I would like to take an old single shot IGA shotgun I have and cut it down to just over legal gun length limits (from butt to muzzel length; about 26 inches). I would prefer not to cut the stock, only shorten the barrel. I want a light, functioning, short-range defencive shotgun for a canoe trip I'm planning this spring.
What is the best way to do the above while maintaining accuracy or what should be left of it? How do I replace the bead sight? Any suggestions that would keep me safe and the gun turn out great would be most appreciated.

You’re going to make a sawed-off shotgun and you’re worried about bead front sights and accuracy?

quote:

Originally posted by Arctic Gun:
I would like to take an old single shot IGA shotgun I have and cut it down to just over legal gun length limits (from butt to muzzel length; about 26 inches). I would prefer not to cut the stock, only shorten the barrel. I want a light, functioning, short-range defencive shotgun for a canoe trip I'm planning this spring.
What is the best way to do the above while maintaining accuracy or what should be left of it? How do I replace the bead sight? Any suggestions that would keep me safe and the gun turn out great would be most appreciated.

Remember that there are two US length requirements; 26" overall length AND 18" barrel length.

With a minimum 18" barrel and a 13" buttstock you're talking about a 32" gun on a single shot.

Without a lathe, a hacksaw and file will work. Keep the muzzle square. Drill and tap the barrel and install a bead. Trim the beads threaded shank so it doesn't protrude into the bore. FWIW, that overall 26" measurement has to include a minimum 18" barrel. Don't measure from the butt forward, and cut it at 26"...

Better to ask the people who know! I would have measured from the butt stock forword and made the cut! Man, that would have got me in a world of hurt!

Arctic

I made one just like that for my son who lives in Alaska. I used an H&R Topper. Cut the barrel to the minimum legal length plus 1/8". A hack saw and file should work OK. Make it as square as you can get it. Before you cut the barrel, drill the small hole for the new bead. By doing that before you cut the barrel you can use the existing bead to get the new hole lined up properly. I simply epoxied the new bead in place. No need to concern yourself with accuracy. There will be no choke left and if you do have to use it, it will be at close range. Cut the butt off so that the overall length is legal. You will probably want to leave it longer than that however. I found a short canvas gun case where the two pieces (barrel and stock) would fit nicely for carrying. Throw a few OO Buck or Rifled Slug rounds in the case and your ready to go. Almost forgot, I also installed a set of detachable sling swivels for carrying while hikeing or fishing.

Ray

Thanks for the info Cheechako. I make heavy canvas gun sleeves for all my guns, so a custom rig shouldn't be hard. I like the idea of a sling.
I'm glad to here that someone has done this before me and it worked out. Can your son hunt with the gun if need be? What kind of range can one get out of it?

Custom Gun Shop in Edmonton, Alberta used to make quite a few of those guns for the Candian Broadcasting Corporation's filming crews to use as "bear protection" in the North.

If you cut the barrel to about 18-1/4" or 18-1/2" THEN measure back about 27", you will usually find you can cut the stock there and be cutting just behind the pistol grip. That makes a very handy rig, very much like a 12 gauge pistol with an 18"barrel. Matter of fact, they were almost exactly a duplicate of the old Ithaca Auto and Burglar Gun on steroids (longer barrel and in 12 gauge rather than the Ithaca's 20 gauge).

The CBC crews used them as pistols, too. Would mount them on the outside of their pack boards just over the right shoulder (for right-handers), with the pistol grip up. That way when confronted suddenly by Mr. Bruin, they could just raise their right hand almost straight up, reach back over their shoulder, and have an instant hand full of loaded 12 gauge, either double or single barreled.

Suprising how often those bunny-hugger films involved shooting a bear. Guess they don't look as friendly in the wild as they do in the city folk's imagination.

Incidentally, the two preferred "instant death" rounds were either hi-base SSGs or Brenneke slugs.

Something else to remember...at 10 yards or less, the shot is still hanging together, working like a meat grinder, and is very deadly chewing its way through.

Beyond 10 yards, you not only are gonna have legal trouble (in Canada) proving you really needed to shoot, but at that distance loads using shot are not necessarily gonna do the job in time. Thick, wet, hair, lots of bear adrenaline, and a shot pattern that is beginning to open is not always a combo that will result in a sufficiently quick kill to save one's bacon.

It WILL make the bear mad as hell, though... [G]

Arctic

As far as I know my son uses the shotgun only for protection. With the choke gone it wouldn't be much good for anything else.

What to carry for protection is a very personal thing. I spent 30 years in Alaska and was never really comfortable with anything. Since I was a pretty good pistol shot that is what I usually took. But if you're not good with a pistol it can be a very bad choice. My wife was not good with any kind of firearm so she carried a cow-bell. No kidding. She's still kicking so it must have worked.

My first choice always was to take along a friend. Have him carry a slab of bacon and let him go first.

My guess is that you could have the barrel cut to 18" by a professional gunsmith, and then let him thread the barrel for a choke system.

As far as sights go, I wouldn't put any sights on the gun. I would want the barrel clean so it wouldn't snag on anything. The bead is worthless anyway. Practice your point shooting and you won't need a bead.

I have always been very interested in shooting a sawed off double barrel shotgun. I know that its not legal, but I can only imagine a side by side 12 gauge, cut down to a pistol grip, with a set of six inch barrels threaded with an extra full choke. Have a gunsmith redo the trigger making a single trigger fire both barrels, and then load it with some reduced recoil buckshot. I would imagine that would be a pretty good handy deterent to any wild beast.

Having both barrels go at once, wouldn't that make your quick follow up shot suck?

quote:

Originally posted by Arctic Gun:
I would like to take an old single shot IGA shotgun I have and cut it down to just over legal gun length limits (from butt to muzzel length; about 26 inches). I would prefer not to cut the stock, only shorten the barrel. I want a light, functioning, short-range defencive shotgun for a canoe trip I'm planning this spring.
What is the best way to do the above while maintaining accuracy or what should be left of it? How do I replace the bead sight? Any suggestions that would keep me safe and the gun turn out great would be most appreciated.

I'd have it done by Mike Orlen (mrmoe@aol.com) he's cheap good and pretty fast. I'd take the barrel down to 18 1/2 and have it threaded for chokes (use IC for bear country) and He can reset the bead for you. With tighter chokes you could still use it for close in to mid-range hunting.

If a bear is in real close aim for the head and hope you blind him so you can have several shots (slugs) to try to kill him. 00 buck in the chest won't kill him in time (if it does) to stop him from killing you before he expires!!!