OT-Real Big Bore

Ravenman · Post by **Ravenman** » Sun Feb 10, 2008 3:56 am

That's a real big bore - a double rifle 4 Bore!

rjohns94 · Post by **rjohns94** » Sun Feb 10, 2008 6:17 am

Now thats a big hole. Wonder if it is a RN or FN

Bronco · Post by **Bronco** » Sun Feb 10, 2008 6:41 am

Howdy,
I remember reading about that buff hunt. The PH stated that he has never seen a buff bleed out as quickly. After reading the NY Times through that hole I can see why

.
John

1886 · Post by **1886** » Sun Feb 10, 2008 8:24 am

Like to see a video of that dude touching that baby off. 1886.

TedH · Post by **TedH** » Sun Feb 10, 2008 9:08 am

OMG!

I can't believe the hole that thing made. Now if someone would just make that in a levergun................

Kilroy6644 · Post by **Kilroy6644** » Sun Feb 10, 2008 9:11 am

"Recoil often used to relocate shoulders thrown out by the previous shot."

Nath · Post by **Nath** » Sun Feb 10, 2008 9:22 am

Bloody hell, oops sorry.
Them morter tubes look wider than long to me

That thing must of lifted that buff of it,s feet!

Post by **Ysabel Kid** » Sun Feb 10, 2008 9:30 am

Holy guacamole!

I wonder what grain-weight that round is???

TedH · Post by **TedH** » Sun Feb 10, 2008 9:46 am

Around 2000 grains? Here's some bullets for sale on Gunbroker.

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewIt ... m=91512416

brucew44guns · Post by **brucew44guns** » Sun Feb 10, 2008 9:57 am

I guess my Guide Gun would seem like childs play compared to this thing. Imagine how much meat you might enjoy, or would there be any left?, if you shot a deer in the hind quarters with that behemoth?

Nath · Post by **Nath** » Sun Feb 10, 2008 10:17 am

I just wonder how bad it is to shoot? I can not see it being all that bad. Them slugs won't be megger quick surely! Might just be a flaming good shove instead of a good kick'n!
Nath.

FWiedner · Post by **FWiedner** » Sun Feb 10, 2008 10:28 am

OK, call me a wuss, but I just cringe at the thought of the felt recoil from such a firearm.

I'd have to have it swivel mounted on a vehicle, and crew-served.

That is a lovely wound, however.

The bullet looks like it might have been fired into the ground, or perhaps a full penetration and recovered from the ground.

Couple of videos of folks shooting 4-Bores...

http://www.poetv.com/video.php?vid=6154

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AHfzdQ8HWoI

I also read this in someones blog:

[The 4 Bore] could potentially inflict permanent nerve damage to the hunter if fired too frequently in rapid succession. The huge lead slugs created massive wounds, but frequently failed to penetrate to the vital organs of their intended game animal--the elephant. Anecdotal evidence from this period suggests that elephant, were on occasion, shot a dozen times or more during running gun battles closer to an all-out war than a hunt. The animals eventually bled to death, but managed to take the occasional hunter with them. The massive soft, lead slugs weighed 1,882 grains and had a very large frontal surface. The calibers generally ran in the .890" range, +/.010". These large slugs, traveling at a modest 1,330 fps propelled by 12 drams of black powder, generated 7,400 ft-lbs of muzzle energy and created tremendous wounds, but the bullets deformed quickly and slowed down dramatically when striking large bones. Still, it was a formidable weapon and one wonders how many failures were due to poor shot placement caused by the hunter flinching.

Rusty · Post by **Rusty** » Sun Feb 10, 2008 10:38 am

Just think, W.D.M. Bell used a 7mm.

Rusty <><

spaceman spiff · Post by **spaceman spiff** » Sun Feb 10, 2008 10:55 am

I only weigh #165. I can't imaging remaining upright after shooting that. YIKES

kimwcook · Post by **kimwcook** » Sun Feb 10, 2008 12:07 pm

Met a guy that had a 400 nitro double rifle and every year on the Fourth of July he'd touch both those bbl.'s off at the same time. He said he was gonna have to quit. He was getting too old and the nose bleed was lasting too long.

horsesoldier03 · Post by **horsesoldier03** » Sun Feb 10, 2008 12:42 pm

I would wager that more people have had their picture taken with that gun than there have been that actually shot it!

handirifle · Post by **handirifle** » Sun Feb 10, 2008 12:49 pm

Aw heck you guys are wusses. I shot a bunch of rounds through one of them when I was in the Army, but they kept calling it a grenade launcher, and it, too, was a break action

Nuthin more than a gentle push.

getitdone1 · Post by **getitdone1** » Sun Feb 10, 2008 12:53 pm

Seems odd to me they would have barrels that short on such a gun.

Would seem the trick would be to remain upright and keep gun in your hands.

I read of an old-time African hunter (Zelous?) who had a faulty 4 bore. He shot at an elephant and both barrels went off. He landed in a thorn bush and the gun went sailing over his head. Expect Capstick might have been the teller of this story.

Don McCullough

horsesoldier03 · Post by **horsesoldier03** » Sun Feb 10, 2008 1:19 pm

handirifle wrote:Aw heck you guys are wusses. I shot a bunch of rounds through one of them when I was in the Army, but they kept calling it a grenade launcher, and it, too, was a break action

Nuthin more than a gentle push.

Yep I have shot a few of those myself, however, I think the grenade launcher is at about 500 fps instead of 1800.

