doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Reconverting a rook rifle?

I often see a rook gun which has been converted to a .410. Is it feasible to line one back into a rook rifle. They seem like a very fun plinking gun. There was even a side by side rook/410 converted double in a recent auction. Getting the regulation back with linners must be difficult. But I�ve know a few hobby gunsmith who liked difficult and seem to do very well with difficult. Can they be lined? Is this just another money pit? Anyone do one or have one done?

They can be lined and be a money pit at the same time. A single shot shouldn't be bad. A double might be right the first time, but maybe not.
Mike

I would not assume it, but if a double rook rifle was originally regulated, likely well done liners would at least point were the original maker intended. As mentioned, lining a single barreled gun might be more likely. I'd fully expect a lined barrel to be minute of tin can all day long.

I think it's not so difficult to find a gunsmith that will do quality lining jobs, at reasonable prices. I don't believe it's anywhere near the value disappointment sleeving tends to be.

So we can assume the current bore is somewhere close to .410" diameter. Can you obtain a liner with an OD close to that? Or is there enough wall thickness to open the bore up to fit a liner? I'd be thinking along those lines first, before worrying about regulation in a double. Of course, with a double, the heat to solder in liners would melt the rib solder joints. That's going to complicate matters.

I think .22 rimfire liners are typically 5/16" OD, so the wall thickness of the liner would be around. 04425". A .38 cal. (.357) liner with a .410" OD would only have a wall thickness of around .0265". And if .32 cal liners are available, chances are the liner OD would be under .410". Maybe the place to start would be a call to Redmond's to see what caliber liners they sell, and what the OD's are.

.22 Liners go into a 410 with enough room for chamber adapter and adjusting concentric on the muzzle end. Biggest issue is if the gun is now center fire or rimfire which may require offsetting the cartridge to get consistent ignition. Anything bigger than a .22 RF liner is not going to give you enough room for the front concentric.

As for soldering, DON'T, use Loctite Black Max, works great with fewer issues....

Been thinking about converting a Rook Rifle myself, just waiting to find the "right" (read as Cheap) donor rifle. Thought a side or underlever would be unique....

Hope this helps...
WBLDon

I think Keith has identified the real challenge. Wall thickness and liner OD. From Redmond�s .22/.311, .17/.311, 38-40/.590, 32-20/.505 and 25-20/.435. Maybe the 25-20 if the .410/rook walls are thick enough. The .22 would require bushings for the liner
And reworking a firing pin. But a muzzle bushing could made eccentric to allow adjustments for regulations. It�s a shame in many ways. The obsolete .300 rook rifle cartridges would make for a sedate plinking rifle.

Did you just buy the H&H rook that had been converted to .410 and reproofed on GI? I was very tempted to buy that myself for use as a .410.

should be relatively easy to convert back to a .22. WBLDonn has the right idea.

You might want to look into T.J.'s Barrel Liners, Alexandria, KY. They offer a wide range of bore and OD sizes. My gunsmith recommends them highly, and he does lots of relining. TJ's phone: 859 635 5560.

What I've found more often is the original rifle has been replaced with a 22cal barrel. It may be less expensive than lining. I have a Sauer rook and a Syst-Aydt schutzen style, both rebarelled and both very accurate.

Why not look for a Sauer Tell rifle. One of the more popular chamberings was 32-20, a nice little cartridge.
They sell in the $600-1000 , so they are not too pricey.
Best,
Craig