot .69 caliber conicals, the recoil will be something to behold. There is nothing like shooting a 900 grain bullet out of a 7 pound gun to wake you up in the morning! You could always shoot smaller caliber bullets in a sabot, but then, what would be the point, since you would be back at square 1, albeit in a different format.
 
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