I happened upon a thread on another forum talking about a short barrel double rifle. If I recall correctly it was a Westley Richards with 16" barrels. Of course I started lusting right away and that got me started and scheming about a build of some sort.

OK to be clear Im not even sure what Id do with it besides cuddling on cold nights... I suppose Id hunt with it. Most of my hunting is limited to Whitetail in the PA woods and the occasional Wild Boar hunt in Texas. In both cases 150m is a long shot.

My first thought was of that Pedersoli Howdah muzzleloader with the "bolt on" stock. Ive got a 20ga (smooth bore) but Im thinking the rifled 58 caliber might be better? The barrels are just over 11 inches which seems a little shorter than what I (think) I want? BUT since the stock is only $200 its an easy test prototype on the 20ga?

Ive got a couple 16" barrels for my Encores and I do like the compact size. A double is...well its a double and so much cooler, plus it makes my hunting buddies roll their eyes. These are the same guys who carry plastic guns in super magnum cartridges to hunt in woods so think that they cant see tomorrow. Theyre also the same ones that wear different cammo patterns, and not only when they go into the woods; but thats another story and we cant always pick how our friends dress???

Back to the project, Im toying with shortening a full length muzzleloader (preferably a double rifle but maybe a SxS shotgun). I know the shotgun wont be regulated (heck Im not really sure a double muzzleloading rifle is regulated). My "hope" is that regulation would be minute of a Boar at say 50m. Im thinking 16-18 inches seems right. Im thinking 18" would be a good place to start if I wanted to try full length inserts in a cartridge shotgun.

Ive also been considering a few cartridges incase I move from a muzzleloader to a cartridge gun (some current production and some "up graded"). For starters 45-70 seems so obvious, its almost boring. I thought maybe 38-55 (or possibly 375 win; but I like the idea of BP cartridges. Then I started wondering about what could be done with 410 brass loaded like a HOT 45LC and a rifled barrel?

At this point its just a scheme bouncing around in my head. I only know, that I dont know what I dont know. So encourage me and point me in the right direction or tell me it cant be done and encourage me all the more