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Double Rifles, Single Shots & Combinations >> Building Double Rifles & Gunsmithing
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Wayne
.224 member


Reged: 25/04/07
Posts: 15
Loc: Montana
Meriden Action Project?
      #77459 - 26/04/07 01:22 PM

Greetings:

I am approaching my first shotgun to double rifle conversion. The action under consideration is a double barrel 12 gauge action made by The Meriden Fire Arms co. This company existed around the beginning of the 1900's in Connecticut. The gun is gracefully aged with 32" tubes and appears to be for water fouling. The action is a side lock with gas check fireing pins. The pins will need a decrease in dia. and will also need to be sleaved. The thickness of the barrels at the breach end of the chambers is .183". It is 3 point lock up. The third is a is a U-shape with the legs of the U running parallel with the tubes pointing back. It is a heavy/thick arrangememt, NOT like the skimpy one on a savage double gun. the hing pin is 3.50 dia. backed with steel or full closed on the front face toward the for arm. The gun is tight in all respects.

The metamorphosis is proposed to 450-2 1/8 (45-70) with a load at 26,000 psi. Any thing changed here will be proofed at 30 percent over design load, which as mentioned before has been proposed at 26,000 psi.

The question not evident to me, but may be to the audiance, is this action worth the time?

It seams that the the calculations based on 12 gauge at 10,000 psi come out ok however, it is a gun with no proof on it. There is also a resounding question of weather the action steel is soft.

Can it be hardened? Should in be hardened? Is it alredy? Can this be determined?

Any thoughts, recomendations, ideas, opinions would be very welcome.

This project is being ta ken on due to desires beyond finacial means although safety is a important factor.

Thanks' for the help

Wayne

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Bramble
.375 member


Reged: 29/07/06
Posts: 950
Loc: England
Re: Meriden Action Project? [Re: Wayne]
      #77779 - 01/05/07 09:38 AM

Dear Wayne.

I loved doing my project, however from a strictly finiancial point of view if what you end up with is a 45-70 double, then you can buy one for less than you will spend on the conversion.
"This project is being ta ken on due to desires beyond finacial means although safety is a important factor. "

The fact that you are asking "Can it be hardened? Should in be hardened? Is it alredy? Can this be determined?" suggests that you are not a machinist or familier with the properties of steels and their uses/testing.
If you go through my postings on my project you can see the processes that have to take place and many are not shown in detail, for example those ribs took 18 hours to manufacture. I have a fair bit of machinery and more time in workshops than I care to remember.

With the very greatest of respect and my most humble appologies if I am incorrect, from what you have written, you are not I believe in the position to complete this project without paying for some professional help.
I have about 500 hours of labour in my rifle and if I had to pay for even 20% of that time I could have bought one.

As to the substantive questions, 1900 it is proberbly low carbon steel and would have been case hardened. The tubes may well be damascus not fluid or alloy steel. It can indeed be tested a rockwell test is not destructive. If it is case hardened mild steel then no it cannot be hardened through although it can be re-cased

Would I personaly trust the lumps to make a monoblock,no.

Would I trust the action and make a new monoblock in alloy steel ( 4140 )for 45-70 at springfield pressures, yes. If that rubbish old springfields don't blow at those pressures nothing will.

Would I do it no. I would buy a Biaikal double in 45-70 file up and polish the action and barrels, re-blue and have a nice, not over the top expensive stock made to fit me by doing some overtime at work. I would invest the money I saved in ammo and shoot up a storm with the 500 hours I havent spent in the workshop.

Best regards

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Wayne
.224 member


Reged: 25/04/07
Posts: 15
Loc: Montana
Re: Meriden Action Project? [Re: Bramble]
      #78025 - 05/05/07 01:20 PM

Bramble:

Thank you very much for taking the time to respond to the questions. Your responce will be taken under advisement. If there are further ideas, I wouold be glad to here from you again.

Take Care

Wayne

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