Action strength?

[bswiv]

Someone educate me........

Is a modern O/U shotgun action, such as a Red Label or a Browning as strong or stronger than a old rifle action such as the Trapdoor?

How about some of the autos or pumps?

 

[James K]

The trapdoor is a stronger action than it looks, but even old time rifle pressures are a lot higher than shotgun pressures. Any modern shotgun is more than adequately strong for all modern shotshells for which it is intended.

Pump and auto shotguns fall generally into two classes. The first locks by use of a locking lug that engages the top of the receiver. The second locks by using a rotating bolt head that locks into the barrel. The latter is at least theoretically stronger, but in practice there is little difference and the most popular guns have been of the first type.

Jim

 

[Jim Watson]

You would have to demolish some guns to prove which was the "strongest" but several O/U shotguns have been built in rifle calibers either from the factory or as gunsmith conversions. I know Paul Jaeger converted Red Labels to either .45-70 or 9.3x74R and the Browning Continental set had 20 ga and .30-06 barrels.

Winchester - or maybe it was Mr Browning himself - demonstrated the strength of the 1897 pump by making a .30-06 barrel for one and shooting it a considerable number of rounds with no signs of stress.

Rifle chamber pressures are higher than shotgun, but the large diameter of the shotshell develops a lot of bolt thrust. Calculation of the loads is left as an exercise for the student.