Thread: Gess what I`m doing.

update time....after much fuc.....muc....bothe....coc.... talking to local gnsmithing firm they said they could chamber this barrel for me..took it to them paid $$$$$ waited..got phone call "cant do it,its too tight" (insert too hard basket here) so I after talking around in circles said stuff it send it back to me which to give them credit where due they did promptly.... got it home and scratched head....talked to clever fella in Auckland and decided to DIY with help of engineering mate...well he would DIY it ...first chambering attempt to saami specs felt just too loose so we docked off 75mm and did it again...much tighter/snugger fit..... then the big job started...with a lathe not as big or flash as homebrews the barrel was thinned down in 3 parts as mate couldnt do full length at once...then outside of chamber end was machined to snuggly fit INSIDE a .12ga chamber,the remainder of outside snuggly to internal .12ga size....
a small groove cut into one side of rim to aid extraction (still needs a bit of adjustimication) and we set to go finally

I have looked at what seems like half the internet to decide how to load for this gun/rifle/insert and figgured the top end of lower pressure levels or bottom of 2nd tier would be sensible limit considering Im using insert in older single barrel .12ga.
trail boss was my first thought and had it on hand...BUT even a low velocity load has pressure that is getting up towards my self imposed limit
AR2208 was also on hand and the pressure is LESS for a much quicker load so I put together a few loads with that ranging from 41.5grns up to 45 grns
then someone posted neat thread on home brewing Black Powder...so I had to give that a whirl.....made up 5 loads with 45grns of that stuff to start barrels life.


well the big day arrived and without fuss but much nervousness the trigger was squeazed......what was all the fuss about???? BP loads feel like 1/2 oz .410 loads and are quiet enough to not need ear muffs...both of us suffer from ringing ears but no sign of it at all with this gun....
next up was the single trail boss load Id made up...no bother
then progressively hotter 2208 loads...again no bother.... extraction is more a pain/fiddle than a bother,the shells slip out very easy,its just a matter of getting a grip on them ,we ended up just poking them out with cleaning rod...think I will just carry a pencil sized piece of rod with me to drop down barrel in future.

accuracy isnt tested due to very crude shotgun sight but we were managing to hit 8" square piece of ply at 30 ish yards....which is all I was thinking I needed to achieve for a close range wet weather bush gun....Im sure I will improove the sights somehow and when get a load sorted (thinking the 45grn 2208 for simplicity and as much BP as can fit for grins n giggle load) I will be able to consistantly hit what Im aiming at to 50 yards anyway.
will take and post a photo or two shortly.