Red thank you for the names of those people I may call them and see what they think would be a good place to start on this project. This semester we touch on spring making a little. we have to make replacement springs for an LC Smith shotgun. One of my instructors apprenticed under a guy that was sent over to England to train at Holland and Holland. I would definitely consult him and if he didn't know then I am sure the guy he apprenticed under would.
AK thanks for the info on going 45/70 on the first one. I wasn't sure exactly what caliber would be good to start with. I have some ideas on an ejector system but not sure how easily it can be done. The school library has the book you mentioned and I plan on making a copy of it if not just buy it. I dismissed the CZ based on it is make in Hungary or Turkey and have read where people have had problems with them after 1000 rounds. I do not plan on farming out any of the labor. If anything it would be an instructor that helps and i get that for free.
Spook I may give him a call and see what he has to say about it. Is he an approachable guy?
It has been done many times with success. I have a 450 NE that was converted from a JP Sauer 12 ga.. It's possibly a bit more accurate than the Searcy 450. Butch Searcy began his business building DR's on the Browning BSS action. They are still around and shooting great!
I would not ever suggest a 375H&H on any SG frame. Way too much pressure for a conversion IMO. I'd suggest the 45-70 for North America use as a first project. Keep it in mind that it can be a money pit if you need to farm out much of the labor. Good solid shooing DR's can be gotten cheaper than building them.
Before you begin get a copy of the second edition of Ellis Brown's "Building Double Rifles on Shotgun Actions" book". It'll help guide you thru the process. For your donor action make sure that you choose one with 3 bites. The CZ is actually a better one to begin with. I'm surprised you dismissed it already.
Edit to add; Another reason to skip the 375 H&H is the lack of a rim for extraction. It'd be a royal PITA to build an extractor with tiny pawls for that belted rimless case.
Another book that you should have and totally understand before regulation of your project is "Shooting the British Double Rifle" by Graeme Wright.
Thank You VD. ( some how that just doesn't sound right)
________________One of the members here, DoubleRifleJack has taken classes from Brown and might be willing to help out here also.
VD, I had to work and missed the last shoot there. But this was the first one I've ever missed, hopefully the last one missed also.
Great! I loo forward to getting a chance to meet you at one of the shoots at Birchwood or up at Cals some weekend!
I'll drop a PM tomorrow.
It was sent.