Double barrel shotgun to double rifle

[long762range]

Can a double barreled shotgun be safely converted to a double rifle by a barrel change?  I know that specialty rifle tubes can be inserted into shotgun barrels for the same effect.  I am asking about a complete "upper" change.  Is this possible?  Is it safe?

[ratcatcher55]

I know these guys offer a 20 gauge barrel set as an option for their double rifles.

http://www.krieghoff.com/

[tombogan03884]

 I don't know why not. Others with more Smithing experience may give you reasons not to. I'll do some googling and see if I can find anything.

Ratcatcher, The gun of the year at the top of the Kreighof site made me drool all over my keyboard.

[fightingquaker13]

My understanging is that the weak link rests with attachment of the barrels to the receiver. Rember, your going to generate a lot more recoil with say a .338 than a 20 gauge. Whether the locking mechanism for a standered shotgun would work I don't know, but its where I would look for trouble. Something heavy and reinforced like you find on a Merkel, would make me feel better than say my Parker, but I would still want to talk to someone who knew darn well what they where doing, incluing the metealurgy involved. as a catastrophic frame failure next to my face involving magnum calibers is the kind of fun that isn't. Its a cool idea though.
FQ13

[Timothy]

Ratcatcher, The gun of the year at the top of the Kreighof site made me drool all over my keyboard.

Tom, Google Eric Claptons guns and try not to drool!  Bet ya can't do it....he auctioned off a few last year that he may never have shot....

[Sponsor]

[tombogan03884]

These are what I've found ;
http://www.jwhitegunsmithing.com./
http://forum.gon.com/showthread.php?t=120380
http://www.thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=263563
Hope this helps. Please document your project, I know some of us will be fascinated.

[Michael Bane]

Jim Clark at Clark Custom Guns is doing just that!

http://www.clarkcustomguns.com/DblRifle.html

Michael B

[blackwolfe]

I read a write up on this not long ago on the net, but don't remember where I saw it.  I think the guy cut the shot gun barrels down to a stub and then fitted the chambered rifle barrels into the stubs and soldered in place.  If I find it again I'll post a link.  He may have beefed the frame up also, but I don't remember.

I have heard of Ruger Red Labels being made into rifles, but have never seen one or further information on that particular conversion.

[TAB]

I know these guys offer a 20 gauge barrel set as an option for their double rifles.

http://www.krieghoff.com/

They make some great guns, but they are $$$$$$$  If your lucky, you might be able to find a well used k80 for $5000,  6-7000 is more common.  I've shot couple dozen of them, for the money they are hard to beat, in the  clay games world.

[fightingquaker13]

They make some great guns, but they are $$$$$$$  If your lucky, you might be able to find a well used k80 for $5000,  6-7000 is more common.  I've shot couple dozen of them, for the money they are hard to beat, in the  clay games world.

You're right,in that pretty much any double rifle (the Remingtons you cited being the exception) are going to be high dollar.The problem is not going from rifle to shotgun with a new set of barrels. Its going the other way that worries me. I have no doubt that a reciever (if thats even the right term here) and a locking mechanism designed to take .458 Win mag will handle 20 gauge bird shot. Its the reverse that worries me.
FQ13