Rifled smokepole to smoothbore scattergun?

[WestKentucky]

I have a crusty old 50cal CVA hawken knockoff that shoots it's best groups unaimed and from the hip. It's truly deplorable. I was thinking that it would be very nice to simply ream the barrel out to eliminate the rifling and using the gun as a really nifty squirrel and rabbit getter. How hard would it be and has anybody done this? Should end up somewhere between 28 and 20 ga by my guesstimating.

 

[rcmodel]

Not easy, but not impossible either.

It would be very similar to drilling out a barrel for a barrel liner.
Just with a bigger drill bit.

Here is how you do it.

http://www.brownells.com/userdocs/learn/Inst-143 Barrel Liner.pdf

After drilling, the rough drilled bore would have to be polished smooth with flaps of Emory cloth in a slotted dowel rod chucked in a drill.

rc

 

[WestKentucky]

Thanks RC. Thats pretty much what I was expecting but hadn't thought of it as prepping for a re-sleeve. It makes me nervous to consider using a handheld drill but a drill press isn't an option so I may give it a shot. Nothing to lose and a lot of fun to be had trying to gain...I may even gain a useful fun tool.

 

[rcmodel]

Actually a drill press isn't a good workable option anyway.

You have to back the drill out of the deep hole constantly to clear the chips and re-lube with cutting oil..

That would be very difficult to do with a drill press.
Unless you had a really big one with 24" quill travel!

rc

 

[HB]

I've got a cva bobcat and have thought about doing the same thing. Already got a 54 cal smoothbore and a 12 gauge with a jug choke but smooth bores are a lot of fun

 

[WestKentucky]

Mine is now a partial smoothbore. The clutch gave out in my drill so now I wait for funds to buy a new quality drill. The last one did good, it was a high school graduation gift so it lasted 11 years worth of hard used doing everything from framing sheds to mixing margaritas.