12ga pistol (scatter gun)

I am interested in making a 12ga pistol. You know the one. Double barrel sawed off to the forend and pistol grip stock. I understand the process and paperwork involved, however I was more concerned about being able to shoot it. Has anyone ever fired one of these things? I imagine the recoil from a 4lb pistol firing 00buck has to be incredible. Ive shot a 410 derringer with 3" high brass shells and it was sharp, but manageable. Now I think of the difference in recoil between a 410 full length shotgun and 12ga. I dont want to spend $200 for a stamp, go through all the red tape, wait 4 months, and cut down a SXS just to have it go flying 10ft through the air the first time I pull the trigger. Is there anything this is comparable to in terms of recoil? Thank you.

Not manageable in 12ga IMO.

I had a friend in high school who did that to a 12ga single-shot.

The first shot drove the action latch lever through the web of his hand and required a trip to the ER to get his thumb sewed back on.

I think there was a method to the madness when Ithaca made the old Auto-Burgler in 20 ga and not 12!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ithaca_Auto_%26_Burglar

rc

So then you are saying I would do better with a 20ga then? I had thought about that. Certainly as common as the 12ga and maybe a little easier to control. I also read in that link that they added a spur to the top of the grip to add control. That would be a very good idea being that it will have to be a custom stock anyways.

I'll tell ya Monday. I get my barrels back from the gunsmith then and will have a try. I hope no hospital visits ensue to sew my thumb back on.

Go here read ,review and then fin a photo of the Ithica auto burglar series of handguns. .http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ithaca_Auto_%26_Burglar

And here-http://www.ncc-1776.org/tle1997/le970315-03.html

I have shoot several calibers that sheriff Doug Henery owned back in the '70s .Hand on top, it was fun to shoot even for a 16 year old.

A trick I found in my boy HOOD was to protect the under metal with the then common asbestos and some damp clay and quickly spot heat till red with an acetylene/oxygen torch a spot on the release lever where it is thinnest and with vise grips bend it about 90 degrees right . Then said lever will NOT be driven into the web of the hand and is even easier to open with just a pirate pistol grip. Just a hint!

If you are curious about the recoil just get some 3 inch heavy shells and a shotgun, hold it outstretched with one hand and pull the triggers.....both if you want!

I'd probably work my way up through the softer shooting shells but I'm cautious that way......

I've shot 2 3/4 slugs out of guns like this one below one handed but I prefer using both hands to absorb the recoil....
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/Candown/Grizz-Kaze.jpg

I've built 5 sawed-off shotguns over the years, all from Stevens or Sears 12ga sxs, except for one 20ga version.

I didn't go tax stamp short, I kept the barrels 18.75" - so there may be a difference there, but I found the recoil fairly managable.

Nothing that would require going to the hospital after firing...

you know how we gun nuts like to experiment.

i once put a 12 gauge adapter in a 26.5mm flare gun and fired a 3" mag 00 buck

broke the gun at the grip/frame area (one piece aluminum construction) and almost broke my hand (bruised thumb/palm area).

might have been manageable with low power shotshell, but im broke from sucking eggs......no more for me!

It would be cool to have but you won't enjoy shooting it.

http://serbu.com/top/superShorty.php

leadhead,nice wilson arms co witness protection shotgun

Actually it's a 14" 870 Clone made in China imported by Canada Ammo as a "Grizzly" with a speedfeed grip and hougue foreend.
The Chinese do a pretty good job on their 870 clones much like their 1911's.

Remington and Mossberg used to sell short barreled guns up here but since the towers fell there seems to be a wall around the US that keeps getting taller when it comes to exporting guns.

We can get these little shorties for around $350 after tax up here....
http://www.canadaammo.com/images/P/125shotgun.jpg


they even do an 8.5 incher with modified mag tube for around $450,but with a pistol grip on this one it would be considered a handgun due to length and has restricted uses in Canada which would be range only!
http://www.canadaammo.com/images/P/8.5.jpg

I think some folklore about shooting AOWs/SBSs is exaggerated. Sure, they have a good kick to them and I am not sure you would term shooting one as "fun", but they aren't that bad with the right grip. A stock pistol grip that drives the recoil into the web of your hand is painful. But using a Speedfeed Birdshead grip or a Knox Breacher grip tames that recoil down to manageable levels. A 20ga. wouldn't bad, unless you will ever want to sell it. Then, good luck, people seem to be brainwashed to only want 12ga.

I cut an NEF single shot 20 ga down for my brother to legal length (18.5bbl, 27oal) and it is okay to shoot one handed with bulk ammo, the trigger guard may bite the front of the fingers but it is not bad. A 3" turkey load cut shell strained his thumb/web area and gave him a bloody crescent moon on his forehead, he's never been called smart.

I would do it in 20 ga or even 28 ga without hesitation, it would make a heck of a grouse gun if your state permits hunting with SBS.

I prefer the hogue pistol grip, I think they call it the tamer? Works well.

The 12 Ga pistol idea loses its novelty pretty fast, in addition to those in the picture I had a 870 Serbu with a Tamer Grip. Ok to shoot but not much fun to shoot heavy round out of.

The one in the lower right hand side of the picture is a wrist break with buck rounds. If I had it to do all over again I would have pasted on the Serbu and the one in the picture.
http://i247.photobucket.com/albums/gg158/MrM4/sbs1.jpg

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=657282

I think this is what you want.

And this...
http://www.gaugemate.com/
...to cut down on the pain (but still look cool.)

i once put a 12 gauge adapter in a 26.5mm flare gun and fired a 3" mag 00 buck


...while out of the country on vacation, you forgot to add.:uhoh:

After all, on American soil that would constitute manufacture of a Destructive Device.

l knew that, swg