A break-action 7.62x54R...would it work?

[MushroomxSpider]

I've had this idea bouncing around in my head for a break-action 7.62x54R. Being a rimmed cartridge I would think it could be a perfect match, but I really don't know much about how that type of firearm operates, especially with a bottleneck cartridge.

Does anybody know of a break-action design that uses that particular round? Or a similar round?

To be extra crazy: my original thought was for a 4-barrel, because that would be awesome. Plus a 4-shot would be able to fire faster and reload faster than a Mosin, but be mechanically simpler than a semi-auto. I think...

 

[GRIZ22]

Its absolutely doable. NEF offers their break action in 30-06 so obviously it can be done with high pressure cartridges.

my original thought was for a 4-barrel, because that would be awesome. Plus a 4-shot would be able to fire faster and reload faster than a Mosin, but be mechanically simpler than a semi-auto.

I don't think you're going to sell people on this idea. Double barrel rifles have to be regulated so both barrels hit to point of aim. That's one of the things that makes a good one expensive. Regulating 4 barrels would be a nightmare and cost prohibitive. Not faster reloading if you're using a stripper clip. 4 barrels might be mechanically simpler but regulating them very expensive as I said. A 4 barrel rifle would also be very heavy moreso muzzle heavy.

Settle for a single shot break action.

 

[MushroomxSpider]

That's the thing that kind of bugs me with multi-barrel guns. I guess I don't know enough about their construction, but how hard can it be to get two barrels parallel to each other? I understand that shotguns and double-barreled safari rifles are regulated to converge shots on a single point at a certain range, but for a 4-barreled boomstick I think parallel barrels would be just fine.

I think my comparison to a Mosin was a bit off, since I'm not thinking of something meant to be super accurate, mostly just to be super fun and conversation-starting But when I was talking about shot/reload speeds, I was thinking of the entire action of firing 4 shots and reloading them. Stripper clips would greatly increase the reload time, but you're still stuck operating a bolt between each shot.

And truth be told, I was thinking of something at minimum rifle length. More about the fun and the look of it, less about the accuracy at 500 yards There should be just enough weight to counter recoil to a comfortable level, but not so much weight as to be prohibitively unwieldy.

If it's possible to build, I think it would be worth it to try one, just to see how it goes. Mostly I was just wondering about putting a high-power cartridge into a break-action. All in-head theory stuff I doubt would ever make it beyond paper

 

[ball3006]

A four barreled gun equals heavy. If you want quick follow-up shots, buy a semi auto. They make them in 762x54r. chris3

 

[dprice3844444]

the problem is getting both barrels to print at the same spot.you would never be able to adjust point of aim.it's why there is very few makers of double rifles anymore,plus the exspence and weight.holland and holland to name a one.

 

[451 Detonics]

Dispite what people think it is relatively easy to build a double rifle you can adjust the regulation on. The wedge system used by Valmet is simply and inexpensive and allows the user to change the regulation to match the ammo he is shooting.

 

[DWFan]

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[okiewita40]

I don't think the rim on the 7.62x54r would be a problem in a single break action rifle. Heck since they have shotguns that are break action I don't know where the problem would lie at.

 

[jpwilly]

Of course if could be done the 7.62x54R is begging for break action barrel option to be made available.

 

[Vaarok]

Lancasters were made in .303, a 54R should be just as possible. Practical, maybe not, but possible. I know I've heard of 20ga/54R combination guns.

 

[GRIZ22]

less about the accuracy at 500 yards

4 barrels would give you accuracy problems at 50 yds. FWIW some made a 4 barrel 357 derringer called the COP a few years ago. Accuracy was atrocious and the gun (at least the couple I tried) were worthless past 10 yds. None of the barrels hit to point of aim. The 4 shots never formed any kind of group. The target looked like it was shot with a shotgun at 25 yds.

 

[earplug]

Do it.

I had a double rifle in .303 and the 7x57 was made in a rimed version for a double rifle.
I recall single shots being made for the 30-30.

 

[benzy2]

MGM will make you a barrel chambered in 7.62x54r for an encore.

