Break action shotgun breech face damage?

jdrew1

jdrew1

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Hey guys, I just got this old Cooey 12 gauge, and upon close inspection it looks like the extractor has worn a bit of a groove in the breech face. It looks to be maybe .005" deep, maybe a little more. Is this going to be a problem? Is there an easy (cheap) way to repair it? The only way I could think of would be weld up and bring it back down flat. Of course, it's color cased, so that would probably have to be redone too. I only paid $90 for said shotgun, but I want to make sure it's safe. Being such a low pressure cartridge, I'm thinking it might not be a problem, and all these old Cooeys must have the same issue. The other thing is I was considering making up another barrel or two in pistol calibers like .357 perhaps. The firing pin hole is worn, but I don't know how much is really tolerable with the higher pressure round. Even if that part is not possible, I really do like the gun and I'd like to be able to use it. Any help would be appreciated.

BTW: My girlfriend says that if she gets to shoot it I get to post pics for you guys.... eh?

:dancingbanana:

Later
Drew

edit: Oh yeah, forgot the pic:
of the gun! Girl comes later if ya guys help me.

 
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Looks OK to shoot by me. You may have trouble with 357 mag if you have it barrelled for such. That firing pin is huge for a small pistol or even small rifle primer to strike. Also, it'll likely cost you much more than the thing is worth to have a barrel done up in a different calibre. Might be more cost effective and timely to buy a single shot rifle if that is what you are looking for.....
 
No problem as a shotgun. If you want a similar gun with rifle and/or shotgun barrels, consider the H&R/NEF line. They are intended for such use, and have a small diameter firing pin.
 
Well, I'm thinking as a personal project here. I have the skills, and access to equipment. I think I could fab a new barrel lug and mount up a cheap barrel for not toooo much, and I was also considering boring out the firing pin hole and installing a smaller (and better made) pin. I just want to make sure the thing isn't gonna blow up in my face. I've wanted a break action pistol caliber plinker for some time, and for some reason I'm stuck on .357, maybe because of the flexibility of using .38's as well. Maybe I would be better off with .44mag? .45LC? .44-40? I don't know. I don't like how the H&R's look for some reason, but I had thought about that because it's a guaranteed design, that it's gonna work for other stuff for sure. This just seems to be my thing, buying cheap beat up stuff and putting in way more effort than most people would. I dunno, it's fun. Anyways, we'll see what happens I guess.
Later,
Drew
 
I do not know what alloy was used for the receiver casting. The firing pin could certainly be bushed, but the receiver was never intended for anything that would produce more backthrust than shotgun shells. This can be calculated easily enough. There is also the question of how much metal is in the receiver face directly behind the cartridge. An option would be to cut off another barrel to make a monoblock to mount another barrel. Or an insert barrel, perhaps removable, could be dropped into the existing barrel. Because of uncertainty about receiver strength, it might be a good idea to avoid high intensity cartridges. .357 and .44 Mag. operate at pressures in excess of 40 000 cup.
 
I have 2 such guns that are built on shotgun actions. the first was done in the 1960's and is a 22 hornet that was sleeved into a 16 gauge action. The original shotgun barrel was retained for about the first 8 inches or so and the 22 hornet barrel turned down to fit. A new extractor was built and installed. This unit was silver soldered into place.

The second gun was one that i did on a 12 gauge action. I had received a winchester 94 with a broken receiver and a cooey 84 12 gauge that someone had begun to modify at the end of the forend. Pulled the 94 barrel, turn it down in the lathe to fit the chamber and barrel of the cooey, ala acraglass and we have a single shot 30-30. The large firing pin does mash the primer pretty good and she kicks a little but it works. I have never got around to building an extractor but this little carbine is a short but heavier carry in the brush.
 
Thanks guys, I think mine is the same as a Cooey 84, it's labeled Ranger on the side of the reciever. .30-30 wouldn't be a bad choice I guess, I have a set of dies already that I don't have a use for yet. Merits some further research and pondering I think, but for now we'll just go blast birdshot out of it. Thanks for the opinions and info.
Drew
 
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