2 Bore Rifles

[Bill Raby]

   I have always loved the old big bore rifles. Just curious to see if anyone knows anything about the history of the 2 bore rifles. Not commercial fowling guns, but rifles. From what I have found, it looks like there was only 6 of them built in the 19th century. Don't know how accurate that is. I have never seen any written account of one used for hunting, or even being fired. I am just wondering if these things actually have any history behind them. Did anyone use these for anything, or was it just something some rich guy got to show off to his buddies and never shoot?

[Pukka Bundook]

Bill,
No clue myself, but we don't hear much about them.
I think that from a practical standpoint, a four bore is about all the average person can handle,  As you know, a ball that size and decent powder charge creates terrific recoil.
Double it, and you need to be a cross between Herculese and Atlas to actually fire it.
Yes, Wall guns came in that size, but were just that, Great heavy wall guns, not hunting arms.
Besides, a four bore will knock anything there is down, so we don't need a two bore.
Anything firing 8 ounces of lead is going to kick even at moderate velocity!
Many more duck guns in 2-bore, used as bumpers from the sea wall or whatever, fired from a rest, or as small punt guns.

Best,
Richard,

[Daryl]

Ditto. I've not seen anything in print about 2bore rifles of the 19th century, only 20th Cen.

[Bill Raby]

   There is almost no information about them. I have seen references to them being made, but not being used. I have never even seen a picture of one. There may have been one used by whalers, or maybe not. It is not clear. Just wondering if there is anything know about them that I have not come across.

[Seth Isaacson]

This one technically measured between 2 and 3 bore:
https://www.rockislandauction.com/detail/4094/274/w-parker-patent-marked-2-bore-flintlock-dangerous-game-rifle

[Daryl]

What is amazing, is that it had 4 or 5 leaves on the rear sight.
It is a beast.
The "service" load for a 4 bore of 12 drams (327gr) produced enough over 200 pounds of recoil, that it broke W.W. GREENER's  recoil machine. Max load was said to be 16drams(438gr.)
That's only a 4 bore, shooting a MUCH lighter, 1,500gr. Ball. A 2 bore would be shooting a ball of about 3,000gr. A boresized 2bore ball will weight 1/2 of 7,000gr.= 3,500gr. No thanks - too much - WAY TOO MUCH fun.

[Daryl]

Our oun Steve Z. Built a 2 bore percussion rifle for a now deceased big man "Big Dog" (RIP ) from the Nitro Express Forum, many years ago.
In my home computer, I have the pictures of him shooting it.
Beast of a gun. Beast of a man.

[bigsmoke]

When we were making big bore muzzleloaders, we got requests for a 2 bore.  We never went any further than saying no.

With all that being said, I believe that Joe Williams Oregon Barrel Works did in fact make a few barrels and at least one rifle.  This would have been over 20 years ago.  I have no idea what ever happened to that rifle or if it was ever shot, but I had the joy of looking down the bore all weekend at a gunshow in Washington.

I did shoot a 3 bore with a slightly elongated projectile that weighed about 3,500 grains.   With only 200 grains of Fg powder, it was nothing pleasant to shoot.

The 4 bore rifles we made used an easy loading .980 ball that weighed about 1,450 grains and we shot it with a charge of 400 grains of Fg powder.  The recoil wasn't too bad, especially if you had masochistic tendencies.  About like being punched in the shoulder by a big man.  I shudder to think about a person ever shooting it off a bench.  Something would have to give.

I agree with the thoughts about the 4 bore.  There are lots of written documentaries about the elephant hunters of the 19th century using them.  Anything bigger would have just been ridiculous and doubtfully ever used.  Read items from Baker and Finaughty - good stories there.
John - Bigsmoke

[Bill Raby]

What is amazing, is that it had 4 or 5 leaves on the rear sight.
It is a beast.
The "service" load for a 4 bore of 12 drams (327gr) produced enough over 200 pounds of recoil, that it broke W.W. GREENER's  recoil machine. Max load was said to be 16drams(438gr.)
That's only a 4 bore, shooting a MUCH lighter, 1,500gr. Ball. A 2 bore would be shooting a ball of about 3,000gr. A boresized 2bore ball will weight 1/2 of 7,000gr.= 3,500gr. No thanks - too much - WAY TOO MUCH fun.

I shoot 4 bore frequently with 450 grain powder charge. The old time elephant hunters were known to go up to about 550 grains. At 450 grains the recoil is enormous, but manageable. 500 grain powder charge gets to be a bit much. It is getting up around 400 pounds of recoil there.

This is the first time I have ever seen a photo of an original 2 bore rifle. And it's a flintlock! Didn't realize any of those were even made. Description says it appears to have never been fired. I know a few of them were made. Just wondering if one was ever actually used.