What in the name of sweet baby Jesus…AKA, seriously dude, what the heck?

[Ezra]

Has anyone here ever built the British Wall Gun as offered by the Rifle Shoppe, Inc.?  This would be item “British Wall Gun (727)”.  Yes, it’s really big (54” barrel w/1” bore). It’s finished weight is on the order of 34 pounds.  They are alleged to be quite accurate.  Did I mention these were quite large and hefty?  Please note that no bayonet is included, largely I presume, because CQB activities using said weapon were…lets just say…problematic. 
On a somewhat serious note, what specifically, were wall guns actual targets?  I mean, I get that they kill whatever they hit, but were heavily armed cavalry or long distance harassing “sniper” fire the uses of this behemoth?  If not, what were?  Always been curious about this one.


http://www.therifleshoppe.com/catalog_pages/english_arms/(727).htm

Ez

[Craig Wilcox]

Ezra, "Wall Guns" were used to defend things like castles.  They often had very long barrels, were "at least" a one-inch bore, and also had a "yoke" at the balance point.  With the long barrels, they were very accurate.

That yoke was placed in holes in the ramparts, such that the wall would take the recoil impact, instead of a man's shoulder.

George Washington had several, and it was demonstrated that they could hit a target at 600 yards - not bad for the 14th-16th centuries!

I really think that you should build one, then demonstrate it for the rest of us.

Someone who more than likely knows more than I would be Richard, aka Pukka Bundook on the forum here.  Drop him a message.

Hope that this helped you a bit.

[smart dog]

Hi Ez,
Wall guns have a long history going back to matchlock days.  They were useful for protecting fortifications and as light artillery when cannon could not be used.  During our Rev War, they were sometimes used to protect artillery in the field and were mounted on carriages like grasshopper guns.  There were rifled wheelock versions during the late 16th and 17th centuries but most were smooth bored and although they had killing power out to ranges much further than muskets, it is unlikely they were as accurate as some claims made for them at the time.    Washington requested James Hunter of Rappahannock Forge to make several rifles of 1.125" bore and those were very accurate even at ranges approaching 600 yards.  They weighed over 50 lbs.  There is an example in the West Point Museum.     

I believe Mike Brooks made a nice British wall gun from TRS parts.

dave

[Mike Brooks]

I put a 60" barrel on  one. 1 inch smoothbore. 38lbs. Thought I had a picture, I guess i don't....

[Tim Crosby]

I put a 60" barrel on  one. 1 inch smoothbore. 38lbs. Thought I had a picture, I guess i don't....

 Is this it?

  http://www.fowlingguns.com/militarygun4.html

  Tim

[WKevinD]

Mike, I think Tom Brown owns that beast, I've seen it on his mantel.
Kevin

[Reegee/Flint]

The Hessians used two of them at the battle of Cooch`s bridge on Sept. 3rd, 1777 to keep the patriots at bay.  I imagine a several ounce load of swan shot plus the additional noise had a lethal and psychological effect in the fighting.

[Rwnblack]

I built one with a buddy, it was a doozy! It came in around 40 lbs with out the carriage.  We called it the wee beastie. My buddy passed away last year and it was sold to a fellow in Nova Scotia.






3 stanza poem

[Scott Bumpus]

I have not built one, but I did shoot one and it was a blast.  Pun intended

[James Wilson Everett]

Guys,

Yes, I have built two wall guns, but not from any parts from the Rifle Shop, these were really made by me but with modern tooling.  One is at Fort Ligonier Pa. and is a British military gun that They shoot with blanks for the visitors (It makes the car alarms go off).  It is 1.12 bore - 4 bore.  The second is at Old Fort William, Thunder Bay Ontario, and is a copy of an original in their collection.  A East India Company marked gun that is 1.00 bore - 5 bore.  I don't know how an EIC wall gun came to be at a Hudson's Bay Company place - Maybe stolen?

