Will a 20 ga BT work on 16 ga barrels

[Gary Laudermilch]

I have a 26" 20 splinter and a 28" 20 beavertail. The beavertail will not fit the 26" gun. It would take wood removal to make it do so and then I'm not sure how the hardware lockup would be.

[Dean Romig]

Gary, that's very surprising, but I don't doubt your word. I would expect that two 20 gauge barrel sets would be contoured identically, regardless of length.

I had a 20 gauge with 26" barrels and 28" barrels and shared one beavertail forend between them. The fit was perfect on both barrel sets.





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[Gary Laudermilch]

Dean, it is close but the rear thin part that wraps around the barrel makes contact before it is past center. Since it is so thin at that point I would be hesitant to force it. I don't really have any desire to make the switch. I was just giving it a try after reading this initial post.

[Dean Romig]

Nope, I wouldn't force it. Too much at stake.






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[B. Dudley]

I have had to repair a few repro small bore btfes where the paper thin sides have been broken off from one thing or another. It is not hard to break them since they are so thin.

[esetter - Gerry Addison]

I added a set of Galazan 16 gauge barrels to my 20 gauge repro which had a beavertail. Had Galazan's smiths fit the barrels and they had to open the barrel channel in the wood "just slightly" according to them to accommodate the 16Ga barrels.