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Has anyone ever used an Adapter in a 16GA to reduce it down to use .410 cartridges?

I'm trying to slim down the number of guns I have. So an adapter would mean I could sell my bolt action .410.

I know Parker-Hale (England) made them in 12 & 16 and they were made in other country's too.

Member Joined: 24 Jan 2007 Posts: 467 Location: SC PA

Gamekeeper,

I have a set of Gauge-Mate gold, www.gaugemate.com ,in 16ga down to 28ga and have had good luck with them. Both function and pattern were good. I've never tried any adapters down to .410 though.

You could also try www.chambermates.com or full length tubes from Briley, www.briley.com

I believe if you do a search, this topic was discussed some time back.

All the best
Marcus

Member Joined: 28 Oct 2005 Posts: 665 Location: Louisiana

Gamekeeper: Several of us use the old Savage 'four-tenners' in our 16's. They are 'extractor friendly' in my Marlin 90's and work well in the dove field. I am unfamiliar with performance of the Gauge-Mates in .410 caliber.

Ron

Thanks Marcus & Ron,
I like the look of the GaugeMate-Silver, probably easier to get than a Savage four-tenner. Saying that, I can't see how to order direct. There is a link to Cabelas but they are a lot more expensive and I don't think they ship to the UK.

I think I would get a 28GA tube as well as the .410 as I have a few boxes of 28GA ammo and no 28GA shotgun.

My lady friend has my 28GA and only uses very light 14g loads. Rolling Eyes

I would like to try some 16 to 28 adapters also, maybe even 20 for cheap clay duty. The 28 would be ideal for dog trial events shooting quail at close range.

I looked at Cabelas web site and found the Browning Little Skeeters at $34 a pair. Very Happy

but they can not ship them to the UK Mad

So I check out a British Browning dealer to find they only stock 12G to 20G and the they cost $159 a pair Shocked

Is this a rip off or what? Evil or Very Mad

Member Joined: 24 Jan 2007 Posts: 467 Location: SC PA

Gamekeeper

You could try www.ableammo.com They have them listed for $42.99.

Marcus

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

I have tried the short reducers and found them to be nothing short of a rip off not only with the pattern,reliabilitybut in function also.I highly suggest a full length set of tubes---which are not available from 16 to 410 unless special ordered and high dollar--save that old bolt 410 or have a friend--get my drift -here in the U.S. buy what you need and ship it to you Twisted Evil

Joined: 16 Nov 2006 Posts: 367

Just picked-up pair of the P-H's for my 16. Now need to put second cut for my M37.
Want to try it on the skeet field.

jrothWA, I hope you will post a range report. I have been trying to find a Parker Hale 16 to 410 reducer in the UK but no luck so far. One gunsmith even told me they are now illegal here! He said they were considered to be sawn off shotguns!!! Rolling Eyes

Joined: 16 Nov 2006 Posts: 367

It sound like a extreme case of cranial-rectal inversion, over there.

Just waiting for the weather here (washington state) to break.

Would you recommend standard 2-3/4" or 3" shells, through these?

If the UK government can make up a stupid law to p*** off gun owners they will because they assume that we will get fed up with all the red tape and take up golf or flower arranging instead! Sad

If I ever find a 16GA to .410 reducer I will only use 2 1/2 " shells, I seem to kill more consistentcy with the shorter shell! However the reducer may prefer 3" shells. Wink

Could anyone from the states legally mail you a pair direct? If so, you might want to consider a pair of the least expensive Briley 410 barrel inserts. these tubes are almost full length and perform like an actual shotgun barrel. You can even get choke tubes for them. If two are too expensive, then one might do. You can load with both shells at the same time. I will look to see what Briley gets for them and if they are available for a sixteen break open.

I'd not bother with the short adapters. 16 to .410 is too big a leap. The little wads can't obturate well enough to seal the bores. Patterning and consistancy fall apart.

I'm back from ther Briley web site. You can get a pair of Companion .410 standard weight tubes for a 16 plus the insertion annd extraction tools for $525 American plus shipping. Considering the $150 per pair for shorties, I'd look here. I do know these babies have won their share of national skeet titles. I'd guess birds like snipe, crakes (like our American Sora rails), and starlings as well as squirrels and furred pests would be in serious trouble.

Member Joined: 28 Oct 2005 Posts: 665 Location: Louisiana

GG--I took a limit of White Winged doves (12) with that non-obturating, pattern-falling-apart Savage Four-tenner adapter in Marlin 16ga. Mod. 90 this past september--I do that every now and then and with less that a box of 2 1/2" shells.

I got a set of the gaugemate silver tubes to convert 16 to 28. They work well and break skeet targets and kill bobwhite quail nicely at shots of no more than 30 yards.

I paid about $40 for them and got them from Lion Country Supply. They will ship about anywhere. www.lcs.com

Good luck!

Rick