.38 insert in 12ga

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Qc Pistolero

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People seem to be thinking of me whenever one of their old folk pass away.They come to my place and dump me their inherited guns(gun laws are harsh in Canada and they don't want to bother with it).Sometimes I get nice ones(like a Python made in 1956 for 1/5 of the price)but most of the time,they give me the gun after I tell them what it really is worth.Long story short,I have quite a few 12ga shotguns.I was wondering if it could be worth to try buying handgun calibers inserts in them.Anybody has one or some of them?How accurate are they at 25 and 50 yds?
I was thinking about the .38 spl and .45 Colt.
 
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I have a .38 Special and a .22 l.r. cartridge conversion. They have only the front part of the shell rifled and it will not give great accuracy at extended distances. Those were very common in Germany for trapping and close up shots to kill wounded animals. The .38 Special version reads "for hoofed game". It's rifled part is about 32 mm. If you want more accuracy, then you will need a conversion with a longer barrel. Krieghoff makes nice and expensive ones.

Raubwild Fangschuss, as printed on the box, translates to predator coup de grâce.
 
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If you want to try some chamber adapters, try a search for Short Lane Gun Adapters (I believe that's the name). They make a variety of rifled adapters for shotgun chambers. I had a rifled adapter to shoot 44 Spl in a 20 Ga shotgun. It shot OK but the bead sight wasn't conducive to good accuracy.
 
I acquired a 38 Special in 12 gauge adapter in a pile of junk several years ago, It is red anodized aluminum the size of a 2 3/4 inch shot shell, I have fired it with non +P 158 gr. lead round nose bullets. I got 4 or 5 inch 3 shot group at about 20 feet. Stick to soft lead and low pressure and you might get a few hundred shots out of it!

Ivan
 
Ivan the Butcher said:
I acquired a 38 Special in 12 gauge adapter in a pile of junk several years ago, It is red anodized aluminum the size of a 2 3/4 inch shot shell, I have fired it with non +P 158 gr. lead round nose bullets. I got 4 or 5 inch 3 shot group at about 20 feet. Stick to soft lead and low pressure and you might get a few hundred shots out of it!

Ivan
Click to expand...

4-5" groups at 20 feet, sounds like a new way of shooting a scatter gun.
 
When it comes to cartridge adapters you get pretty much what you pay - and there is a wide gap in quality.
I took some photos of the .38 S&W Special insert to show its quality. The actual barrel is steel and inletted into a solid aluminium body. The rifling is clean and well cut and the biggest factor for these inserts not being very accurate, is the limitation of the shotgun sights and their normal lack of adjustability. POI and POA do not always coincide when you consider the huge difference in ballistic performance of a 12 gauge and a .38 Special.

For those of you not familiar with Lothar Walther, they are a large premium barrel maker in Southern Germany and supply many other gun manufacturers with their products.

History | Lothar Walther gun and rifle barrels online shop - USA





 
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Absalom said:
The purpose of the inserts shown by Andyd was precisely NOT to have to smash the wounded game to pieces with a bowling ball :)
Click to expand...

The traditional alternatives for the coupe de grace were the dagger and boar spear, a very gutsy method that requires skill and courage.

I still have two Saufedern, the traditional boar spears, that were used for over a thousand years in hunting and warfare, as well.
 
Actually if an insert was well made and fit the chamber well (For that mater it could be 6" or 8" long and enter part of the bore on break open guns) It should shoot well. Maybe adding 3 spring loaded balls on the outside of each end to positively center it in the bore would help. Then of course you have just the rib and bead to aim with.
 
There was a company about 10-15 years ago, that provided tubes 16"-18" long, rifled, with rubber grommets to center it in the bore of a shotgun barrel. You could shoot certain rifle calibers and pistol calibers. Some people reported "good" accuracy with them after tuning them. I do not remember the name of the company, but will do some research when I can. Be Safe,
 
vipermd said:
There was a company about 10-15 years ago, that provided tubes 16"-18" long, rifled, with rubber grommets to center it in the bore of a shotgun barrel. You could shoot certain rifle calibers and pistol calibers. Some people reported "good" accuracy with them after tuning them. I do not remember the name of the company, but will do some research when I can. Be Safe,
Click to expand...
Mine is 12" long , stainless steel tube , with a rubber o-ring on the end that goes into the barrel , 12 ga. to .410 converter.
It's stamped - cal 12 , below that is , 410 - 3 , below that is small letter stamping ... MADE IN SPAIN .
Can find no other markings on it . Installed , it adds some weight to your shotgun... that stainless steel is heavy but it will hold up ! I bought it at a garage sale 40+ years ago .
It works just fine...throws a decent pattern for a 12" .410 shotgun .
Gary
 
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Different Kind of Insert

I have an insert, made to be used in a 12 Ga. shotgun bbl. It's purpose is a bit different than the inserts that allow pistol, and rifle cartridges to be fired in a 12 Ga. bbl. The one that I have, allows a 410 Ga. shell to be fired in a 12 Ga. chamber. I't was made by WEBLEY & SCOTT LTD, Park Lane, Birmingham 21. England. I don't remember when, or where I got it, but it was a long time ago. The insert is 5 5/58"long, nicely blued finish, and has an O-ring, to center it in the chamber. It's a very well made interesting, piece, that could have other inserts used in conjunction with it. The original paper instruction sheet that came with it, is becoming very fragile. The original price is marked 6.95, I don't know if that was $, or #. their is a later price marked on it of $5.00. I can find no date on the insert, or the instruction sheet.
 
vipermd said:
There was a company about 10-15 years ago, that provided tubes 16"-18" long, rifled, with rubber grommets to center it in the bore of a shotgun barrel. You could shoot certain rifle calibers and pistol calibers. Some people reported "good" accuracy with them after tuning them. I do not remember the name of the company, but will do some research when I can. Be Safe,
Click to expand...

Those might be the Short Lane Adapters another forum member mentioned. I saw a set of 8 reasonably priced at a gun show a while back and not being familiar with them, did a little reading on the subject. They seem very well made and I thought it might be a good thing to have on hand for a stuff hitting the fan scenario. Should have bought them then, but I didn’t read up on them until later and by the next show he didn’t have them any longer.
 
Chiappa made or makes what they call an X-caliber adapter for various gauges to various calibers... I have no first hand knowledge with these... but just happened upon them while searching for "conversions" for my Sigs... they were varied in price from $40-$60 plus shipping... says steel with 8" rifling and recommends extractor on the shotgun... made me think about it... but haven't done anything about it yet..

checked Chiappa website... sell 8 caliber 12 gauge set and 4 caliber 20 gauge set... along with individual adapters...
 
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