doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion Double Rifles, Paradox Guns & Gauge Rifles @ doublegunshop.com 20 Gauge Rifle Using Verney Carron Barrel Blank

I just bought some 20 gauge rifled shotgun blanks from Kebco. They are made by Verney Carron, and those folks know what they are doing when it comes to barrel making. I have it on good authority that in addition to barrels for their own superb guns, VC makes barrels for many other companies. The blanks are 30 inches long and 1.25 inches in diameter. I have a large frame Martini action originally made for a 303 that would serve as an action. I don't really want to use shotgun cases or sabots. I would really prefer brass cases and lead bullets. Is there a case that would serve and a bullet compatible with this bore? I know that a 600 Nitro is a 3" case with a bore not dissimilar to the 20 gauge. If I make a heavy recoiling gun, the blank weights 6 pounds and unturned it could serve as quite a recoil buffer. Before I start down this path, please tell me where the roadblocks might be.

Feel free to submit your own suggestions as to to the configuration of the rifle. I'll hire out the metal work and do my own meager effort on the wood.

Allan

According to my copy of the 1954 edition of the "RULES REGULATIONS AND SCALES of the GUNMAKERS COMPANY and the GUARDIANS OF THE BIRMINGHAM PROOF HOUSE" the .577 3 inch nitro express case is a bit too small and the 600 nitro express is a bit too large. The dimensions of the .577 are rim: .750"(vs. 20bore min diameter rim of .766")and case diameter min: .662"(vs. .785" min dia. of 20bore.)

The .600 nitro express measurements are rim: .810" and case diameter: .700".

However, you can probably make either brass case work via swageing and expansion, whilst the .660 NE may be the best one to try to work with.

There may be some metric size cartridge cases that will work better, but I cannot think of any just now.

What is your opinion of the quality and condition of the VC barrel blanks that you received, as I am interested in procuring some myself from somewhere in the world.

Regards;
Bv

Ask Rocky Mountain Cartridge Company to make you some. Send them a chamber cast and they will fit you right up. You can even have whatever you want within reason for a headstamp.

Kebcollc.com was selling the barrel blanks for $125 each plus shipping. I don't think there were many left. In my opinion this is a great deal on barrel blanks. I bought some 12 gauge rifled blanks for ER Shaw for over $200 each.

Those are the same blanks that were sold at auction under the Hastings name when Hastings closed last year. I got some 20 and 12 down around $50 ea.

I am tossing around the same idea for a slug gun, here in my part of NY we can't use rifle. But I'm under the impression we also can't use full metallic cartridges in our rifled shotguns so saboted slugs seems like the best alternative.

Verney Carron now own the Hastings name and are producing Hastings barrels now.

How hard would it be to buy these barrels and have them put on an good donor action?I have been knocking around the ideal of buying an set of Hasting rifled barrels and have them monoblock in a sxs 12ga. action,now would it be better to find an good 20ga. action to have it done? And about how much would it cost?There a few guys who did the same thing iam asking but they just do it for close friends, so is there anyone that can help me with this project without selling the house?

Apparently they have always made barrels for Hastings, from the website...

"The old Hastings Co in Clay City, Kansas has closed. Verney-Carron, the manufacturer of the barrels sold under the brand name "Hastings" has purchased the Hastings name and trademark "Paradox". These barrels are the same quality product that made Hastings the premier replacement shotgun barrel.

They use the name Paradox for their fully rifled slug barrels. When Hastings closed their inventory was sold at auction by Old Town over a period of several months. Barrel's and blanks were very cheap, as were cartons of slugs.

http://www.doublegunshop.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=220102#Post220102

I have a very accurate shooting 12 gauge double rifle that I built years ago using Hastings blanks. At that time they were in Kansas and you could buy 30" long, 1 1/2" diameter rifled blanks from them. It was my understanding at that time that these were built right there in Kansas. Unfortunately, to the best of my knowledge, such blanks have not been available from Hastings for years.