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Shooting & Reloading - Mausers, Big Bores and others >> Shotguns
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Anonymous
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Very large shotguns - present and past.
      #115371 - 24/09/08 02:48 PM

Hi! I'm new here, and it appears that I've found the place to find folks who might know a thing or two about some size-large guns. So, about shotguns, I'm aware that there are .410's, 28 gauge, 20 gauge, 16 gauge, 12 gauge, and 10 gauge shotguns that have been built over the years, but what about other sizes? I'm sure there are probably more that I'm missing. Has there ever been anything larger than 10 gauge? I mean, besides very expensive custom-built guns. On the other hand, it would be great just to see pictures or hear anything about some of these very large guns, even if they are really expensive, and I'll never own one. But back to the 10 gauge guns..... are there any reasonably affordable ones still being built today? Where might I find one?

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tinker
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Reged: 12/03/05
Posts: 4835
Loc: Nevada
Re: Very large shotguns - present and past. [Re: ]
      #115376 - 24/09/08 04:06 PM

Hello and welcome to the site!

A look at your other two posts shows you were there to help one of our fellow members while he was in the hospital -- big thanks to you for the sacrifices you make sticking to your vocation. The emergency services are tough and at times thankless jobs.
Keep up the good work.

On big shotguns, there's been everything from .22 rimfire on up to light artillery sized bores.

When one speaks of shotguns in terms of 'gauge' or 'bore' (synonymous), the number (as in 16 for 16gauge/16ga/16bore/16b) refers to the size of a ball of lead, one sixteenth of a pound (an ounce) 12ga = 1/12 pound, 10ga = 1/10 pound etc, whose diameter would be the bore diameter of the gun or rifle.

The large 'bore guns' were for the most part as 'market guns' by commercial bird hunters who'd take large numbers of birds per bag to sell to the local market.
You'll also see 'bore rifles' of similar relative size.
The larger bore rifles were the big dangerous game rifles of choice before the high velocity 'express rifles' came into vogue in the late 19th century.

Tour around this site for a while, look through the Big Bore rifles section and the Paradox and Bore Rifles section (seen via the Main Menu), also use the search tool to run some searches specific to your quest.
There's acres and acres of information here, much of it first hand experience of our members' own guns and rifles, handling them - loading for them - and hunting with them.

Also you'll see that there are modern builders putting out modern and vintage-period examples of these large guns and rifles.
One particular member, SZIHN, builds absolutely beautiful replicas of 19th century high grade sporting arms - do a search for him and you'll see some very nice pieces. The prices are definitely reasonable -- much more than a Mossberg, but definitely worth the price. He's even made some very ornate and beautiful Blunderbusses!!


I hope you enjoy the time you spend here.
Also, I hope you find your way into the right large bore shotgun or bore rifle to suit your interest.




--Tinker

--------------------
--Self-Appointed Colonel, DRSS--



"It IS a dangerous game, and so named for a reason, and you can't play from the keyboard. " --Some Old Texan...

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Tatume
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Reged: 09/06/07
Posts: 1091
Loc: Gloucester, Va USA
Re: Very large shotguns - present and past. [Re: tinker]
      #115399 - 24/09/08 10:27 PM

Guns larger than 10 ga are generally forbidden for sport hunting in the U.S. At one time larger (much larger) shotguns were in use. Called "punt" guns, market hunters used them for ducks and goose. They were often mounted on a pedistal in the boat, though sometimes a hay bale was used between the shooter and the gun.

My best friend when I was a child was an old man, Captain Mex, who told me tales of hunting when he was young. Mr. Hogge (to us children) spoke of firing the gun at first light, and gathering ducks until lunch. Although the stories are interesting, they are also sad, as market hunters almost drove many species to extinction, and did some.

The Virginia Dept. of Game and Inland Fisheries has a nice collection of punt guns in their HQ in Richmond. It is rumored that a few are still hunting on the Eastern Shore of Chesapeake Bay, in Virginia and Maryland.

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Birdhunter50
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Reged: 03/06/07
Posts: 815
Loc: Iowa,U.S.A.
Re: Very large shotguns - present and past. [Re: ]
      #115406 - 24/09/08 11:07 PM

If you want to read a good book on the subject of waterfowling and the use of huge punt guns, pick up a copy of "Chesapeake" by James A. Michener. It is one book that is very much worth reading.

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9.3x57
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Reged: 22/04/07
Posts: 5521
Loc: United States
Re: Very large shotguns - present and past. [Re: Tatume]
      #115432 - 25/09/08 04:27 AM

Quote:

It is rumored that a few are still hunting on the Eastern Shore of Chesapeake Bay, in Virginia and Maryland.



