doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Fitting 16 ga. Barrels to 20 ga. Action

I have a set of 16 gauge barrels which are dimensionally (outside dimensions) the same as the barrels on my old hammer Manton (of Calcutta) 20 gauge side by side. My gunsmith says he could easily fit the barrels to the action. He has fitted many 12 gauge barrels to 12 gauge actions of differing makes and they are very much in use today. My question is would I be endangering my gun in any way by doing this?

Thanks for your help.

Skeeterbd

as long as he only removes metal from the new barrels there is no harm done.

SKB

Thanks for your reply. It came in under a minute of posting!

No metal will be removed from the action (it will not be altered in any way). The gunsmith is quite happy for me to sit and watch while he works so long as I don't talk too much.

Thanks again to you and I would be delighted to learn more about this from others as well.

All the best

Skeeterbd

The real question is will the firing pins be striking the primers center? Is he making the barrel set or is it a take-off?

Gunmaker

That is indeed a question which will only be answered when we have given the barrels (which come from another gun) a careful once over for all dimensions. I was just asking to see if it is a go provided all else fits i.e. it won' t wreck my action.

Thanks for your interest and very pertinent question.

All the best

Skeeterbd

I believe the initial poster said he already had a set of barrels that could be fit up to his existing gun. If the cost is low and you are just trying to make a fun shooter, as long as it goes bang every time and is safe shoot it sounds like a fun project for the owner. If the firing pins hit slightly off center but still punctures the primer every time it is not the end of the world. Were we talking new barrels on a best gun, well that is a different story all together.

SKB

You are quite right. It is a set of barrels from another gun whose action has disappeared. (don't ask me!) so if it goes bang it is fine. I suspect Gunmaker was just encouraging me to ensure that it does go bang.

All the best

Skeeterbd

Many makers use a common receiver for both the 16 and 20. Fox is one and I have done this type of thing several times. Funny thing is that for every 20 barrels set you run across you will find ten 16's. It almost like the 16 is dead and they do not even make shells for them anymore.

Doc: I sure hope the 16 bore isn't dead. 16's are my favorite guns for 1 or 1 1/16 oz of shot. Weigh about 6 lbs or thereabouts. The perfect ga for a wild bird gun in my humble opinion. I seek out good 16's !

Me too!