CptCurl
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| (.450 member) |
| 25/08/14 10:35 PM |
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Alexander Henry 8 bore Double Rifle.
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I just had a shooting weekend. Watson577 was here with his 8 bore A. Henry rifle. We spent all day Saturday working on loads for that beast. Here are a few videos of me shooting it (my first ever shots with an 8 bore rifle).
Right barrel:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=7dubLXF8xzc
Right barrel slow motion:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=TYuNQk7fiX0
Left barrel:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=70iWe0Ao9-I
Left barrel slow motion:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=sEKy4df386g
A right and a left at 50 yards:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=C5DfPBpXMHI
The rifle is 14-5/8” pull, which is too short for me for a hard kicker, even with the slip-on rubber pad. With each shot I got slugged in the nose with my thumb. Other than that, it’s not worse than my .500 NE Merkel. This rifle is just over 16 pounds.
The load was 9 drams (246 grains) of black powder with a 1250 grain paper patched conical bullet. This rifle uses the 3-3/4" case. It's a big cartridge!
Curl
Edited: The case length is 3-3/4". My original post said 3-1/2".
| MikeRowe |
| (.333 member) |
| 26/08/14 03:33 AM |
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Re: Alexander Henry 8 bore Double Rifle.
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That is quite some punishment you took there,Curl!
I have had the pleasure of shooting that beast with a couple of round ball loads and a mere 328 grains of black. I chose the sitting position so as not to crumple my puny frame too badly.
I believe Watson577 has a video of it somewhere. He is much more savvy with this electronic stuff than I am.
| Chasseur |
| (.375 member) |
| 26/08/14 04:19 AM |
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Re: Alexander Henry 8 bore Double Rifle.
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Damn Curly nice rifle! Hard to beat those Alex Henrys!
I got to say that looks like it kicked the snot out of you!!
| TH44 |
| (.375 member) |
| 26/08/14 08:23 AM |
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Re: Alexander Henry 8 bore Double Rifle.
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Hi Curl
My 8 bore H&H Ball gun with 10 drams BP behind a round ball (877grains) does not seem quite as harsh as that, but I shot it standing up
Certainly a good experience
Bore rifles have to be the ultimate shooting for the guys like me (and many of you) who appreciate the history behind these pre-nitro days
I would certainly have given it a go!!
TH44
| tinker |
| (.416 member) |
| 26/08/14 09:37 AM |
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Re: Alexander Henry 8 bore Double Rifle.
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Fun Stuff!
Quite a push, no..?
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CptCurl
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| (.450 member) |
| 26/08/14 10:24 AM |
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Re: Alexander Henry 8 bore Double Rifle.
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I hesitate to post videos of other people, but in this event I will do so. Here is a video of Watson577 firing the 8b rifle the same day.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=5afvX1smxgQ
Remember, he is the owner of this fine rifle and deserves all credit and praise.
Quote:
That is quite some punishment you took there,Curl!
I have had the pleasure of shooting that beast with a couple of round ball loads and a mere 328 grains of black. I chose the sitting position so as not to crumple my puny frame too badly.
I believe Watson577 has a video of it somewhere. He is much more savvy with this electronic stuff than I am.
Mike, I had the pleasure to see that video on Saturday. It seems in Indiana you guys let your shots fly while sitting on the ground behind sticks. I heard distinct giggling from grown men, including the shooter, as each of you rolled backward from the push of this rifle. Perhaps Watson577 will see this post and be bold enough to post that humorous video.
I think I would have been much more comfortable shooting from a seated position behind sticks than from a bench leaning slightly into this brute.
I hope you are doing well. I admired the incredible Forsythe mould you made for this rifle. Your talents are boundless.
Curl
| MikeRowe |
| (.333 member) |
| 26/08/14 12:10 PM |
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Re: Alexander Henry 8 bore Double Rifle.
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Thank you for the kind comments, Curl. The Forsyth mould is indeed the ultimate accessory for a big bore. I will have to do a post here so the other members can see what they look like.
The sitting position is a little more comfortable (that being a relative term) to shoot such a rifle. However, once she starts back there's no stopping.
As for the giggling, well I guess we still like to play with toys......
| Ash |
| (.400 member) |
| 26/08/14 06:07 PM |
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Re: Alexander Henry 8 bore Double Rifle.
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GREAT GOOGAMOOGA! I watched the first video and geez they come back! You handle it like a beast!
Thanks for the videos, gotta love Mr Henry's work.
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NitroX
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| (.700 member) |
| 26/08/14 07:08 PM |
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Re: Alexander Henry 8 bore Double Rifle.
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Quote:
I just had a shooting weekend. Watson577 was here with his 8 bore A. Henry rifle. We spent all day Saturday working on loads for that beast. Here are a few videos of me shooting it (my first ever shots with an 8 bore rifle).
This rifle is just over 16 pounds.
The load was 9 drams (246 grains) of black powder with a 1250 grain paper patched conical bullet. This rifle uses the 3-3/4" case. It's a big cartridge!
Curl
Good stuff mate.
What velocity does the 8-bore do? I am interested in calculating its recoil. Assuming black powder uses the same formula as nitro and I assume it does.
Edited: The case length is 3-3/4". Original post said 3-1/2".
| rigbymauser |
| (.400 member) |
| 26/08/14 09:40 PM |
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Re: Alexander Henry 8 bore Double Rifle.
