8mm Hatsan shotgun mod

[Septicdeath]

Well I'm finally finished
The barrel was reamed to 8 mm with a 7.68 mm choke. It was then polished. The shroud was shortened and a bead sight was added. The gun is finally complete and ready for testing.

 Modifying a  MOD 130S Vortex QE Breakbarrel  it is a smooth bore 8mm shotgun. Here's some of the ammo. A paper casing. Holding 47.3 grains of shot The casing weight is 1.7

    My concept is from the civil war. Buck and ball loads. But has been modified I also use it in my 28 ga Muzzleloader shotgun, the sabots are larger and use heavier gauge paper casing.

 The cartridge is a thin piece of tubing made to 8mm  there is a  wad in the breach end. The case is cut in ten places around the top for crimping. They are filled with shot. Then they are crimped and a small drop of dopp wax keeps the crimp closed.

When the gun is fired it compresses the wad splitting the paper casing and opens the crimp. The barrel is slightly choked further opening the casing as it leaves the barrel

I had made some sabots in the 7.62 pellet size they shoot well in the rifled barrel of my MOD 130S Vortex QE and have a good spread up to about 30 or so feet more than that it will probably be ineffective.

 Purchased another MOD 130S Vortex QE Breakbarrel to modify. My other is broke in and it's very fun to shoot.

I will be updating all of you soon on the progress, testing etc of my project shotgun.
Will be testing it next week.

[Hawkeye51]

John

Great work, it looks well done. Will follow this for your testing results.

Do you use a cocking aid?  Since it's smooth bore, I presume you could slide something (non metallic) inside the barrel, and have a handle to match the end of your flare.

[Septicdeath]

John

Great work, it looks well done. Will follow this for your testing results.

Do you use a cocking aid?  Since it's smooth bore, I presume you could slide something (non metallic) inside the barrel, and have a handle to match the end of your flare.

I tried clicking my QE .30 where the shroud begins on my other rifle. It is doable but takes some effort. I will come up with something to use as a cocking aid. Thanks for the idea. I was thinking a heavy piece of pvc  pipe just large enough to go over the flange

[only1harry]

Nice job!  A PVC pipe always works with cocking short barreled springers.

[Septicdeath]

I finally got to shoot it once. It gets dark so early. I will be shooting it extensively on Monday. This is from 15 feet.

[Septicdeath]

Here are some pictures of the shot patterns. I'm not totally happy with the way my first sabots are working and have a couple of ideas to make them better.  I will be making some new prototypes and testing them using a lighter wad material and another crimping style. I have 25 more of the first batch of sabots to test also.

[Septicdeath]

Tested again today with new prototype sabot

[Septicdeath]

[Septicdeath]

I loaded some sabots with lead BB shot will be testing on Monday.

[Blowpipe Sam]

I am very interested in this thread.  What size shot did you test with?  If you can get it to pattern adequately this looks like just the thing for carpenter Bees.  I am plagued each spring with dozens of the darn bugs.  They bore into untreated or unpainted wood and lay eggs.  Then the woodpeckers arrive and start tearing up the wood to get at the Bees.  I had to pull a poorly built garage down because of the Bee/Bird combination. The eaves of my barn look like something has been chewing on them.  Right now I'm using a 1377 at about 4 pumps.  Wing shooting Bees the size of your thumb at a range of 5-10 feet with an air pistol my "Kill" ratio is about 15-20 shots to bring down one Bee.   

[Septicdeath]

I am very interested in this thread.  What size shot did you test with?  If you can get it to pattern adequately this looks like just the thing for carpenter Bees.  I am plagued each spring with dozens of the darn bugs.  They bore into untreated or unpainted wood and lay eggs.  Then the woodpeckers arrive and start tearing up the wood to get at the Bees.  I had to pull a poorly built garage down because of the Bee/Bird combination. The eaves of my barn look like something has been chewing on them.  Right now I'm using a 1377 at about 4 pumps.  Wing shooting Bees the size of your thumb at a range of 5-10 feet with an air pistol my "Kill" ratio is about 15-20 shots to bring down one Bee.   

I have tested it with #12, #9, #8
The #8 has a decent pattern at 25 minus feet. I have killed two rats and a collard dove with the #8. Around 25 pellets.
The BB lead shot weighs 8.17 grains so the sabots will only hold 5.  The sabot and shot weighing 44.5 grains total. I load them to stay within the pellet size parameter set by Hatsan. The muzzle velocity was running around 530fps using the #8 it should be the same using lead bb shot.

[Blowpipe Sam]

Well since I got my 125 I've got the Hatsan bug.  Now I want an Edge in .22 and a 135 in .25 caliber.  I'm hoping to pick up some refurbs.  If I see a way to get another refurb 130 in .30 cal I might try this.  Please keep posting your testing and experimenting results!

[Septicdeath]

Well since I got my 125 I've got the Hatsan bug.  Now I want an Edge in .22 and a 135 in .25 caliber.  I'm hoping to pick up some refurbs.  If I see a way to get another refurb 130 in .30 cal I might try this.  Please keep posting your testing and experimenting results!

I own and love Hatsan rifles.
.22 speedfire
Edge .25
95 .22
85 sniper vortex .25
125 .22
125. 25
Torpedo 105X .25
Torpedo  150 sniper vortex .22
130QE vortex .30
135 carnivore  .30
130QE vortex mod 8mm shotgun

And I'm eyeing  135 .25 and Torpedo 150 .25

I've owned Crossman, Gamo, and other brands. Bought a Hatsan a few years ago and never looked back. You get so much more for your money. They feel like a real rifle. The fps is as advertised they test with lead pellets. All mine have been very close to the stated fps. I shoot mostly iron sights and all mine a accurate at 50 yards. Deadly under that.

You will enjoy them. I buy refurbished or if one is on sale. Haven't got a clunker yet

Here a a few

[Septicdeath]

Tested today with #8 and lead BB shot. A video will be up later.

[Septicdeath]