Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Single Shots Single shot shotgun to centerfire rifle conversion???

This has probably been covered here before but I'm not able to find anything "current". I've got an old Riverside Arms Co. .410 single shot that I inherited from my grandfather. It doesn't have a lot of sentimental value since he didn't grow up with it but it was given to him by an old lady friend in later life. It's not really worth much but it's solid and in good shape. That being said, I have no use for a .410 single shot. I'm still trying to figure out what the old lady used it for. It's not really good for deer and I'm not really a squirrel hunter.
All that being said, I'd like to line the barrel and maybe turn it into a 22 Hornet or even a 221 Fireball. Is this feasible? Would it hold up to those two cartridges? I realize it's not cost effective but it'd still be neat to keep the old shotgun and actually use it for something. Maybe even mount an old fixed power tube scope to it. Any advice is welcomed (even advice on caliber). Thanks.

Ok, I'll take a stab at it:

1st and foremost; I must say that these type of projects run high on emotion because they sure as hell are not practical.

I have read that it's generally accepted that relining can only be done with low pressure cartridges. Thus: the .22 Hornet should work OK, but the .221 FB may be questionable. The .218 Bee may be another option. I would think that a rimmed cartridge may be preferable.

The .25/20 and .32/20 may also be considered. And either would make a fun, reloadable plinker...

From a techcnical angle: Likely the firing pin would need to be replaced and a bushing installed. (That's a HUGE firing pin for a sm rifle primer...) Also, some kind of sighting device would have to be designed and installed. A scope base would probably be easiest and cheapest. The only other stumbling block would be the extractor.

From a financial angle: It would like cost 2-3 times to build as it would be worth upon completion. You may well be able to buy a Savage M-219 or H&R Handi-Rifle in .22 Hornet for substantially less than the cost of this project.

But only you can decide if it's worth the cost to you... Good luck!

GH

the old barrel end can be used as the mono block and a barrel installed. the firing pin will have to be bushed and the extractor altered. I believe it would be best to stick with rimmed cartridges. want odd how about the 256 win mag? probably be real expensive if you have to pay someone to complete the conversion.

I had a Savage 220 hammmerless single shot 16 guage that a friend of mine (machinist) relined to the .35-30 wildcat cartridge (.30-30 necked up to .358). It worked fine, but keep in mind that the 220 already had a rifle-sized firing pin because they were often sold by the factory with interchangeable .30-30 or .22 Hornet barrels.

This conversion is probably feasible IF you can find a gunsmith willing and able to do the work for a reasonable cost. In my experience many are not willing to do any conversion that has ANY risk of failure at all. They're thinking "Lawyer"!!!!

I suspect that old woman kept the .410 for the same reasons many do: at very close range it will blow a rathole in just about anything, and you don't have to draw a fine bead, either. These are the guns that guarded America's henhouses. And people houses, too!

If I were you (clearly I am not!), I'd keep the .410 for auld lang syne and go rabbit hunting with it now and then. And buy yourself an NEF .22 Hornet or .223 for less money than the conversion would cost.

Just my two cents, and worth at least that!

My aunt kept one of those on two nails above her bedroom door. She didn't hunt, but a rattler that thought he could play in the same yard as her kids was in a lot of trouble. It was a comfort to her also when "wolves" (undoubtedly coyotes, in SW Missouri) howled in the back 40 at night. It was an excellent tool for her purpose. It would have made a lousy varmint rifle, however, due to the trigger if nothing else.

If you just want a project, check this out: www.gaugemate.com

Thanks gents. I think we're all on the same page on this. I just wanted to get some opinions. I'm thinking the old 410 will go to the back of the safe until I rediscover it someday. Maybe my little boy will find a use for it. Thanks.

great idea. I just gave my daughter one that I'd given my now deceased brother 40 years ago. She'll pass it on to my grandson some day.

I used to "ranch sit" for a friend of mine in Northern California when he took his annual well-deserved vacation to Reno. He had one of those "Riverside" (H&R or Iver Johnson or Stevens) .410s and an old Colt "Official Police" .38.

I brought my .25-20 and Ruger Bearcat with me but used his .410 shells for night patrols in the alfalfa field. Killed MANY jackrabbits with that .410 loaded with 4s.

Didn't have electronic "Night Vision" in those days, just good vision. Long gone.

These guys make a 10" insert to fire 22 hornet in a .410. For 95.00 it might be fun to play with, and removable. http://www.mcace.com/shotguninserts.htm

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"Rook & Rabbit" rifles are neat.

FWIW, there's been NP with this one, chambered to .32-20 after a milsurp 8x57 Mauser bbl was turned down b a machinist friend to fit the .410 chamber at one end & the bore at the forward end - which rifled bbl muzzle ended up about 3" short of the muzzle of the shotgun bbl.

The turned bbl was epoxied in, and the FP hasn't been changed, but the extractor was built up with weld & filed to fit the smaller rim.




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