bunny gun fun

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  • Last Post 26 January 2008
argie1891 posted this 21 January 2008

For the last 10 years or so Ric in Yakima and I have been getting together for coffee on the days that we don't go to the range. We have been talking about making a 32 H&R rifle on a 410 shotgun for a long time. I could not find an inexpensive 410 but I had a 12 ga.  As I had purchased a lathe and mill last June it seemed like it was time to quit talking and start making. I was given a 30/06 blr. Form linoww , and Ric and I split the cost of a reamer. The 12 Ga. Makes it a bit heavier than I wanted but it comes in at 8lbs 3oz with a weaver 2.5x7 scope. I am shooting the rcbs 100 gr. Swc and at 25 yards have been getting groups of an inch or less. If it would warm up I think I can shrink those groups but I don't shoot well at 20 degrees. So far my best load is 4 gr. Of 231 but unique and 7625 are real close to it. If anyone has any loads for the lyman 311241 I would like to have them. I think a 150 gr. Bullet should work well in the 1 in 10 twist. The local population of sage rats is going to be in real trouble this spring. As a side note if anyone has a 410 on a small frame they want to get rid of I sure could use it. This project is pretty straight forward the only hard part is making the extractor. It took me 2 tries to make one that was 100 percent reliable. argie1891

if you think you have it figured out then you just dont understand

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4060may posted this 21 January 2008

I am in the process of building one myself. actually 2 the one is on a H&R Topper, using a 12ga barrel cut off and a 2 groove 03 barrel it should work, my reamer is throated and set up for .308 bullets. pictures when done.

The load I use to shoot Sil in a model 53 Browning Lee 115gr GC, alox 50/50, sized .313, 14.2 grs WC680 this is a Paco Kelly load. very accurate and a bit fast.

HTH

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argie1891 posted this 21 January 2008

i have some 680 and will try it with my rcbs bullet.

if you think you have it figured out then you just dont understand

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4060may posted this 21 January 2008

I meant to ask how did you do the extractor? did you leave it as an ejector, or modify it to be an extractor.

The 38-55 H&R Target Rifle  I have has an extractor. I was going to take it apart and see if I could order the parts and fit them to my barrel. any ideas on this?

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argie1891 posted this 21 January 2008

The extractor was a real challenge. This shotgun was a cheap import form South America that I purchased new about 30 yrs ago. As the widest part of the extractor was right at ¼  inch I started with a piece of ¼ inch stock and milled it out till I got close. After I got close I filed it to fit and did the groove for the case rim with a 3/8 inch end mill. Cut a little and try a lot. It is now 100% reliable. I have shot about 100 rnds for far with no problems. I secured the blr. with locktite green.

if you think you have it figured out then you just dont understand

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argie1891 posted this 21 January 2008

was your m-53 in 32 mag??  i thought they were made in 32/20. i want to make sure i dont get into pressure trouble with a smaller case. argie1891

if you think you have it figured out then you just dont understand

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linoww posted this 21 January 2008

sure i dont get into pressure trouble with a smaller case. argie1891

Worst that could happen is the locktite lets loose and the .30 cal barrel squirts out like a ramrod.Might recoil a bit!

On a serious note friend Bob Mills reccomends a case full to the bullet base with IMR or H4227 and up to a 165g bullet.  His gun (BFG pistol) is throated enough to get the bullets ft band out a bit.He claims you cant build enough pressure in the small case with 4227 to the base of any bullet.

 

George.

"if it was easy we'd let women do it" don't tell my wife I said that!

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linoww posted this 21 January 2008

I watched Joe whack our 200 meter deer silouette 4 of five offhand in nasty weather with his new bunny gun.Accuracy is more than good enough and darn cheap to shoot.

I have to con him into making me a double on a 410 SXS action in 25 Hornet.I've had the reamer for 10 years looking for a project to use it on.May be the ultimate grouse rifle.Oops sorry “bunny gun"

 

George

"if it was easy we'd let women do it" don't tell my wife I said that!

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4060may posted this 21 January 2008

Yes my M53 is 32-20 I didn't see the 32H&R mag part. I doubt you could get enough WC680 in the 32H&R  case to hurt anything

I rechambered a 32 Rimfire No.2 Rolling Block to 32H&R mag The barrel is rougher than a cob. run a lot of Scothbrite thru it till the rust and stuff come out. took the forend off and carved in it is “Frank Spaulding Gun” 5.25.1883

Didn't want to unvalue the gun by changing the block. So my friend the moldmaker made a new Centerfire Block.

