doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DIY Gunsmithing @ doublegunshop.com Double barrel front barrel Plug

Guys got a question, what do you folks call that front plug between the front of a set of barrels of a sxs shotgun. Do these have to be custom made and or what are they made out of or what do you folks use to plug that hole when a barrel is shortened?

I dont actually think it has a name ,Sometimes it is part of the ribs be it machined or brazed on and filed but frequently it is just a piece of steel filed to fit and soldered into place .
Names could be fillet , plug , wedge as in double rifles.
If it is only a small space then the common thing was to file a close fitting triangular piece about 1/2" long with a slight taper so when tapped into place prior soldering it fits as close as possible and is therefore hardly noticeable .

Often, those triangular fillers between the barrels and ribs are referred to as keels. As gunman says, sometimes they are actually part of the rib. More often, they are made as he describes. Typically, they are short enough that cutting the barrels even an inch will totally remove them and leave an hourglass shaped gap. The gap is often filled with solder, and the gap between the barrels is a clue that the barrels are not original length since the barrels are usually touching at the muzzles on a shotgun. Really crude gun butchers either leave the gap open, or fill it with epoxy.

Thank you Gentlemen, Learn something every day. I looked all over the net and couldn't find anything about them, yet I knew they were there. With all the double shotguns out there and info on them you would think there would be more info.

Thanks again
Mike

Keith dont do down epoxy Beretta use it on their production guns.
I have always referred to the short piece of the top ribs that is brazed up when making non layover barrels as the "keel".

I confess. I've used JB Weld on three doubles that were missing plugs. But all three guns were just common guns. Two had been cut to "coach gun" length before I got them. Maybe a bit utilitarian but after a bit you would be hard pressed to notice that it was a cheap and easy fix.

On a Stevens 311A that had been cut to 18", I took advantage of plug being missing and filled the void under the rib with lead shot. This replaced some of the weight removed when barrels were cut. The gun is now used in Cowboy Action Shooting.

I take a Swiss file and clean up the hole and clean off any oil that may keep JB Weld from bonding. I stuff a little wad of steel wool down the hole to form a dam and then fill with JB Weld.

I had a customer bring me spanish 10g shotgun that he had bought cheap. It had already been coated with some spray on gun finish at some time. He wanted the novelty of having a 10g coach gun. JB weld worked fine on the massive hole left behind when shortening the barrels. And i was fine woth it given what the gun was.
Of course soldering in a keel would be the proper solition if the job called for it.

Again thanks guys, you would think something that is as integral as that part of any new double, sxs would have a part name. Looking on the net I can't find anything that refers to this part by any name more than one time, go figure. I have time and on one of the old doubles I have this part is missing so I guess I'll try making one up and soldering in. Got all winter, the snow is really piling up gonna be a good winter.