For clays shooting, I've been grappling with a desire for cheap ammo availability and choke tube versatility vs my love of shooting classic sxs's instead of new ones. What to do? Then it dawned on me, why not have a fitted 20ga tube set made for my 6.4lb damascus Lefever 12? It would end up around 7lbs, and I wouldn't have to spend time loading custom reloads. I could also shoot cheap steel 7's in it for snipe hunting and target shooting on some wildlife areas that require no tox. Has anyone else done this? Good idea, bad idea? Thanks.
Briley won't do tubes for chambers under 2 3/4. Make your own or is there another manufacturer?
Oh. I didn't know that. Gun has 2 5/8" chambers. You would think they could adjust 1/8" somehow. I have a krupp steel Lefever wit 2 7/8" chambers, but it's already a heavy gun. Tube sets would put it over 8lbs. Hmmm...
Try Briley for a chamber adjustment. If you don't plan to shoot the damascus it will be safe. I am not sure that Briley would recomend shooting steel through soft Al. tubes.
bill
Thanks Bill. I regularly shoot it with RST's and reloads, so I don't want to alter it. It's a very effective upland gun as is. I just like the idea of making it more versatile. In the end, I probably should just get a modern target gun and call it a day.
Mark, how hard would it be to fit a orphan set of barrels. I have created some two barrel sets with LC Smiths. I think the Lefever would be a little more difficult. Then you have a set of barrels to alter and keep the other original.
Call Briley and ask them
My short chambered damascus Baker sure does like my Briley tubes
and my 1893, L.C. Smith Quality 3 likes my Briley tubes.
Mike
Why not Briley SideKicks? I know they work for 2-5/8" Parkers because I have a set for a Damascus hammer Parker 12. Briley will ask you what kind of gun they are for and will engrave that maker's name on the SideKicks. Something about rim depth or extractor configuration, been a while since I ordered mine.
https://www.briley.com/p-52225-side-kick-20-chamber-inserts-complete-set-20ga-28ga-and-410-bore.aspxAnother option might be chamber inserts. I shoot 20ga ChamberMates in a Brit 12 twist hammer gun with short chambers and they work with no modifications. GaugeMates told me (when they were still in business) that their inserts could be shortened, if necessary, with no ill effects. Browning chamber inserts are still available, but they are not as convenient as the ChamberMates and GaugeMates.
About 5 years ago I put a Briley Companion 20 ga tube set in a 2 1/2" chamber Parker DH with Damascus barrels.
I simply filed back the exterior forcing cone-chamber area until I achieved the proper fit.
Works fine and I believe safe with double chamber wall (damascus barrels and tubes).
Bob Jurewicz
Having gone the sub gauge route a couple of times, let me caution you that they can be finicky about ejection/extraction. I've had both Briley and Kolar tube sets and they don't like cheap steel head shells. IIRC Briley recommends using only AA's or similar low brass shells.
I have done what Bob did. I shaved the tubes down until they fit the chambers. Used to be that Briley would not fit 20 gauge tubes with choke tubes if the 12 gauge gun was choked tight. The alternative is to order 28 gauge tubes or get them to make the 20 gauge tubes terminate before the chokes in the 12 gauge gun. The shorter tubes are probably better balanced anyway. The 20 gauge extractors are very thin and fragile, a problem the 28 gauge tubes don't have.