Gentlemen,

I thought this was the proper place to ask a question due to all those w/ more knowledge than I have on this subject. I tried to find out from T/C online, but still have not received a reply to my question.

Is it possible to have a T/C Contender, etc., handgun w/ a smoothbore .410 barrel on it? My theory is to use such a pistol for turkey hunting next spring w/ TSS shotshells in it. I would like to mount a red dot style sight on top, if possible?

But, I NEED a .410 smoothbore barrel to begin the project, if possible? Thank you in advance for your answers as this MAY NOT be feasible?

Thank you!
Brittman

Our friendly ATF says no. All the 410 handguns are long chambered 45 colt with rifling. The rifling makes them legal. If smoothbore they would be a short barreled shotgun. With proper fees and paperwork they are legal. However they might not be legal to hunt with depending on local laws. Search youtube I recall seeing a few videos of using the rifled 410 barrels for turkey. Patterns were better than expected at reasonable ranges.

Have a barrel maker make you a barrel with straight rifling in it for your 410 pistol.. nothing says you have to have spiral rifling in it...

Thanks, guys, I appreciate your answers! I did not know about the ATF saying no to the idea...hmm? Good idea, Hubert, about putting in straight rifling in a barrel. I wonder what that would do with the new TSS shot?

I will check out UTube for such videos, also. Does anyone know what the length of a smoothbore shotgun barrel has to be? Maybe 18"...?

I know Kauger Arms now makes a .410 b/a handgun for turkey hunting. I will have to check to see what the barrel length is on it.

Once again, this Board has some very knowledgeable people on it and it's great for them to share their insight. Thank you all!

Brittman

I had a double barrel 12 ga that I bought at an auction.. the L barrel was full choke, and someone had cut 4 grooves the full length except for about 3 inches at the choke. they were wide and I guessed they acted as a backbore would on the choke for turkey shoots. at forty yards it would put most of the shot in a 10 inch target.. sold it to a turkey shooter as I never did much of stuff. and wasent into turkey hunting at that time.

The Kauger arms is using the same loophole as the mossberg shockwave. If it leaves the factory without a shoulder stock and is a smoothbore and is at least 26 inches overall length it is a "firearm". Barrel length does not matter just the overall length.A firearm needs no special paperwork like a shortbarrel shotgun. A shotgun has a stock to fire from the shoulder is at least 26" overall length and a barrel length of 18".

Hubert, if your double was made in Europe, it was very possibly a "becassier," or woodcock shooting gun. French and Belgian makers made these for hunting woodcock, which are typically shot at about 0 feet from the shooter, and require very small shot and a very large pattern if you are to both hit them and also not blow them to bits. Woodcock ("becasse") are a prized bird made into special dishes--sort of the truffle of upland game-- and hunters didn't want to waste any, hence the specialized guns. The straight "rifling" helps disperse the shot into a wider close range pattern.

The other barrel is used for longer shots and for other game, and the "rifled" barrel was also used for close shots at other game like rabbits. Often a "becassier" had short barrels, around 25" but a metric measurement.

If your double is American made, then I'm stumped!

I should of kept it I guess but I was poor and young at the time. I tripled my money for what I paid for it..