Shotgun Conversions

[Maxb49]

Hi,

I am relatively new to firearms and gun sports, so please bear with me. I recently took up trap shooting after losing sight in one eye as my doctor recommended it as an activity that would strengthen my visual coordination.

So, I am just starting out and I have a question about the different barrel options for shotguns. I do know that some people switch their shotgun barrels to fully rifled barrels for shooting sabot slugs when hunting. I am curious if it is possible to change a shotgun's barrel to one that would accept rifle cartriges, like an express rifle in a .375 H&H magnum. Is that actually possible?

Thank you for your time,
Max

[Desert01]

Welcome to shooting, sorry to hear about your eye injury. The only system that I can think of would be a Thompson Encore.

[Maxb49]

Hi Desert,

Thanks for replying! :)

Would it be impossible to have a special rifle cartridge barrel built to be able to interchange? I think I saw on here a .50 caliber rifle built on a shotgun. Am I missing something?

[Desert01]

SSK Industries are the folks to talk to if you want to make custom anythings for the Encore:

http://www.sskindustries.com/encore.htm

Here is the link to the Encore:

http://www.tcarms.com/firearms/encore.php

Purchasing a Encore has been on my to do list for several years, but I have never gotten around to it. FYI, Smith & Wesson just purchased Thompson.

[dakotashooter2]

Shotguns as a general rule are designed for pressures much lower than than that of rifle cartridges (10,000 psi vs 20,000 to 50,000 psi) and likely could not handle most rifle cartridges. There are barrel inserts available that enable you to use cartridges but they are usually for those on the lower end of the pressure scale. The encore is a good multi use gun but is not something one would want to regularly shoot trap with due to stock design. NEF and others make single shot rifle/shotgun combos but again are probably not ideal for trap shooting. There is also the savage M24 which is a combo over/under gun but cartridge choices are limited (30-30, 222, etc.) I believe Baikal also makes a combo o/u gun available in "06" class cartridges. There are also muzzle loading barrels available for pump shotguns which may be the .50 cal you refered to.

[Maxb49]

I really appreciate everyone's help with this. After a little bit of research, I found this: http://www.mcace.com/shotguninserts.htm

I will be getting the Beretta Silver Pigeon 12 gauge later this spring. With those inserts, I can have it going as a 45-70 double rifle. Am I missing something?