Francotte 12ga/.416 Rigby

mainehunt · 03-10-2004, 08:26 AM

I am asking this question for a friend. This guy has years of experience as a smith and many more as a machinist/tool/die maker.

Question is, he has a Francotte 12 gauge double barrel side by side. This shotgun has the third fastener in the action. A true cross bolt. He would like to fit this action with new rifle barrels and make it into a double .416 Rigby. It will make a beautiful rifle as it has gold inlay, a very fine piece.

Does anyone out there have any experience converting double shotguns into rifles? I know that Ruger and Winchester use their shotgun actions for some big bore rifles. He wants to know if you all think if the Francotte has the ability to hold the pressures of the .416.

Thank you in advance.

DM · 03-10-2004, 01:15 PM

I don't know about your friends gun, but i had a friend that made a set of 47/70 bbls for his double shot gun. It also had the third fastener, and it worked out very well.

For higher pressure rounds, i'd want to make sure the steel in the action could take the pounding of a "higher than shotgun pressures" round. Not all shotguns are equil even if they do have a third fastener!

Drilling Man