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Old January 13, 2010, 02:11 AM   #26
BillCA
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A couple of generations ago in the U.S.A. there were some popular SBS's referred to by various names but the general name that stuck was the "Auto Burglar".


28 ga "Auto Burglar"

These nifty little guns were popular in 20 and 28 gauge. Back then automobiles had running boards and doors that didn't lock (or not very well). A highwayman could jump on the running board of a stopped or slow moving car and through an open window threaten the driver with gun or knife. Pulling one of these out from between the seat cushions could give him a serious inferiority complex.


20 ga Ithaca Auto Burglar

I'd tend to go with the 20 gauge for the lower recoil than a 12 gauge and because it's the smallest size for which buckshot is available. But when you're measuring your target distance in less than 20 feet even the 28ga will be like walking into a vege-matic. Using 20ga #2 buckshot with 18 pellets at 15-20ft will penetrate better and ruin their day.

Load it with slugs and you'd have a pretty close approximation to a light-duty Howdah pistol.
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Old January 13, 2010, 02:34 AM   #27
Bill DeShivs
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Bill
The Ithaca Auto-Burglar was not made in 28 GA. to my knowledge, only 20 GA.
Your top photo is of the later "NID" frame version. Lower picture is the earlier "Flues" frame model.
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Old January 14, 2010, 02:47 PM   #28
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Bill,

Thanks for that correction. That's one of the reasons I love TFL - so much varied knowledge!

I've seen a couple of 28-gauge models (Not made by Ithaca) that were very similar in construction. I was using the descriptions of the photos from an old 'net article. (my bad).

My grandfather had one of these in the 20's when my mother was born. She recalls him taking it along on working trips from the farm into Harrisburg around '30-'31. All through the depression it's "place" was in a short scabbard near the front door. .

I would think that even a 28-gauge at 10 feet would mess up someone's week.
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Old January 14, 2010, 08:04 PM   #29
Dave McC
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IIRC, Ithaca made one 28 gauge A-B and about 3 in 16 gauge.

I've shot a 20 gauge S-B. Not anxious to repeat that. I'm inclined to think a bird's head style grip would have helped.
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Old February 2, 2010, 01:25 PM   #30
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My dad sold his 16 ga. Springfield-Stevens Model 215 hammer gun to a hunting buddy 60 years ago. When I expressed interest in it, his buddy (now in his 80's, Dad is 92) gave it back to me a few weeks ago. He had sawed off the barrels to 20" to shoot rats at the local grain elevator. We patterned it and the pattern from either barrel was about 18" in diameter at 15 yards with POI close to POA. We shot a few clays thrown from a portable trap. I wasn't "smoking" them, but I hit them pretty hard out to about 20-25 yards.
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Old February 2, 2010, 09:01 PM   #31
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A previous post stated that the effective range was very short. For a hd weapon, this is not true. I had a chance to shoot a 12 ga with a 11to 12in barrel. Shot it at some old doors. At about 8 yds, the overall spread, with 8 shot was only 7or 8 inches. That is a greater distance than most rooms in your home. It's not something you're gonna hunt geese with, but hd- it's awesome.
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Old January 12, 2011, 06:06 PM   #32
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A standard work shop metal cutter will work nicely also. Keep things simple.
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Old January 12, 2011, 07:44 PM   #33
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Welcome back, Firepower!

A lot of sawed off shotguns have 14" barrels because that's about where the tube magazine ends.

Make sure you post pictures if you end up chopping a shotgun.
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Old January 13, 2011, 11:03 AM   #34
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Not mentioned yet is the noise. The blast from a short barrelled shotgun is, quite literally, ear shattering. Except for defense and law enforcement, I see no practical application for a short barrel on a shotgun.
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