# 12ga to 20ga and .410 bore adapters



## ArmchairBronco (Jun 26, 2005)

I just spotted an auction for some *12ga to .410 adapters*. These things are cheap (like $12.95) and they look like hollow Snap Caps.

The company that makes these also sells 12ga to 20ga adapters for the same price.

http://www.americanspecialtyammo.com/Shotgun_Adapters.html










I'm intrigued, but also skeptical. What do you guys think?

I already have a Winchester 101 trap gun that I really like; I just DON'T like the mule kick I get when I shoot 12 gauge loads. I figure for $12.95 for one of the .410 inserts, I can't go wrong.


----------



## ArmchairBronco (Jun 26, 2005)

Here's another company that offers something similar.

I'm curious how well these things would pattern. I'd want to use them for shooting trap.

http://www.gunadapters.com/products/12- ... pter-.html


----------



## driggy (Apr 26, 2005)

If you want to shoot competitvely, don't waste your money. Takes too long to reload. For back yard shooting, might be OK. Also, rule of thumb is one guage down for best performance. 12ga to .410 usually doesn't work so good.


----------



## southdakbearfan (Oct 11, 2004)

Spend the money on a good recoil pad if that is what is bothering you.


----------



## ArmchairBronco (Jun 26, 2005)

Feedback on other forums has been consistent with posts in this thread. I'll save my money.

A recoil pad on my Winchester 101 won't help - I already have a nice KickEze pad. But the 101 still kicks like a mule; that's just the way it is.

As they say: "Nothing kicks like a .410" I'll just save my money and get a dedicated .410 like a Browning BPS Hunter in .410. That should work well for me at the 16-yard line for trap shooting. These inserts are a novelty and probably work well for plinking beer cans...but not much else.


----------



## darkgael (Feb 10, 2006)

> should work well for me at the 16-yard line for trap shooting


Good for you if it does. It seems to me that 16 yard Trap singles will be darn challenging with that little gun. I have one that I'd like to try - haven't yet. I am thinking that I'd have to get on the bird very fast - after that first second, the little orange guys are already 34-35 yards away. That is farther than I have ever patterned my .410.
I do OK with a foot operated trap but the shots are a lot closer.
Pete


----------



## southdakbearfan (Oct 11, 2004)

They also make a recoil reducer that goes in the chamber you aren't using.
http://www.mercuryrecoil.com/suppressors/index.htm#top

Or add weight in the stock.

Or try one of the spring reducers in the butt.

Just a thought, I have never tried any, but I have shot an ultra light 7mm mag with a mercury reducer in the stock. Kicked like a 243.


----------



## ArmchairBronco (Jun 26, 2005)

darkgael said:


> > should work well for me at the 16-yard line for trap shooting
> 
> 
> Good for you if it does. It seems to me that 16 yard Trap singles will be darn challenging with that little gun. I have one that I'd like to try - haven't yet. I am thinking that I'd have to get on the bird very fast - after that first second, the little orange guys are already 34-35 yards away. That is farther than I have ever patterned my .410.
> ...


On other sites, I've heard that some folks can regularly shoot in the high teens or low twenties from the 16 yard line with a .410. I should have said that "I'll have a fighting chance".

I have no illusions about wanting to shoot a .410. I know it will be a massive challenge. But I've already mastered my Winchester 101 12 gauge and can shoot 25's with a little practice. So I need to decide what's next. Do I go for 50 straight or do I go "small bore" and try to get 25 with a .410?

The .410 seems like it'll be both more challenging and more fun!  (But what do I know?)


----------



## ArmchairBronco (Jun 26, 2005)

southdakbearfan said:


> They also make a recoil reducer that goes in the chamber you aren't using.
> http://www.mercuryrecoil.com/suppressors/index.htm#top
> 
> Or add weight in the stock.
> ...


I have a pound of mercury in the stock already. It definitely helps, but the problem is that the Winchester 101 likes to kick. Period. No getting around that part of the gun's personality.

And even if I were to get a semi-auto like a Remington 1100 Trap, the recoil on that gun would still be an order of magnitude worse than even the simplest .410. For me, the appeal of the .410 is its low recoil.

And as long as I reload .410 shell myself, the cost should be about on par with 20ga shells from Wally World.


----------



## driggy (Apr 26, 2005)

If you want to shoot fast, you will need either Seminole Chamber Mates or Briley Sidekicks/Companion. These have ejectors that work with your existing ejectors. They are spendy new, but around $125-$175 used. I think the Chamber Mates even have a 6" extension on them to ensure full velocity. Check gunbroker, auction arms, and shotgun world (currently having server issues). They come up periodically.


----------



## ArmchairBronco (Jun 26, 2005)

driggy said:


> If you want to shoot fast, you will need either Seminole Chamber Mates or Briley Sidekicks/Companion. These have ejectors that work with your existing ejectors. They are spendy new, but around $125-$175 used. I think the Chamber Mates even have a 6" extension on them to ensure full velocity. Check gunbroker, auction arms, and shotgun world (currently having server issues). They come up periodically.


Yeah, I've looked at these. But like you said, they're really spendy if you get 'em new. The Briley's are more than a new Browning BPS Hunter in .410! The Seminole offering in .410 are currently unavailable, and they're aren't super cheap either.

The appeal of the no-nonsense inserts above was their low cost. But low cost = bad performance.

Bottom line - with inserts, I'm trying to put lipstick on a pig. If I want to shoot a .410, I should just buy one! Either a BPS Hunter or maybe even an old Mossberg 183 bolt action.


----------



## darkgael (Feb 10, 2006)

> Do I go for 50 straight


Yes, and then you go for 100 straight. 
If ya do want to shoot the .410 (and I am a fan of the bore), you'd best reload because the little shells are expensive.
Pete


----------



## dakotashooter2 (Oct 31, 2003)

Keep in mind that with these you are basically shooting cyclinder bore. Another option is the long discontinued four-tenner made by savage. They come in 12-410, 16-410 or 20-410. They are 12" long which helps accuray a bit. I have the 20 ga version and found they perform best when using an extra full turkey choke. 15 yards seems to be near the outer limit. I'm not sure how they would perform in a 12 ga. as you probably wouldn't get that much choke. They have ejectors built in so are a bit easier to use. You can find them on Ebay and Gunbroker. A lot of times they are listed for $100 to $125 ( I rarely see one sell that high) each but if you are willing to wait you can usually get one or two for $60-$70 each.

The inserts have a taper to them and I wish the end was a bit longer so you could have them custom fitted with a choke tube.


----------



## Pvt Wade (Jun 6, 2012)

Im new to the forum and just been browsing and came across this. I know its dead but i actually just received my 12 gauge to 410 adapter in the mail. I ordered it from Firequest.com for $25.99 with express 4-8 day shipping (only took 2). Ive only shot #8 bird shot through it so far and it patterns reasonably out of my H&R parder single shot with modified choke. So far i am impressed with it but some shells do need a little forcing to remove from the adapter. As i read from a previous post it does take too much time to reload for competitive trap shooting but for back yard shooting for the kids or wife its a neat thing to have. Since the adapter is for my 12 gauge the weight of the gun makes for virtually no kick. Although 410 doesn't have much recoil anyway this makes it non-existent. Overall i think its something cool and useful to have for fun shooting instead of needing a whole other gun. Hope this helps.

Pvt. Wade.


----------

