Adding a Muzzle brake to a 20 ga

[CanTex]

Ok, have come across a bag gun (all the parts, in a bag). It is a no name single shot 20 ga that new would be worth about $75 bucks. It is far from new however and to boot has had both the stock and barrel cut down. The barrel is just a hair over 18" but the stock length has it now just under legal LOA size by 1/4 inch. So I currently have the barrel on the bench, the stock in the shed and the action apart in the bag.

Before I bother to strip and clean, re-blue and re-assemble etc I am thinking about welding on a muzzle brake to get it securely into legal size. (due to stock configuration replacing the stock would cost a lot more than the gun is worth and a new barrel would be about $50 more than the guns value new) I have seen chokes that extend outside the end of the barrel and though these would do they seem to only be available in 12 ga and cost is again, far more than the gun is worth.

Any ideas on where I can get a 20 ga muzzle brake or Ideas on other ways to get about 2 inches? I am willing to creating my own however have not been able to find any pipe with an inside diameter of .785 to fit over the existing barrel. I figure this would be a good exercise of gun craft skills and would result in a conversation piece for over the fireplace.

Any suggestions or ideas are welcome

 

[jdh]

Take the butt plate off and add a recoil pad and spacer, if needed, to add enough length to the stock would be the fastest, easiest, cheapest way to go.

 

[CanTex]

Would have been my first choice, however butt was cut to make it a pistol grip... when I dry assembled it came out to 25.75" LOA. The barrel is also just at 18" so I would prefer to add to that end to ensure that if anyone questions it, the barrel would be 19"+ and LOA 27"+.

Due to how the stock mates with the receiver as well as where the trigger sits I cannot modify any existing spare stocks I have and make them fit (also the wood is far nicer on the original than any I would have been able to cobble together) . Adding a one inch piece to the back of the stock would look like crap and therefore it would not make a decent display piece.

However, Thank you for the input... I asked about a specific and you came up with a solution from a different angle... I like the thought!

 

[Dawico]

I was thinking the same thing about the recoil pad.

A piece of 3/4" inside diameter pipe is just a little smaller than what you need. If you could flare the end, ream it, or heat it up, it may fit over the barrel.

I am not sure of availability of extended choke tubes for 20 gauges. If you could find one, cut it off and weld it to the end of the barrel, that would look decent I think, and stay within budget.

 

[TexasRedneck]

Look....you gotta decide your own comfort level....but personally, that thing would be distributed WELL away from me, somehow - key components would be someplace OTHER than property I own or under my control. I understand that in your mind, you've got 'em separated - but a determined search, and you'll be facing federal charges - is it worth it?

 

[CanTex]

Point well made TexasRedneck, sooooo for the time being I have tacked a wire stock onto the end of the bolt that ties the wood to the receiver. This way I now have a very ugly short barrel 20ga with a wire butt stock that would leave marks should it be fired...but over Legal LOA. I will also drop the receiver off at a friends house. Sometimes we fail to see the problems we create while trying to fix a problem...

However, still looking for a solution to increasing, at a reasonable cost, the barrel length. I did find an old 12ga choke that is close in size (internal is .001 larger than external of current barrel) however usable length and configuration leave a lot to be desired. Cleaned up (cause I just cannot let it lay) the pistol grip stock has some nice patina to the wood. So I will have to work my solution to present a decent looking finished product. I will have to search out to see if I can lay my hands upon some 3/4 inside diameter pipe and hone or ream it out as suggested by Dawico.

Unless there are other suggestions????

 

[JustaPhule]

Any way to ad an under-fold stock? Something along the lines of, but different than, an AK. It would be a real conversation piece.
Not even a good suggestion IMHO, but a suggestion.

 

[TexasRedneck]

What about an old poly-choke? Soldered to the barrel, it'd get you over the min. length...

 

[CanTex]

Like the poly-choke idea, have not been able to find one. If there is one out there not doing anyone any good... let me know... I have also be considering adding a cut down 12 ga barrel to increase the length. However I do not have any extra barrels to cut down...

Another thought I had was to add 3/4 inch black pipe and solder it over the existing barrel. Problem is that it does not come close enough to the existing outside diameter of the barrel until after it would hit the wooden fore stock. Getting a piece that is close to the .785 diameter of the end of the existing barrel is hard.

The a/k style under folder idea is intriguing.. I am not sure how it would be attached. It does however deserve some more thoughts..

Is there anyone in the North Austin/Pflugerville/Round Rock area that has a metal lathe and willing to assist ???