And, of course, no doubt stoked with lead shot, naturally...

--------------------
What are the Rosary, the Cross or the Crucifix other than tools to help maintain the fortress of our faith in Jesus Christ, the Son of God?

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Yogi000
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Reged: 02/03/06
Posts: 265
Loc: New York, USA
Re: Very large shotguns - present and past. [Re: 9.3x57]
      #119447 - 25/11/08 05:16 AM

I also am intrigued by large bore guns.

I have had 10 gauges and recently I built my own four bore (4 gauge) Blunderbuss. That has a bit over 1 inch in diameter bore. A 12 gauge bore diameter is about .729 inches to give you some appreciation for how large this bore is.

The round ball it shoots weighs over a quarter pound. (over 1500 grains)

I also shoot four ounces of #8 shot in it, and although I have not counted them, the tables tell me that should mean about 1600 pellets... per load...

There are A gauge which is 2 inches in diameter, 1 and 1/2 gauge which is 1.459", 2 gauge which is 1.325" and 3 gauge which is 1.158".

Between the 4 gauge and 10 gauge there is the 8 gauge which is .835" diameter.

My favorite gauge is 12 gauge. So versatile and you can load it up or down to suit virtually any need. But I also am fascinated by any that are larger and have settled on the 4 gauge for my big boy. It is a hoot to shoot. I have loaded it with 160 grains of 2F black powder under 4 ounces of shot and it has a commanding communication to the shooter.

And, I would NOT want to be on the receiving end.

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DarylS
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Reged: 10/08/05
Posts: 26992
Loc: Beautiful British Columbia, Ca...
Re: Very large shotguns - present and past. [Re: Yogi000]
      #119471 - 25/11/08 12:36 PM

You could always use #9 shot- at about 538 per ounce = 2,152 pellets.

--------------------
Daryl


"a gun without hammers is like a Spaniel without ears" King George V

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Yogi000
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Reged: 02/03/06
Posts: 265
Loc: New York, USA
Re: Very large shotguns - present and past. [Re: DarylS]
      #119512 - 26/11/08 07:14 AM

2152 pellets, eh? I would say that would make a heck of self defence gun at point blank range. I let my mind grasp the image---somewhat like the Coyote or Bunny cartoons of old: blowed to smithereens!

Yet one set up I want some day is a double barrel side by side in 10 gauge with 18-19 inch barrels with rifle sights and with a modern high grade recoil pad. Regulate it to 30 yards. Loaded with slugs or 00 shot it could make a heck of a stopper gun or load it light but with plenty of shot in it to make for great general entertainment.

There is something about those massive shotgun muzzles that just makes sense for expanding one's options.

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windy
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Reged: 19/07/08
Posts: 17
Loc: Wet side of Washington State, ...
Re: Very large shotguns - present and past. [Re: Yogi000]
      #130750 - 29/03/09 02:42 PM

When I was a kid, my cousin married a big ol' backwoodsy logger from the Clearwater country in Idaho. Leroy hunted with an 8-gauge double,for which he had brass shells he reloaded. (Leroy was a real "use enough gun" man; he left my cousin alone one logging season in a cabin on the Middle Fork with two babies; she had to shoot a black bear in her kitchen with Leroy's .405 Winchester--and her not 100 pounds, dripping wet!) My other cousin packed a lever-action 10-gauge Winchester when they hunted together. Those days are 50 years gone, but I remember the bags of ducks and quail--yes, even quail--that they brought home sometimes. For the past fifteen years or so I've hunted all my ducks with a reproduction Pedersoli 10-gauge muzzleloader, and it's been great fun; I probably don't kill as many as I once did with modern shells, but they taste better. I won't publish my loads online(they're a bit hefty) but I will say I can get about the same results with steel shot as a modern 2-3/4" 12-gauge; i.e. 1-1/8 oz. of steel at 1275 ft/sec. Punt guns are still legal in the British Isles; look for an article in Gray's Sporting Journal about five years ago. Every major gun show'll have at least one 10-gauge, 3-1/2" double, often for less than $500.00, so you're not out of luck; keep looking!
Mind yer topknot! windy

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mehulkamdar
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Reged: 09/01/04
Posts: 3688
Loc: State of Ill-Annoy USA.
Re: Very large shotguns - present and past. [Re: ]
      #131266 - 03/04/09 03:44 AM

AFAIK Britain still allows the use of shotguns of upto 2" caliber if you have them built with barrels that are at least 24" long.

Maybe some of our British members can elaborate.

Good hunting!

--------------------
The Ark was made by amateurs. Experts built the Titanic.

Mehul Kamdar

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