Rifle/shotgun combination and conversion method

1. A rifle/shotgun combination firearm comprising:

a shotgun receiver portion;

a lower receiver portion extending rearwardly from the shotgun receiver;

a rifle trigger assembly carried in the lower receiver portion and actuated by a rifle trigger coupled thereto, the rifle trigger having a finger grip extending below the lower receiver portion;

a shotgun trigger assembly carried by the shotgun receiver portion and actuated by a shotgun trigger pivotally carried on a transversely oriented pivot pin in the lower receiver portion, the shotgun trigger having a finger grip extending below the lower receiver portion forward of and adjacent to the rifle trigger;

a shotgun trigger transfer bar coupling the shotgun trigger assembly to the shotgun trigger; and

wherein the rifle trigger assembly further includes a sear member pivotally mounted within the lower receiver for movement between an engaged position and a disengaged position, and a link member pivotally mounted within the lower receiver and pivotally coupled between the rifle trigger and the sear member, the link member displacing the rifle trigger rearwardly, so as to provide a space between the shotgun trigger and the rifle trigger.

2. A rifle/shotgun combination firearm as claimed in claim 1 wherein the shotgun trigger assembly further includes:

a cam member pivotally mounted within the shotgun receiver portion for movement between a fire position and a cocked position, the cam member coupled to the shotgun trigger transfer bar;

a sear member pivotally mounted within the shotgun receiver portion and movable between a disengaged position and an engaged position; and

an elongated connector member coupled between the cam member and the sear member.

3. A rifle/shotgun combination firearm as claimed in claim 2 further comprising a shotgun hammer mounted in the shotgun receiver portion for rotation between a forward position and a rearward position, the hammer biased into the forward position by a torsion spring, and held in the rearward position by engagement of the sear member.

4. A rifle/shotgun combination firearm as claimed in claim 1 further including a rifle hammer mounted on the transversely oriented pivot pin in the lower receiver portion for rotation between a forward position and a rearward position.

5. A rifle/shotgun combination firearm as claimed in claim 1 wherein the receiver is formed as a single piece.