12GA to Pistol Round Adapter.

[bigthaiboy]

Has anyone ever played around with a 12Ga rifled barrel adapter which allow you to shoot a 9mm, .45ACP, or .44Mag round from a 12Ga break-open shotgun?

I appreciate the rifled part of the barrel in the adapter is very short, so the adapter is of limited practicality. What I was wondering is, if a pistol round can be fired with any chance of accuracy whatsoever using one of these adapters?

12ga adapter.jpg

[tankerman]

I browsed the internet in this subject and found out you can use these inserts to turn a flair gun into a derringer. Wonder if there are any legal issues with adding a sub-caliber insert to a flair gun. I want to try this now.

[Matt C]

Accuracy should be ok, about the same as with a subcompact but with the advantage of a very long sight radius. Can't really imagine how it would be useful though.

[CSACANNONEER]

I browsed the internet in this subject and found out you can use these inserts to turn a flair gun into a derringer. Wonder if there are any legal issues with adding a sub-caliber insert to a flair gun. I want to try this now.

If the insert is not rifled (some are and others are not) it would be manufacturing a SBS. Also, in Ca, it could be considered a zip-gun or something similar.

[tankerman]

If the insert is not rifled (some are and others are not) it would be manufacturing a SBS. Also, in Ca, it could be considered a zip-gun or something similar.

Or......maybe I don't want to try this.

[Matt C]

If the insert is not rifled (some are and others are not) it would be manufacturing a SBS. Also, in Ca, it could be considered a zip-gun or something similar.

The one in the pic is rifled. I don't see how you would be making a zip gun if you are using an existing firearm. Also, don't permanent barrel attachments (like flash hiders) count towards barrel length? If so it would not be an SBR even if it was a smoothbore insert. Although I don't think it would be safe to shoot.

[CSACANNONEER]

The one in the pic is rifled. I don't see how you would be making a zip gun.

I know the one pictured is rifled. I've also seen some which were not.

IIRC, There is some wording in the laws that forbids to manufacturing a firearm from anything that was not originally designed as a firearm. I believe it is in the same section that defines zip guns.

Also, if used in one of the many common plastic flareguns, it could be considered a "undetectable firearm".

[Matt C]

IIRC, There is some wording in the laws that forbids to manufacturing a firearm from anything that was not originally designed as a firearm. I believe it is in the same section that defines zip guns.

Right but the OP talked about shooting a pistol round from a SG. Modifications that allow shooting live ammo from a flare gun probably break half a dozen laws.

[CSACANNONEER]

Right but the OP talked about shooting a pistol round from a SG. Modifications that allow shooting live ammo from a flare gun probably break half a dozen laws.

Agreed. I was commenting about tankermans post regarding using inserts in flareguns. I didn't want anyone to break the law. As far as the OP's question goes, I wouldn't waste my money on an insert like that. But, if I had access to one, it would be interesting to do some testing with it off the bench and even through a Chrony.

[AJAX22]

I've owned and used these in several calibres (it was an easy way to have a SHTF package that allowed me to use any type of ammo I might run across.

Accuracy was much better than I had anticipated although the bullet dropped off rather quickly when compared to a normal barrel.

It packed a decent punch too. I was putting holes in 4x4's with 38 special rounds and 25-50 feet.


The ATF did a report on using 12 gauge plastic olin flareguns with .357 magnum adapters and standard 12 gauge rounds. the 12 gauge failed quickly, while the .357 +P+ rounds a few shots to cause the frame to fail.

There are some HUGE legal issues with this kind of stuff, but a number of guys who have registered DD 37mm toys regularly use machined aluminum adapters to throw slugs with them. And I've heard about guys using .22LR inserts in 12 gauge plastic flare guns as part of a survival kit with some success.

[bohoki]

i bought these ones that allowed me to shoot 410 in a 12 ga

it seems to be that the adapter would not fit in a flare gun as they only fit short flares

so its kind of like a low powered slug

[Two Shots]

I have a adaptor in 357mag and I would not try firing it in a plastic flaregun, The recoil will damage the gun.

[bigthaiboy]

The 3" 12Ga adapter requires a shotgun with a 3" chamber to work, which I believe would make it too long to fit a flare gun.

The adapter is rifled and can be found chambered in 9mm, .45ACP, .44 Mag, and .22LR. and are relatively inexpensive at around $27 shipped, so I only see the adapyer as an interesting toy.

The problem I forsee with the .22LR version is the bore is off-center in the adapter as so the shotgun hammer will strike the rim of the .22LR, which could result in lower accuracy.