doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Insert Barrels

I see that a company in Germany makes insert barrels to convert modern shotgun barrels to double rifles. I believe the name of this company is Keppeler. Does anyone make similar insert barrels in the United States?

Some of these insert calibers seem to have really high pressures (I.e. a .243 win @ 65,000 psi). Are the actions in modern guns really that strong for the pressure?

If so I'd like to do an over/under in .375 or .470!

Please review the inserts from Lothar Walther

http://www.lothar-walther.de/249.php

Not sure you will get what you want as the pressure for the
cartridges you mention is above the operating pressure of
most shotguns

Ellis Brown has written a fascinating book
http://bundukipublishing.com/doublerifle.htm

Mike

Thanks. That book is quite interesting. Do you know of anyone who does double barrel conversions? The insert barrels are interesting.

Is the barrel or the action of a shotgun which makes such a firearm unable to withstand higher pressures?

I have the Ellis Brown book and found it fascinating. If you want to learn more about what's possible you might spend some time on the NitroExpress forum.

I will order a copy of the Ellis Brown book. My question, in general, is if there is any gunsmith within the country who would make a companion set of barrels/inserts for a modern over/under.

There is, but I cannot remember the details about him for the life of me. We corresponded a few times several years ago. He builds double rifles out of Beretta S x Ss, if I recall correctly.

We talked about the accuracy and he sent me numerous targets he and his son had shot with them. The accuracy was nothing short of amazing.

Not a well known name.

SRH

If I knew who he was, I'd gladly pay him to do a set of barrels for a Beretta o/u.

Win. model 21 would definitely hold up under the pressure. Having a set of rifle barrels along with the shot barrels would be sweet...Steve

Most SG to DR conversions use the SG barrels that are cut down to form a mono block to set the new rifle barrels into. Making a new mono block would be a major undertaking.

There are some SG actions capable of this type of conversion.
I have a JP Sauer that was reworked into a 450 NE. It's a very good shooting DR.

There are several factors which come into play here. As the chamber for the rifle cartridges are smaller you are adding extra metal around the cartridge to handle the higher pressure in the barrel. Back thrust to the action is a factor of area times pressure. As the rifle cartridge head is smaller thrust is not just a factor of PSI's.
Another factor, just for the record, is you can "Only" make a monoblock from Scratch, you cannnot make one by cutting off an existing set of barrels. "MONO" = 1. A Monoblock is made from a single piece of steel. Neither a chopper lump, dovetail or other methods of jointing can be converted to a monoblock.