Anyway they are great fun to shoot live, especially with 1/4 pound of 00 buckshot!







Jim

[Mike Brooks]

I put a 60" barrel on  one. 1 inch smoothbore. 38lbs. Thought I had a picture, I guess i don't....

 Is this it?

  http://www.fowlingguns.com/militarygun4.html

  Tim

Yep, that's it. The lock alone on that gun weighs 3lbs.

[Mike Brooks]

Mike, I think Tom Brown owns that beast, I've seen it on his mantel.
Kevin

I always wondered where it went. I built it for a reenactor kid from MASS that was going to the chiropractic school in Davenport. Built that kid  1/2 dozen guns before he moved back to MASS. I'm glad it found a good home with Tom.

[Craig Wilcox]

That's a good-looking gun, Mike.  With the added length, was it a difficult build?  Hard to imagine moving it around the shop.

And did you make the lock, or was it from TRS?

[Mike Brooks]

That's a good-looking gun, Mike.  With the added length, was it a difficult build?  Hard to imagine moving it around the shop.

And did you make the lock, or was it from TRS?

It gave me tendonitis in the elbow. I was working in a 21X7 shop in those days and had to run it out the door to turn it around. it's a Riffle Shoppe lock that weighs 3lbs. 9" long. Benny Coogle made the barrel.

[Reegee/Flint]

Jim,
Those are great looking Wall guns, are they smooth bore? Did you get the specifications from research or some other plans?
PM sent

[heinz]

Mr Everett, those are spectacular wall guns.  I am awed by your attention to authenticity in a weapon of that size.

[RichG]

there was one for sale on the TOW website not long ago, very cool

[Mike Brooks]

Jim,
Those are great looking Wall guns, are they smooth bore? Did you get the specifications from research or some other plans?
PM sent

Mine is a smoothbore. Many of the originals are rifled. I drew up my own plans from research and stocked it from a plank.

[Reegee/Flint]

That was some feat of gun smithing to create that bruiser. I definitely see one of those in my future, not sure if rifled or smooth bore. I know you could fire shot from a rifled bbl but I think a SB would pattern better.  Wonder how far a pattern of #4 buck would be effective and how big it would be?
I keep talking myself into one of these

[Elnathan]

Couple of more-or-less relevant links:

https://scavengeology.com/was-this-wall-gun-used-by-dick-pointer-during-the-attack-of-donnallys-fort/

https://americansocietyofarmscollectors.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/1976-B33-The-Rappahannock-Forge.pdf

[James Wilson Everett]

Guys,

The wall gun pictured was made Old Fort William, Thunder Bay, Ontario.  The museum sent to me a large batch of detailed black & white photos of their original piece, including some ruler in the photos for scale.  I had the trigger guard and buttplate cast at a shop in Derry Pa to my wood pattern.  The barrel was made from DOM structural steel tubing at a machine shop. All other parts I made (but using modern tools - not 18th century tools.

Jim

[RedRiverII]

I never heard of a wall gun until now,  nor a grasshopper gun Dave.  I quickly looked up the ammo.  What size ammo would be used in this gun?  I read in the Far East they used a Jingal with a 1.25 inch steel ball.  I imagine it was used to damage material and not troops.  What would their targets be?

[James Wilson Everett]

Guys,

I use a lead ball 1/16 inch under bore size, but the equivalent weight (1/4 pound) of 00 buckshot is more entertaining.

Jim

[little joe]

I built 1 and never agine too heavy for this lod guy 30 lb.

[James Wilson Everett]

Guys,

Here is a photo of the Fort Ligonier wall gun during a firing demonstration at the fort.  Also some screen shots of the same gun from a TV mini series "George Washington - The Forging of the Nation".  Here they are shooting at folks during the Whiskey rebellion.  During the TV series they shot a bad guy with the wall gun, he only fell down dead!  More accurately he would have been blown apart by the 4 bore ball!

Jim