16ga.com ~ View topic - I would like your knowledgeable advice.........

Hey guys,
OK, here goes.

I've got a beautiful Browning BSS in 20 ga. (gasp!!! couldn't help it, it's my perfect fit gun) that is in pristine shape. However, after considerable thought, I'm wondering if it would be possible to contact a serious gunsmith/barrel maker who could make a set of 16 gauge barrels for the gun. I figure other people have barrels made after the fact, and the Merkel 16/20 is a smaller frame than my BSS, so why not. Money is not a super big concern, as long as it can be done. I know I'd have to ship off the gun and all that other crap Rolling Eyes

. I'm looking for knowledgeable opinions / referalls on whether it can be done. I'm not talking practical either, otherwise I wouldn't own 15-16 shotguns! Laughing

Thanks guys
-Danny

Member Joined: 08 Nov 2005 Posts: 3438 Location: Illinois

With enough money anything can be made----For that kind of bucks I would lean towards a high end 16---- Idea

Hi dannypratt

As hoashooter said any thing can be made if you have the money to pay for it .I would personally look for another gunbut if you must build a new set of barrels a guy down in Texas by the name of Kirk Merrington is more than capable of doing the job. He is an ex pat Birmingham trained gunsmith specialising in English shotguns.send me a PM for his details
good shooting
sbs470

Joined: 10 Jul 2006 Posts: 87 Location: Traverse City, MI

DP,

Possible- Yep, anything is possible given enough time and dollars.

Practical- Not in IMHO. I'm sure there are gunsmiths who COULD do such a job but you'd have to find one who WOULD want to take on which could only be described as an, errr...., "non-standard" build.

The barrels are the very heart of any double and are the most valuable part of the whole rig. New stocks can be made rather easily compared to a new set of barrels. This would be a "one of ...." deal, always hard to get the ball rolling on these as well.

I dunno if that gun was ever made in 16 bore, that would be a possible source of a new barrel set?? But in any case, you might be able to buy that Merkel 16/20 new for what a set of barrels for that gun made from scratch might cost!! Idea

Natty B.

Hi guys,

Well, that's what I figured when it came to the price, and if it is that high, I would rather buy a Merkel, however, i figured it as an interesting one-off kind of project. Also, that gun was never made in 16, only 12 & 20, so that was the reason for the 16 barrels. I must remind you all, that practical is not my point, I'm talking "could be done" and sometimes there are certain projects that are simply worth proving to be done. I'll keep watching the post for more leads. Thank you so far,
-danny

Joined: 10 Jul 2006 Posts: 87 Location: Traverse City, MI

Danny,

I was pretty sure that gun was only ever made in 20 and 12. I do know that Galazan has made up 16 bore barrels for the Parker Repro 20 bores. And there have been a few threads on this topic on the BBs. I think they are offered in the 2K range and proaly require "some fitting". Smile

Please let us know the end results of your interesting quest!

NB

Danny, if your 20 ga BSS action breech face has dimensions as big as the Merkel 1620, then it probably can be done. As to who or how, you got me. Putting a pair of barrels together to fit on a frame is not too difficult if you can lay hands on a spare monoblock. Getting them to shoot to the same place at 40 yards is another matter. That takes real skill.

Member Joined: 26 Apr 2005 Posts: 743

Sure it can be done . . . if you want to pay the bucks. As someone above pointed out, a new set of 16ga barrels to fit a 20ga Parker Repro will set you back $2,000 or a bit more, by the time they're fit. Expect you'd pay more than that for your BSS, because you're talking about a unique, one of a kind set, not tooling up to make a number of them as they are for the Parkers.

Member Joined: 31 Oct 2005 Posts: 446 Location: Wisconsin

Absolute waste of money from an engineering and safety standpoint! -Dick
BTW, I do have a 20 gauge BSS Sporter and its just fine as a 20.

Member Joined: 18 Nov 2005 Posts: 398 Location: S Fl

I have to agree it's a waste of time and money.
You could sell that Browning, should get around $2000 for it these days.
Add that to the 2500 that a new set of barrels would cost and you could be driving an AyA No 2 made to your measurements in 16 (or 12, 20, 2 Cool

.

My 2 cents
Pete