 

[Lovesbeer99]

You can get a Winchester Highwall in 45-70 which is rimmed and they sell the gun in 30-06 so I'm sure you can get a smith to modify one of these for you. I don't think it would be worth the cost but that's just me.

 

[db_tanker]

Bellm worked up a 308 Bellm by necking down a 444 Marlin and chambering it in a TC Contender...

Winchester made a 307 (rimmed 308 for the Model 94)

Only thing you would have to do is figure out what diameter bullet you would want to use...I would go with a 308 diameter as there are a few more bullets available for that...go with an Encore so you can get your pressures worked up...and if you ever get tired of THAT particular caliber diameter then just check out what all wildcats that the Finns worked up with that parent case. Boxer brass is all over the place if you look. Actually sounds like just a simple way of doing a rimmed 30-06 as that is close to what that round is.

D

 

[MushroomxSpider]

Well thanks for all the interesting points guys! This has definitely gotten my noggin spinning with ideas. How are gun barrels typically made? I'm wondering if modern computer-controlled machinery could mill 4 perfectly parallel barrels out a solid block of metal, or if barrel construction is too complicated for such a feat. I'm sure it could be done with shotgun barrels because they require such low pressures compared to a high-power rifle cartridge.

I'm wondering...could a multi-barrel gun be made to fire all barrels at once, or would that make it a 'machine gun' (more than 1 bullet per trigger pull, after all)? Or does the machine-gun moniker only apply to weapons which continue to load and fire automatically from a magazine?

4 barrels would give you accuracy problems at 50 yds...

Cool, because I wouldn't plan on hunting game with it. Such a contraption would be for demolishing cinderblocks and plywood targets. And making a loud 'bang' sound. And starting conversations with strangers

 

[Jim Watson]

1. The rimmed cartridge is an ADVANTAGE in a break action gun, simple extractors work without the springs and moving parts of a rimless extractor.

2. Do you have a machine shop or a large budget? There is one guy making double barrelled rifles in .22 LR and .22 Hornet. $5000 for what is really a very plain and simple design.

3. There have been a few double rifles made with both bores through a single blank, regulation by calculation instead of shooting and tweaking. Four would more than double the work.

4. A gun made to intentionally discharge more than one barrel at a time would probably be considered a machine gun.

 

[Ky Larry]

IIRC, years ago ,Savage made a break down gun in .30-06/12 ga, so a break down action in 7.62X54R is very "do-able." Why would you want multiple barrels on this gun? A semi-auto would be cheaper and lighter.

 

[GRIZ22]

Such a contraption would be for demolishing cinderblocks and plywood targets

Seems like a lot of trobule to go through for little return. I've never seen a gun advertised as "great for smashing cinder blocks at 10 feet". A rifle with no accuracy to speak of at 50 yds is pretty much worthless to most people.

 

[MushroomxSpider]

I'm thinking more of a one-off though, a custom project rather than a production item. If I were considering designing a production firearm, it would obviously need to be of much higher quality to be worth investing time and money in. But as I said early on, this is just an idea to bounce around in my head for now I think I sometimes enjoy firearms theory just as much as firing them.

 

[451 Detonics]

I'm wondering...could a multi-barrel gun be made to fire all barrels at once, or would that make it a 'machine gun'

Yes, it would be considered a machine gun.

I had an H&R converted to a 257 Winchester mag some years ago. My gunsmith simply cut off the 20 gauge barrel just ahead of the chamber and sleeved the new barrel into it. only other thing needed was to lengthen the extractor. The same gunsmith also built a handful of double rifles in 9.3X74R using Merkel shotguns and utilizing the same method. He regulated them with lasers.

 

[db_tanker]

so how DOES one regulate the barrels on a double? I honestly don't know...


does the 'smith want to have them converge at 100-150? Or have them simply run parallel as best as possible?

 

[451 Detonics]

You want them to converge and place both bullets at the same spot, distance is normally 100 yards. Old school methods had the smith soldering the blocks between the barrels and test firing, repeating this till the barrels were regulated, very time consuming and costly. More modern way is to use an adjustable wedge system and laser bore sights.