There are a couple different general designs. Long ones made to slide down the barrels of break action SGs (over unders, single shots, and side by sides) work pretty well. The short ones made for pump actions do work, but it's like shooting out of a snubbie. There is very little travel through rifling, if any at all. I have seem some which can be cycled through pump actions, so you could theoretically run full capacity. They could be used in an auto, but wouldn't cycle it. So one at a time with manual chambering and extraction. I've only had first hand experience with one and extracting the casing from adapter after fired was a bit of a chore. A little machining could possibly improve that.

Worth having? If you want to make a SXS or OU into a DIY combo then yes. As for pumps and autos, I suppose if the day ever comes when you have a 12ga and no 12ga ammo, but access to other ammo and no firearm to fit it then it would be better than nothing.

 

Are you talking about kind that lets you shoot pistol ammo out of shotgun?

OR

Kind that allows you to shoot different gauges out of other gauges like 20g out of 12g or 410 out of 12g?

 

I collect these unique little gadjets. While I have far more experence with inserts for rifle calibers, I do have a few shotguns inserts. I have ones that allow 410's, 20 guage shells, 357 magnums and 22 long rifles to be fired from a 12 guage. Short Lane is the manufactuer of most of these shotgun inserts. Absolute top quality with a major problem in design. The 20 guage shot very well in my model 12 and patterened well at 15 yards. However the 410 insert was for a 3" chamber and my model 12 is a 2 3/4" chambering. While it can and has been shot in my short chamber, it would not eject the long adapter without struggle. Would be better in a 3" chambered gun or break open action. The 410 shell pattered well at 15 yards also. The inserts that allowed a 357 magnum to be fired in the 12 guage again was too long for a 2 3/4" chambered PUMP gun. If I determine to use the 410 adapter or the 357 adapter on a regular basis I would simply trim @ 1/4" off both and simply used 2 1/2" 410's if I were to use it in a pump or autoloader. The problem I find with the 357 is the fact the adapter is not rifled and while I was able to keep all 5 shots inside a 6" circle at 25 yards, 2 of the bullets keyholed. I believe this could easily be corrected if these inserts were built from a large diameter rifled barel and then turned down and chambered. The 22 long rifle insert I have for a 12 guage is only 2 3/4" long and can easily cycle through a pump gun. This insert of unknown manufacture, is machined from alluminum and is rifled and IIRC all bullets hit inside a couple inches at 25 yards. I carry this insert and a mix of 22 shells everytime I go afield with my old model 12.

 

Thanks for the info 30-30R I just ordered a bunch of adapters for my 12 gauge.

 

I hate to bring up an old thread, but I just started looking into chamber adapters for my shotgun. The problem is I have a Mossberg 500. Most chamber adapters are made for break action shotguns. I have found only one set that is said to be made for pump action. They are rifled 2 3/4" adapters made by Gaugemate. I can't find any reviews of them or any evidence that anyone has ever bought them. Anyone have thoughts on them?

http://gaugemate.com/purchase/category/42-pocket-sportsman-for-pump-shotguns

 

you possibly have found the only ones claiming to work in a pump action ... I've never seen any before .....

I always question the "why" behind people's decision to spend $$$ on these adapters ,,,, there's reasons but some are poor decisions

 

if you do anything buy the long tubes not the short ones.

illini for me i have an over under. and having a tube that will let me shoot a 22 and 12ga its great. or i can put in my 30-30 tube http://www.mcace.com/

 

shotgun to a rifle/pistol caliber can be useful for some situations .... a 12g ddbl broke down in a GHB and a rifle cartridge capable adapter could be very advantageous .... but guys are spending big bucks to shoot a 20 gauge in their 12g ... just not worth the $$$$

 

I bought mine from Ace up in AK. The ads are in the SGN and BACKWOODSMAN mag. Great guy to deal with! Honest, fair, fast, no BS, reasonable prices (GUN MAG - formerly the GUN WEEK, did a "review" of a set of "shotgun to shotgun - .410 to 20ga to 12ga adapters that cost $300-$500 per set and they didn't work especially well, although you had to read the article closely to find that out) and you can get pistol, rifle or shotgun adapters in pretty much any length or cartridge (.22 in .223 - mine works great except it is a single shot, .32 ACP in any .30 cal., etc) that will work, including custom work.

 

I picked up several shot shell to pistol shell adapters as well as adapters from larger shot shells to smaller. The problem was I felt I was trying to make a silk purse out of a sows ear. I can just shoot the smaller shotgun or I can carry a pistol when carrying a shotgun. If I want a less powerful round in a rifle, I just load some cast projectiles and keep the velocity down to 1200 fps. Most of my adapters have never been used. The ones that I did try went bang when I pulled the trigger. I never felt a shotgun bead to be realistic when shooting a solid projectile.

 

I got 9 adapter(shoots several types of ammo) from shortlane adapters.
They work great.
I got a 12 ga.singehot shotgun.
I got my gun and adapters for survival hunting.
I do keep it in the home for home defence.

 

I keep meaning to order one of Maces 16 inch rifled .22 barrel inserts for my double 12, so I can have the same gun in my hands and as ready for a sitting squirrel or cottontail as a flushing Pheasant,or partridge

and I figure in SHTF (not for zombie/ skel shootouts,, I mean for ordering up lunch) It would enable me to carry a whole lot of .22LR to back up the limited amount of 12ga shot & slug shells I could carry,,...in case I could never get back to "base"