Sixgun · Post by **Sixgun** » Sun Feb 10, 2008 2:01 pm

That ain't nothin' Elmer Keith would call that a prairie dog gun

---------------Sixgun

RIHMFIRE · Post by **RIHMFIRE** » Sun Feb 10, 2008 2:16 pm

Thats insane

Joe Reilly · Post by **Joe Reilly** » Sun Feb 10, 2008 4:40 pm

A 4 Bore projectile should weigh the equivalent of a quarter pound. I think??

Post by **Chuck 100 yd** » Sun Feb 10, 2008 4:51 pm

That gun is just plain ugly. No class at all , not like a sweet little 20ga. or 28ga double. But, I guess what can one do with a bore that big? the gun can`t be slim and sweet.

Shasta · Post by **Shasta** » Sun Feb 10, 2008 6:01 pm

My older brother built a 2 bore flintlock muzzleloader a few years ago. It was quite a novelty and always drew a crowd when he brought it to one of our local black powder rendezvous. It was not allowed for competition (something about damaging the metal targets?), but we shot it at stumps and into creek banks just for fun.
The gun weighs just over 23 lbs. A 200 grain charge of Fg was just about right. I shot it twice with a 300 grain charge. That took the "n" out of "fun". Torque and recoil was substantial!

Unfortunately my brother suffered a heart attack and passed away last spring. I may have an opportunity to purchase the gun, but I really don't know that it would be money well spent. Beyond the novelty factor there just isn't much call for that kind of firepower!
Here's a couple pictures of my brother with the gun.

Shasta

Timothy · Post by **Timothy** » Sun Feb 10, 2008 8:39 pm

Great story

jbm1968 · Post by **jbm1968** » Sun Feb 10, 2008 8:48 pm

The expanded hunk of lead is amazing, I was studying the pictures trying to figure out if it was a photoshop effort looking at the wrist of the stock, I guess it is real and amazing! I would decline to even try it and I used to be a 13B Field Arty type shooting 98lb HE rounds, but they were off of a many ton SP M109A3. That takes a real man! I would have to take my chance with my .458 Win Mag but could not, even close, equal the "cool" factor of a 4 bore!!!

Texican · Post by **Texican** » Mon Feb 11, 2008 2:55 pm

FWiedner wrote:OK, call me a wuss, but I just cringe at the thought of the felt recoil from such a firearm.

I'd have to have it swivel mounted on a vehicle, and crew-served.

OK...wuss. Cut-down Mad Max-style, it would make for a dandy hideout

(Sorry, couldn't help it.

) I doubt I'd touch it off either. Noticing the sling that porter had to carry it - perhaps the weight would tame it somewhat. Like getting hit by pro linebacker while wearing pads instead of without. Maybe, if on safari you could pay the porter to shoot it also

deerwhacker444 · Post by **deerwhacker444** » Mon Feb 11, 2008 3:03 pm

Where do you light the fuse on that thing?

Nath · Post by **Nath** » Mon Feb 11, 2008 3:18 pm

Just to be a smart @$$ it is 4 gauge not bore

20cows · Post by **20cows** » Mon Feb 11, 2008 11:01 pm

I have a 7 gauge. The barrel weighs forty pounds. It sits on a field artillery carriage mount. Yeah, it's a model canon.

With the way that thing rolls back at recoil, I cold not imagine shooting a 4 gauge from the shoulder.

bj94 · Post by **bj94** » Tue Feb 12, 2008 9:41 pm

I don't remember the details but it seems that some adventurers (without experience in Africa) went to Africa and one of them decided to shoot a Buff. He had a muzzle loader that threw a big chunk of lead, he got close to a buff and put a big hole in the buff's shoulder. The buff stood there looking at him, with the big hole plainly visible, and decided to chase the human and stomp him into the ground. So the adventurer is running away from the buff and all the time trying to dig out another big lead slug from his pocket and reload. So apparently some of the big guys are somewhat immune to big holes, at least the first one.

BAGTIC · Post by **BAGTIC** » Wed Feb 13, 2008 10:37 am

Rusty wrote:Just think, W.D.M. Bell used a 7mm.

Rusty <><

Bell began his exploits with a 6.5mm Mannlicher. Before he died he said that if he were starting over he would probably use the .308. I suspect it was not due to any advantage of the caliber but because of the commonness and availability of ammo. Bell himself proved that the size of the gun is not what determines success/failure.

handirifle · Post by **handirifle** » Wed Mar 26, 2008 10:18 am

horsesoldier03 wrote:
handirifle wrote:Aw heck you guys are wusses. I shot a bunch of rounds through one of them when I was in the Army, but they kept calling it a grenade launcher, and it, too, was a break action

Nuthin more than a gentle push.
Yep I have shot a few of those myself, however, I think the grenade launcher is at about 500 fps instead of 1800.

nuthin but number my friend, nuthin but numbers

GANJIRO · Post by **GANJIRO** » Wed Mar 26, 2008 11:53 am

Here one of my favorite 4 bore videos...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ElmlIyOt ... re=related

Ravenman · Post by **Ravenman** » Wed Mar 26, 2008 12:48 pm

Ganjiro, cool link!
Here an other double impact movie. 700 NE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H00gshZW9Po&NR=1

Ravenman · Post by **Ravenman** » Wed Mar 26, 2008 12:55 pm

Never forget the 458 Winchester Magnum - Oldie but goldie

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f9B5bfzxAJg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_DuMGcMbLI

Old Ironsights · Post by **Old Ironsights** » Wed Mar 26, 2008 1:17 pm

Somewhere out there is a video of a couple of guys firing off a 4 bore wall gun. It's pretty cool.

I for one would love to try shooting either that 2 or the 4... after my Medical deductable was paid up of course...

OT-Real Big Bore

OT-Real Big Bore

misc

I remember something like this in one of Capstick's books