I tried 4 gr unique with the 120gr Willbird groupbuy, as cast .3145, LLA, WSP primers. too fast lots of lead, went to 4.5 grs Blue Dot. knocks down the pistol targets at our local buffalo match with ease. some unburnt powder but no lead and accurate enough.  The barrel should be relined but where would the fun be in that I come up with the load reading in the FS about rough bores and slow for caliber powders.

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JeffinNZ posted this 22 January 2008

I have something similar built on a Martini mod 12 converted to centrefire chambered for .32-20.  I used a .303 SMLE barrel cut to 18 inches and added an over barrel suppressor as they are legal here.  So much better for tipping over European hares than the suppressed .22RF with subsonic ammo.  Hares get VERY large down this way.

The fast twist 1 in 10 .303 barrel allows me to shoot everything from 115gr 311008 at subsonic (REAL QUIET) to 220gr CBE 314 220. 

Also shoots well with a Lyman 311316GC at near 2000fps and those copper clad bullets you hear of (XTP's big plenty good).

Cheers from New Zealand

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CB posted this 22 January 2008

JeffinNZ,

Hey! You have way too much fun shooting CBs way down there. Are those target knobs on that scope?..............Dan

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JeffinNZ posted this 22 January 2008

Dan Willems wrote: JeffinNZ,

Hey! You have way too much fun shooting CBs way down there. Are those target knobs on that scope?..............Dan

Dan, you DO surprise me.  One can not have TOO much fun shooting cast bullets.:P

Stoney Point turrets I retro fitted to a Leupold 2-7 variable; they're GREAT.  I have a table of sight settings for the 4-6 different loads I run down the Martini.  I just dial up the load and range and commence to scaring game/targets.  Really very convenient.

Cheers from New Zealand

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4060may posted this 22 January 2008

Argie I wasn't sure how most of the “mouse” guns were assembled.

I used a 12ga barrel because the chamber was tap drill size for 7/8-14 tap I threaded the chamber and cut the barrel off screwed a die into the cutoff and turned it around and bored ID od the barrel to the OD of the threads. I screwed the barrel i form the front and jammed against the threads.

hope the picture helps

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4060may posted this 22 January 2008

Pictures of the gun, H&R Topper, originally in .410

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4060may posted this 22 January 2008

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argie1891 posted this 22 January 2008

i was afraid to cut off the blr. shorter than 18 inches. i am not a lawyer but i do know that batf will put you in jail for having a shotgun shorter than 18 inches. if they could unscrew your rifle blr. you would have a sawed off shotgun and might have to spend the next decade in the gray bar hotel. i would be mighty careful with this. just my uneducated opinion. argie1891 aka joe gifford

if you think you have it figured out then you just dont understand

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linoww posted this 22 January 2008

My “bunny gun” is a Ruger#1-A California Hwy Patrol model in .357 mag.It likes about any medium weight RN 38 bullet with 4.5 of 700X ('cause i got alot)It shoots 1.5” at 50 yds most of the time.The darn Laser Cast 158 Rn bullet is a wonder and shoots as well(or better) than most of my well cast bullets.

My bad boy “long range" loads are with 12.5 of 2400 or 13.0 of W296 and 250g rifle bullets tapered to fit the throat and seated long .Groups are usually under 2-1/2” at 100 and sometimes are under 1.5".

 

George

"if it was easy we'd let women do it" don't tell my wife I said that!

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4060may posted this 22 January 2008

argie1891 wrote: i was afraid to cut off the blr. shorter than 18 inches. i am not a lawyer but i do know that batf will put you in jail for having a shotgun shorter than 18 inches. if they could unscrew your rifle blr. you would have a sawed off shotgun and might have to spend the next decade in the gray bar hotel. i would be mighty careful with this. just my uneducated opinion. argie1891 aka joe giffordThanks for the heads up, but, When it's done it will be profiled and the barrel won't unscrew without a wrench and a vise, just like any other barreled action. at this point I'm not worried about it. Chuck Malone

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argie1891 posted this 26 January 2008

Ric in yakima is soon to join the shotgun to rifle conversion bunny gun owners. He bought an Iver Johnson 410 and is soon to make his own bunny gun in 32 H&R mag.

if you think you have it figured out then you just dont understand

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