Risking life & limb here... but time for a project gun for the Mrs...

M

Magnum Wheel Man

New member
last year for Christmas, I bought her a Custom painted antique sewing machine to take to all her quiting retreats... but... I had told her I thought I should buy "her" a gun... I think I actually had her convinced, but think she may have actually shot me if I had :eek:...

... so this year, I'm going to risk it ( it's been nice knowing you all )...

I've been buying a few of these old exposed hammer double barrel shotguns, & converting them to coach guns... I think they are way cooler than one of the new replica guns...

I bought this old Bayard Arms double, with the intention of lining the damascus 12 ga barrels with modern .410 barrels, cutting the .410 barrels off from the chamber sides, & rechambering in 2.5" only, so the factory choke remains ( I found a handfull of .410 barrels that will work ), cutting the 12 ga double barrels down to 21 - 22" & the .410 barrels to use as liners, 1" - 1.5" or so shorter ( so from the muzzle, the gun still looks like a 12 ga )...

Levergun Leather Works made me a custom butt cuff & sling for my guide gun, I'll have to find a sneaky way to figure out how much to cut off the stock, to get her the proper length of pull, & then have a custom butt cuff & sling made with her "nick name" on & some shell loops for her gun... ( maybe add a rose to the butt cuff or sling for more personalization )

she is a bit recoil shy, but between the weight of the lined coach gun, & with a recoil pad & butt cuff added, I think 2.5" shells ought to be pretty easy shooting...

I don't plan on any refinishing of the wood or the metal, as the old used pantina is what I'm after, but the hammers don't match, so I'll be doing a little checkering on the tops to make them match, & to offer fresh traction... I may look at converting the non rebounding firing pins into rebounding firing pins just for safety sake...

any suggestions gladly considered ( maybe buying a good set of running shoes should she not really like it :eek: )

last years Christmas present will be hard to follow... This was before it went to my local custom painter for a rose, & her name put on the flip table part of the machine...

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this is the shot gun as purchased, with the barrels chopped in paint...

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this is my butt cuff & sling for my Guide Gun that I'll have something similar made for her gun... ( I think I'll see if he can do 6 loops, since it's a double barrel )

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thoughts or suggestions ???
 

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Interesting project, a couple things...

Have a qualified smith check the headspace on that Bayard. It may be too old and tired for even 410 shooting.

Briley makes tubes that will do what you want without having to redo any existing barrels. Talk to them. IIRC, they can piggyback the extractors so the things will work.

After this is done, even with the short barrels, it should come in around 6.5-7 lbs. Recoil as a 410 will not be noticeable if form and fit are reasonably good.

HTH.....
 
the guy that does the machining on my projects is a retired tool & die maker, & has been building & repairing guns all his life... I'm very fortunate to have him as a friend...

so... he looks them all over prior to anything becoming a "project"

the left side firing pin was frozen on this one, & after some investigation, the hole for the pin to go through was peened tight, from the hammer hitting it & the pin mushroomed on the end, likely from someone dry firing over the years... he's going to make me a pair of new firing pins that will accept springs, so they'll be rebounding

my buddy found a gun parts place with a "gross" of heavy .410 barrels priced at $20.00 a piece, & he already has figured out how best to fit that type of barrel, & modifications needed for the extractors... I understand that liners are "normally" cheaper, but at that price, he also wants a few, so I'll be buying several of them...

I really like the promenently marked patent date on the top rib...:D

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Nice date.

Most folks doing something like this, I'd be hesitant to encourage for the reasons I listed above.

But, sounds like you have resources that should be sufficient.

Keep in touch, I'd like to know how this turns out and how your spouse likes it.

Thanks....
 
Hammers are now freshly checkered, so they look more alike, & both rebounding firing pins are both done... now I'm just waiting on funds for the handfull of .410 barrels... we won't chop the original barrels, untill we are fitting the .410 barrels...

I'll need to get the stock chopped & a recoil pad fit, before I do the tracing of the stock for the custom butt cuff, ( & I need the funds to get on the waiting list ), so I can get that completed before Christmas...
 
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