Smooth bore shotgun-to-pistol-caliber inserts

[simonrichter]

E.g. gunadapters.com offers a vast variety of inserts converting shotguns to fire pistol or revolver calibers. I just wondered why they also have smooth bore models - wouldn't that be a.) illegal in the US and b.) useless because the bullet is not stabilized? They DO sell rifled models as well, so I reckon there must be some good reason for offering a smooth bore option?

 

[kraigwy]

Not into adapters but barrel liners. I've relined several 22 barrels.

Brownell sells liners for pistols and I've been thinking about relining a single shot 410 to make a 45 LC rifle. Problem is Brownells liners are 14" max (the last time I checked) I would like to make this one 20-24 inches.

 

[Bill DeShivs]

The smooth-bore adapters are generally for smaller gauge shotshells.
The only guns requiring rifling in the US are pistols.

 

[Scorch]

Pistol caliber adapters are very common, more so in Europe than in the USA. In many European countries, you are limite as to how many firearms you can own, and a sub-caliber adapter allows hunters to take small game with rifle or pistol ammo out of their shotguns.

Shotgun sub-gauge adapters are very common among trap shooters who have a high-dollar gun but want to shoot different gauges for competition (typically 20 gauge in a 12 gauge gun). Many Merkel, Perazzi, and Krieghoff shotguns are sold as a set with sub-gauge adapters because another barrel set in a smaller gauge would be too heavy and cost prohibitive.

As far as legality, in the USA there are laws prohibiting smooth-bore handguns, but none about shooting pistol or rifle ammo in smooth-bore barrels.

 

[TruthTellers]

An unstabalized bullet being shot at 7 or 10 yards will still regularly hit a man size torso and with a big .44 or .45 bullet tumbling at the moment it impacts flesh to where it stops will do a lot of damage.

I remember seeing a video of Barry from IraqVeteran on youtube when he was still alive. They were testing shooting .454 Casull from a .410 shotgun with a full choke and it hit the paper sideways and Barry commented, "That'd nearly cut a man half in two."

The smoothbore adapters Shortlane sells, their draw is they're cheap, small, and you can get a bunch of them in all major pistol calibers.

If I were to spend money on something like that, I'd prefer it be rifled and you can get rifled adapters much cheaper.

https://grabagun.com/chiappa-firearms-970-387-x-caliber-set-of-8.html

That's a set of 8 inserts that are 8 inches in length, rifled, for just over $200. You can buy them individually for $40.