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Thanks for sharing!.
These bore rifles are a class for them self. Not many really understand until they have fires one.
There are stories where such 8bores are going complete through an elephant skull..= dead elephant!.
What brand Black powder are you using?.
Is this 8bore a .835" or .875"?.
| tinker |
| (.416 member) |
| 27/08/14 01:19 AM |
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Re: Alexander Henry 8 bore Double Rifle.
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RigbyMauser the sixteen bore with hardened ball would go clean through an elephant's skull!
That 8 bore is a machine for sure.
| EDELWEISS |
| (.375 member) |
| 27/08/14 03:58 PM |
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Re: Alexander Henry 8 bore Double Rifle.
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Let see, its a gun that the bullets are measured in POUNDS--and its a SxS. Whats NOT to Like???
Once upon a time I was pretty serious about having a 4 bore made; but weighed the coolness of the gun against the number of hunts it would cost to make, and decided to choose the hunts----but I still think they are cool
| Watson577 |
| (.300 member) |
| 29/08/14 08:53 AM |
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Re: Alexander Henry 8 bore Double Rifle.
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TH44,
This rifle has a twist rate of 1:53". That has a lot to do with the amount of recoil that you see and this along with the 1250 grain bullet I think, explains the difference. With 9-drams of Goex Olde Eynesford FFg powder, the barrels are still crossing by about 5-1/2" at 50 yards so more powder will be required--probably 10 or 11 drams. I did a poor job of shooting this rifle but Curl shot it four times and produced two useable right/lefts. I don't get punished nearly as much as Curl and my shoulder wasn't even sore after shooting eight 8-dram cartridges, ten 9-dram cartridges and two 10-dram cartridges. I must be flinching or doing something else wrong though. I'm going to tame this beast eventually! If you shoot anything that kicks hard, invest in a Shooter's Friend slip-on recoil pad from Cabelas--those work very well.
- Jim
PS: I shot some grease grooved 1400 grain hollow-point bullets with 9-drams of Swiss 1-1/2 and that was positively brutal! It felt like the butt was being driven 2" deep into my shoulder and I could only stand to shoot four of those from a standing position. What you see in those videos is positively mild compared to those things!
| Watson577 |
| (.300 member) |
| 29/08/14 08:58 AM |
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Re: Alexander Henry 8 bore Double Rifle.
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NitroX,
I haven't chronographed any of these loads yet. I did chronograph a load that used 328 grains of Goex Express FFg behind a 900-grain spherical ball and those were at about 1600 ft/s at the muzzles. It was very hard on the chronograph though and it wasn't mine!
Cheers,
Jim
| Watson577 |
| (.300 member) |
| 29/08/14 09:04 AM |
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Re: Alexander Henry 8 bore Double Rifle.
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rigbymauser,
The rifling is Henry type with 11 grooves and the groove diameter is about 0.855" ahead of the chambers. The bore diameters at a point about 4.1" from the breech faces are both 0.842". The bores at the muzzles are 0.832" and 0.833".
Cheers,
Jim
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CptCurl
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| (.450 member) |
| 29/08/14 10:13 PM |
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Re: Alexander Henry 8 bore Double Rifle.
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Lots of people think the .600NE is big. Not really. here it is compared to the 8 bore cartridge we were shooting. You could slip it inside an empty 8b case!
Image supplied by Watson577.
Curl
| Igorrock |
| (.400 member) |
| 30/08/14 12:59 AM |
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Re: Alexander Henry 8 bore Double Rifle.
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I think this would be good caliber (40 mm) choice for next double rifle project....
| rigbymauser |
| (.400 member) |
| 30/08/14 01:15 AM |
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Re: Alexander Henry 8 bore Double Rifle.
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Quote:
PS: I shot some grease grooved 1400 grain hollow-point bullets with 9-drams of Swiss 1-1/2 and that was positively brutal! It felt like the butt was being driven 2" deep into my shoulder and I could only stand to shoot four of those from a standing position. What you see in those videos is positively mild compared to those things!
The Swiss 1,5F is a rocket buster.
My hardest load was a full 10dram to a 985grain bullet. Enough really. I have a 1100grain bullet I haven´t yet used.....maybe its about time.
Just think when Sir Samuel Baker mentiones 12dram loads to an eightbore....:-)
| 8X57 |
| (.300 member) |
| 12/09/14 11:58 PM |
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Re: Alexander Henry 8 bore Double Rifle.
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Interesting videos Curl. Thanks for posting.
Forgive my ignorance but I have always thought the recoil for these cannons is better handled standing?
Are you using the bench because you were working on loads and therefore need a steadier shooting position?
Regards 8 x 57
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CptCurl
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| (.450 member) |
| 13/09/14 11:10 AM |
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Re: Alexander Henry 8 bore Double Rifle.
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Quote:
Interesting videos Curl. Thanks for posting.
Forgive my ignorance but I have always thought the recoil for these cannons is better handled standing?
Are you using the bench because you were working on loads and therefore need a steadier shooting position?
Regards 8 x 57
Yes the purpose of this shooting session was to test loads in an effort to find a regulating load with this particular bullet.
Shooting a heavy rifle from a bench is never fun. Sometimes it is necessary. Remember, this is not my rifle. It belongs to Watson577. We were testing his loads.
Curl