Building a 4 Bore English Rifle

[Bill Raby]

   Everyone seems to think that the idea of shooting this rifle is nuts. But the fact is that people DID use these things on a regular basis.

[Daryl]

Absolutely, they did. Francis Selous used a shortened 4 bore Dutch Fouler for a while in securing ivory for the trade.
He wrote, after switching to nitro-express rounds, that he wished he'd "never shot that accursed 4 bore. It gave me a such a flinch
I could never shake it" (or words to that effect) he added about it ruining his accuracy for life due to the flinch.
So- well, it's up to you, Bill. Selous had a "kaffir" loading it for him. 2 hands-full of powder (small hands, maybe?) & a round ball, of course.

[Bill Raby]

Here is Part 6

[Bill Raby]

   The only way to get the videos out on time every week is to work ahead a bit and have several of them saved up. That way when it takes a few weeks to get one finished or I get stuck on house projects for a while, I have some ready to go. It seemed like kind of a waste to have all these videos just stuck on the computer waiting for their turn so I decided to post them on Patreon. So now the Patreon members don't have to wait until next week for the next video. I will post them there as soon as they are done with the editing then move one over to the regular You Tube every week. All of the videos will be coming out on You Tube on the regular schedule, but the Patreon members can watch everything that is done a bit early. As of right now I am up to Part 18. It takes a few hours to upload each one so it will take a week or so to get them all up there. Right now Part 8 is already posted to Patreon and Part 9 will be on there this evening. Maybe I can get Part 10 later tonight. The rest will be coming over the next few days. I hope that you like them!

[ingramcl]

   Everyone seems to think that the idea of shooting this rifle is nuts. But the fact is that people DID use these things on a regular basis.

You are talking about a group of people in this day and age that made the .223 the most popular round in our hemisphere. That is a tic tac compared to a real gun. Our grandparents carried a 30-06 to war. Can you imagine firing 300 rounds out of an M1 garand at the advancing Japanese over the course of 12 hours? The older generations shot those guns business as usual because it is what they had. It is what they knew. Guns like this build were a status symbol. Wealthy brits would go to Africa on Safari back when they thought dinosaurs might be found there. They wanted to be prepared.

My dad did work on a 4 bore. I think it was a double rifle. He has done gunsmithing most of my life, on the side. He has also followed your builds and showed me a couple of your videos, back when I was collecting components for mine. He did a .62 caliber off the same set of plans you are using now. He is a little technologically impaired and was asking how to get in contact with you, send pictures of it. I directed him here. If he can figure out a forum, he will likely be along shortly.

Great builds and information from you Bill. I tend to binge watch your videos every few months. Keep it up!

[Daryl]

Piece of cake, except for the 4 bore. (the shooting part, not the scenario)

[Bill Raby]

Here is Part 8

[Deuce50]

Good work Bill!  Your videos are catching up to where I'm at.

[WadePatton]

I always laugh at the fear of firing a big bore because you never have to fire a full-house load.

Of course plinking with a 4oz ball is more than many folks could stand and would still take a few grains to keep the ball from landing at your feet.

 

looks like good fun to me, because I'd not be hunting with one. Unless I was on the Dark Continent.

[Bill Raby]

Good work Bill!  Your videos are catching up to where I'm at.

   I'm posting the videos on Patreon as I get them finished. Up to Part 18 on there now.

[Keithbatt]

New subscriber here for you on YouTube.  I’m slowly plodding along with a 2 Bore project. 

Keith

[Bill Raby]

New subscriber here for you on YouTube.  I’m slowly plodding along with a 2 Bore project. 

Keith

   That would have even more complications than a 4 bore! How much is that thing going to weigh?

[Keithbatt]

Not sure yet, and yes it has it’s challenges.  The width is difficult.  The breech tapers to allow the wrist to get thin enough.  All compromises.

Keith

[ingramcl]

New subscriber here for you on YouTube.  I’m slowly plodding along with a 2 Bore project. 

Keith

   That would have even more complications than a 4 bore! How much is that thing going to weigh?

Those are a couple interesting projects. In my mind, I am thinking it would be a 25 or 30lb gun. Can you imagine hiking around africa with a gun that weighs that much? haha

[Bill Raby]

The guys that owned those guns could afford to pay someone else to carry them.

[WadePatton]

The guys that owned those guns could afford to pay someone else to carry them.

Exactly, and another guy to carry a few balls and a keg of powder.

[Daryl]

Exactly, and another guy to carry a few balls and a keg of powder.

  Wade!  That's about it, I guess.

Historically, there were no 2 bores that I know of, aside from wall pieces, perhaps & the few modern made ones by Steve Z and Colin S.

[Bill Raby]

   What I saw was that there were six 2 bores made in the 19th century. One of them was referred to as being brought to Africa. It did not see anything about it actually being used for hunting. Maybe it was, maybe not. I don't see how anyone would know how many were made so who knows if that is accurate or not. I think it is safe to say that the 2 bore rifles are mostly a modern creation with only a slight basis in history.

[Daryl]

Interesting, Bill. Most people quote Samuel Baker's Baby as being a 2 bore, but that one shot a 3oz. round ball
 (according to Baker's own words in Forsyth's book), so was likely a 4 or 5 bore.

[Bill Raby]

Here is Part 9

[Bill Raby]

Here is Part 10

[Bill Raby]

Here is Part 11

[Bill Raby]

Here is Part 12

[Bill Raby]

Here is Part 13

[Coastal Plain]

I've been following your builds since you first posted the French Trade Gun videos.  As I get ready to take on my first build in the coming year, its been good to see someone go through the entire process on different styles of gun.  They have definitely given me a little bit more confidence before I dive in.