Author Topic: Building a 4 Bore English Rifle (Read 23766 times)

Bill Raby · « **Reply #100 on:** January 08, 2021, 03:35:59 PM »

Here is Part 37

Sand Watcher · « **Reply #101 on:** January 09, 2021, 10:08:13 PM »

Thank you for making this video series, Bill! It’s probably the best-documented custom build I’ve ever seen.

I came across this a little while ago, and have been watching your posts out of order. So, maybe I’ve missed it, or haven’t gotten there yet, but what is the twist of the barrel, and where did you get it? ...or more specifically, where can I get one?

I once built a little 4-gauge smoothbore from Rayl that I plink around with quite a bit, but I’d love to make one with rifling.

Bill Raby · « **Reply #102 on:** January 10, 2021, 03:50:30 AM »

Its 104 inch twist. I got it from Oregon Barrel.

Sand Watcher · « **Reply #103 on:** January 14, 2021, 02:08:13 AM »

Thank you, Bill! I just placed an order, after talking with Suzy yesterday. They seem pretty good to work with. She did say to expect a 9-month turnaround due to production limitations. I wound up asking for a 32 inch. It will be interesting to see whether those extra few inches affect practicality or performance.

Daryl · « **Reply #104 on:** January 14, 2021, 02:34:45 AM »

Sandwatcher - interesting you got the longer barrel. Forsyth noted the larger bored guns did quite
well with 24" to 26" bls. but he was talking double rifles.

Sand Watcher · « **Reply #105 on:** January 14, 2021, 03:50:01 AM »

Was Forsyth saying that the shorter barrel was perfectly adequate for his needs, or that a longer barrel would be a detriment?

In a pinch I could always shorten it, but I got the longer barrel for a couple of reasons. One is to eventually add more data points to the limited body of knowledge surrounding this class of guns. Another is to avoid issues I have with my 20” 4-gauge, which are twofold... For one, the barrel (at 6-7 lbs) is too light, meaning excessive recoil. Secondly, it’s too short to get high muzzle velocities (and maybe to some extent accuracy).

Bill Raby · « **Reply #106 on:** January 14, 2021, 05:19:18 AM »

I got a 29 inch barrel. I think 32 inch would be fine. These barrels are pretty heavy. Mine is a bit over 12 pounds. My only complaint is that the gun has a lot of weight on the muzzle. I suppose there is not much way around that. Barrel is 1 3/4 inch at breech tapering to 1 1/2 inch at muzzle. If I were to get another I think I would go for 1 7/8 inch at breech and 1 1/2 inch at muzzle. A little more weight on the breech end would be nice. But that would complicate things a bit more than they already are. I have gotten a few people offering me enormous amounts of money for the next one I build so I will probably do one more sometime and let them fight over it.

This one is a bit of a challenge, but all is going well so far. There is a good amount of stuff that I had to figure out as I go. Good part is that all the videos will on You Tube by the time you get a barrel. Maybe there will be a few things in there to help you out.

Sand Watcher · « **Reply #107 on:** January 14, 2021, 07:19:56 AM »

Yes, I think your video series will be an important reference when I get around to doing my build. I’ve been wanting something like this for a while, but thought it would too hard/expensive to have a barrel made for it. What I will probably do when I get the barrel is drive it over to ToW (I live fairly close) and rummage through their locks to find one that fits easily. With the patent breech, I’m going to need to be a little more careful about where the vent lands.

If you are concerned about balance, maybe you could bed some lead slugs or a mercury filled tube into the stock (kind of like shotgunners do)? You’d have to find a way to do it without compromising the strength too much, or your sense of PC. That would also help absorb a little bit of recoil.

Fortunately, with a PRB, the heaviest projectile you’ll be shooting will probably be only 3.3 ounces. Maybe 3.2 ounces with a thick patch (plus the weight of the powder).

Bill Raby · « **Reply #108 on:** January 15, 2021, 03:00:09 PM »

Here is Part 38

Bill Raby · « **Reply #109 on:** January 22, 2021, 06:58:30 PM »

Here is Part 39

Sand Watcher · « **Reply #110 on:** January 23, 2021, 09:45:50 PM »

Bill, have you worked out your patch/ball combination for this gun yet? I have a casting setup for making .981 caliber round balls. If you want to see how that size performs before getting your own custom mold, PM me an address and I’ll ship some to you.

Bill Raby · « **Reply #111 on:** January 24, 2021, 07:20:56 AM »

I already have a mold for .975 balls. That seems to work pretty good. Of course I have not fired yet so I am not sure what patch thickness I will settle on. Looking for something that will be easy to load. These things are meant for shooting very large targets at very short ranges and I doubt it will ever be fired from a bench so accuracy is not much of a concern.

Bill Raby · « **Reply #112 on:** January 29, 2021, 03:51:01 PM »

Here is Part 40

Bill Raby · « **Reply #113 on:** February 05, 2021, 05:38:55 PM »

Here is Part 41

Bill Raby · « **Reply #114 on:** February 12, 2021, 06:34:45 PM »

Here is Part 42

Bill Raby · « **Reply #115 on:** February 19, 2021, 07:15:39 PM »

Here is Part 43

Bill Raby · « **Reply #116 on:** February 26, 2021, 07:41:10 PM »

Here is Part 44

Bill Raby · « **Reply #117 on:** March 05, 2021, 06:36:14 PM »

Here is Part 45

Bill Raby · « **Reply #118 on:** March 12, 2021, 08:19:04 PM »

Here is Part 46

Bill Raby · « **Reply #119 on:** March 19, 2021, 05:25:33 PM »

Here is Part 47

Bill Raby · « **Reply #120 on:** March 26, 2021, 04:51:54 PM »

Here is Part 48

Bill Raby · « **Reply #121 on:** April 02, 2021, 05:44:52 PM »

Here is Part 49

Ron53 · « **Reply #122 on:** April 05, 2021, 11:22:26 PM »

Before my Dad passed away, he always set up as a vendor at the NMLRA shoots at Friendship. I believe it was in 2007, I was visiting, and a friend of his (cannot remember the name!) had built a 4-bore wall gun replica...flintlock, of course. It weighed 27 pounds, if I remember correctly. I was offered the opportunity to shoot it, which I readily accepted! I got to fire 2 rounds downrange, on the long range at Friendship. On the second, with a charge of 500gr. Fg, I hit the 500 yard target. It rang like a bell! I was resting the rifle over an upturned pallet, while sitting on a log, to shoot it. I still have the photos taken of that somewhere. I need to go looking and find them! The recoil was a little heavy, but 27 pounds of rifle absorbs a lot to it! I found it a lot of fun to shoot.
Ron

Bill Raby · « **Reply #123 on:** April 06, 2021, 01:04:42 AM »

This one is about 17 to 18 pounds.

Ron53 · « **Reply #124 on:** April 06, 2021, 05:46:09 AM »

The recoil will be "interesting", I'm sure! But I sure would jump at a chance to shoot it!
Ron

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Author Topic: Building a 4 Bore English Rifle (Read 23766 times)