Shotgun tubes

[curlesw]

I have a number of shotgun which are all back home down south for use when I go to visit the parents. I’m looking to buy another shotgun to keep here in San Diego, will use it for skeet now and then. I’d like to get something small enough for the kids to start learning and ran across “tubes” than can be used to change the gauge (new to me so you can tell the last time I bought a shotgun, 25+ years).

This seems an interesting approach, buy one gun, have a number of different tubes to change out as needed. Does anyone have any experience with this type of setup, good or bad? Seems like a double barrel is the only configuration which is ok with me, don’t currently have an over under, might as well buy one.

Thanks.

Wayne C.

[on2wheels52]

Typically avalable only for 'expensive' guns. Your thinking of it as a gun for kids to use but it's going to have to be full sized to fit a 12 ga. Then there's stock length. The concept (one gun offering various guages) sounds good but has logistical problems for a beginning shooter. I think there are less expensive options.
Jim

[RPKESQ]

The tubes you are speaking about are for competition and might be considered expensive for your purposes.

But there is a much cheaper and better way. Sub-caliber (gage) inserts. These will allow you to fire .410, 28 bore, 20 bore and 16 bore in a 12 bore. An upside is vastly reduced recoil and often much superior patterns.

These are cheap. If you cannot find them (try Brownells) you can easily make them up out 4140 steel. Get the dimensions from the SAMI database and check your shotgun as far as the conformity to the specs fro SAMI. PM me if you need more info.

Spare stocks for most popular massed produced shotguns are cheap and can be altered to fit most people, young or old.

[targa911S]

Originally Posted by RPKESQ

The tubes you are speaking about are for competition and might be considered expensive for your purposes.

But there is a much cheaper and better way. Sub-caliber (gage) inserts. These will allow you to fire .410, 28 bore, 20 bore and 16 bore in a 12 bore. An upside is vastly reduced recoil and often much superior patterns.

These are cheap. If you cannot find them (try Brownells) you can easily make them up out 4140 steel. Get the dimensions from the SAMI database and check your shotgun as far as the conformity to the specs fro SAMI. PM me if you need more info.

Spare stocks for most popular massed produced shotguns are cheap and can be altered to fit most people, young or old.

This is the best advice. Pay attention.

[targa911S]

By the way I have a nice 28 ga./ bore side by side for sale. Never fired in the box. The one on the right.

[curlesw]

Thanks guys, good information.

I did notice the guns were VERY expensive but thought I just had not searched enough, looks like I have more homework to do. Not sure about the sub-caliber inserts, will have to research that, sounds like this might what I need.

targa911S, nice shotguns, I think I need something a bit more basic.

Thanks.

Wayne C.

[Bill Douglas]

It might be an idea just to get a 20 gauge and buy low recoil ammo. THen as the kids get older go to a 12 gauge, and again vary the ammo used. Don't get a .410. My dad bought one for me when I was 8 and it frightened the hell out of me. The kick is horrendous as they tend to be very light.

[HardDrive]

Gotta be honest, my dad bought me a .20, and recoil wise its not a lot different than a .12, at least not to a kid (that kid being me.)

A .410 is a better way to go. More over, make sure the gun FITS the kid. My dad (love ya man) gave me guns that were way too long for me. It was like handling a log trying to shoot the things. Get the kids a gun that FITS.

[HardDrive]

LOL. Wow, 2 posts, very different experience.

[svandamme]

you could also use low power cartridges for the kids....

went to an office team event once, skeet shoot..
they used those light-cartridges for the n00bs that never held a gun in their hands before...

hardly any recoil that way.
no need to change barrels

[tabs]

Nice Browning Citori... 4 barrel set.

[berettafan]

Briley makes the tubes the skeet guys like to use. Very pricey and, IMO, completely ridiculous (other than for skeet competition).

You are not getting the proper experience of a 28ga gun (for example) if you have a full sized frame and heavier than stock (12ga) bbls on it!

The main reason, IMO, to buy a fixed breach gun is balance. This is why matched sets are so cool. Remember a small bore shotgun should have a correspondingly smaller receiver and bbls. For example a nice 28ga should almost feel like you're holding a petite woman's wrist. It SHOULD be lighter as well.

You don't need a .410 to save your shoulder. Try a 1oz load at 1200fps in a 12 ga and you'll see an amazing difference vs. the standard 1 1/8oz. You can do similar in all gauges. Remember fixed breach guns don't need xxxx amount of force to operate the action so you can go light as you please. 7/8oz at 1280fps in a 12ga would be barely noticeable for example.

The sub-gauge inserts are definitely an option as well. BUT you DO NOT need such things to have a soft 12ga or 20ga. Buying a full sized receiver and bbl then inserting 28ga ammo serves only to take money out of your pocket (28ga ammo is PRICEY!) and is a waste.


Now, if you're talking autos then all is different.

[berettafan]

correction; some amount of inertia may be needed to set the second trigger but in my experience this is considerably less than what is needed to reliably operate the action on a semi-auto.