Another .357 conversion.

[tbx-4]

In the last few months I picked up a couple old Hopkins and Allen shotguns for cheap... Less then $100.
The first one had the breach face damaged from the firing pin breaking through. I posted photos of that a while ago. The second one was in much better condition... much better! I started to repair the damaged breach face but on acquiring the second shotgun in better condition gave it up and used the barrel from the first one to convert to .357 mag. This will be used on the good action.

Purchased two more of the Numrich .357 barrels made by Star (free shipping when you spend over $75).

I cut the old shotgun barrel down to 10" then turned the .357 barrel to match the shotgun chamber and bore. slipped the .357 barrel inside the shotgun stub barrel. It ended up as a press fit the last 1/8". Used a block of wood and hammer to drive it in. It's all held together with JB Weld epoxy.

[tbx-4]

Used a dremel to cut relief for the extractor and cleaned it up with a couple files.



Made an extension for the extractor to be TIG welded on. Here is the extractor and extension in place.

[tbx-4]

Went over to a friends who has a TIG welder and he welded the extractor together. I brought it home, ground and filed to shape. Set it in the barrel lug without the spring so it sat flush and cut the chamber.



Once chamber was cut reassembled extractor and spring to test. Went out back and shot 5 rounds into the ground and they all extracted just fine.

[tbx-4]

Now that it's a functioning rifle I installed some sights and blued it. Front sight is from an old Remington and the rear sight is parts cobbled from various Williams barrel mounted sights.




The sights are bore sighted with my Mk1 eyeball. As soon as I got the sights on went out back and at 25 yards off hand shot this target. No adjustments made. I think it will do much better when I can set up a table for a bench and install a smaller aperture.



So I have $75 for the shotguns, $41 for the barrel. And I still have the original 30" shotgun barrel that came with it.

All up weight is 6lbs, 10oz.
Barrel length: 20"

[tbx-4]

Got the gun sighted in today. Set up on the back side of the property where I have my little shooting range. Was back I figure 50 yards but when I paced it off came out 56 yards roughly. Good enough.



This thing has a real heavy trigger pull, 10-12 lbs. I can keep windage steady but elevation is hard to hold.

[tbx-4]

Haven't had time to work on the trigger but wanted to try some reloads with cast 158gr SWC. Put together 35 rounds with Laser Cast 158 gr SWC over 3.5 gr of Bullseye.... Results were not good at all so I didn't even take any photos. After shooting 10 rounds the target looked like someone shot it with 00 buck from a 12ga, just all over the place.

I thought this barrel may like FMJ and I had a box of 158gr JHP on the shelf. So I loaded up 30 rounds with 6gr of HS6 and things started improving. That's 5 rounds in each target.



Still dealing with the horrendous trigger pull but it's shooting much better with these reloads at 50-60 yards.

[MaLar]

Nice job and fun to shoot!

[jmorris]

I like it.

[Mal Paso]

Nice write up and pictures too. Thanks!

[lar45]

Excellent job. Looks like it will be a shooter. I have a couple of the falling block Hopkins and Allen shotguns in 12 and 16ga. The actions are were very soft, I tested a part on a rockwell tester and it came up in the B range. Then they went through my shop fire, so I think that they will just be wall hangers now.
Nice job on your new 357.

[Shawlerbrook]

Very nice job !

[ajjohns]

Fine project! Looks good and will all come around to be great companion. Another thing that looks like magic is balancing the gun on your block of wood.
Good shooters are always interesting.

[Mac118]

I got something similar to this on a whim at an auction, in 357 as well. It was "gunsmith special" with a few flaws but I had to have it. The only drawback is it was done on a very old action that has a non-adjustable V spring, not coil spring. The trigger pull is downright awful but if held tight it's very accurate. I bring it and a pile of light bullet squib loads camping every year. The sound of the hammer is louder than than the bang! But great fun.

[tbx-4]

Thanks guys for all the kind comments.

Mac118,
Like your rifle this one has no coil springs either, leaf springs for hammer and trigger. Shimming the main spring could possibly help, also the trigger/hammer engagement angle could be changed to lighten it up.

Tried some .357 magnum but prefer shooting .38 spl. Less report and recoil which makes it enjoyable to shoot and fairly low cost too. Kind of like shooting a .22 but bigger!

[atr]

VERY, VERY Cool !!

[jmorris]

I really like the job and not trying to take away anything from the work but I might add a blind pin/weld under the forend or something the BATFE would consider “permanent” with the barrel being cut short enough for it to be an SBS.

[Michael J. Spangler]

Great job. I love it.

[tbx-4]

jmorris,
Very good point and noted. Will TIG weld a blind pin into the barrel ASAP.

[trapper9260]

Nice write up and all you done on this. With the photos it was nice to see how things came together for you. Thank you for posting.

[Kosh75287]

Since you are not constrained by the length of a revolver cylinder, you might try varying the C.O.A.L. upward a bit, to avail yourself of extra case capacity, and perhaps better accuracy with bullets weighing over 158 grains. Just a thought.