4 inch shotgun shells
- Thread starter bearslayer56
- Start date
I’m not totally sure but I don’t think modern shotgun chambers are built take shells larger than 3.5 inch.
You can certainly load up 3.5 inch shells to be teeth rattling loads. I’ve loaded even my 3” shells (don’t have a 3.5 shotgun) with some extremely powerful slug loads that I would feel comfortable with any bear I came across. The key as always would be how quickly and accurately you could put a round on target, you have very little time and unless you are very practiced and proficient with powerful loads it doesn’t matter how big the shotgun shell is.
You can certainly load up 3.5 inch shells to be teeth rattling loads. I’ve loaded even my 3” shells (don’t have a 3.5 shotgun) with some extremely powerful slug loads that I would feel comfortable with any bear I came across. The key as always would be how quickly and accurately you could put a round on target, you have very little time and unless you are very practiced and proficient with powerful loads it doesn’t matter how big the shotgun shell is.
Prob because the ACTION size needed and Cost to produce and it would not be all that popular and because AMMO would be Very expensive! JMO RJ
Because that would result in a very LONG horizontal shot column, which would create a long stream on flying gamebirds.
stripperclipper
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Middle East Alberta
Why isn't toilet paper twice as wide?
Technically, some 8 and 4 gauge shotshells were 4" in length, but improvements in choked barrels, loading components, smokeless powder, wads, etc. made the larger bores unnecessary. Smaller, lighter and less costly actions with smaller, more efficient shells saw the end of the "big bores".
- Location
- Blaster land, Okanagan BC
Buy a 10g
Why doesn't it come pre-soiled????
I wish it'd come in narrower widths. For my half-azzed friends!
The Aguila Minishells and the Federal Shorty Shells are 1 3/4" in length. I enjoyed running these for the short period I used them - less frequent ammo loading is always a good thing.
Interestingly enough, last night before bed a buddy and I were discussing shotgun recoil. A 10 gauge, 3 1/2" shell would give out 63 foot pounds of recoil energy. I can't even imagine what a 4" shell would produce. I would suspect the price would be very cost prohibitive, but even then, I can't imagine enough of a customer based demand to want something like that.
Brassman66
CGN frequent flyer
Why stop at 4 ?
Cheers
Cheers
Licensed to kill
CGN Regular
- Location
- Peace Country Alberta
Shoot a muzzleloader and build the column as long as you like.
Brassman66
CGN frequent flyer
You can "downsize" to pretty well any length you want if you reload and plan to shoot them out of a Break Action Shotgun.
Cheers
- Location
- Western Manitoba
Pretty much this - for the scenario that the OP proposes, you will get one shot - at that level of recoil, 90% of shooters will need several seconds to figure out which way is up (probably will have symptoms of brain concussion, cut and/or broken fingers on shooting hand, etc.), and situation will be over and done with by then. Can read of late 1800's elephant poacher guys - 4 gauge round ball (1,750 grain) Black Powder - would knock them to the ground, or knock them out of horse saddle when fired - likely helpful to see under or around the cloud of gun smoke that the thing would have produced - as if there was anything the shooter could do about it, if he missed with that shot.
The Recollections of William Finaughty, Elephant Hunter, 1864-1875: Elephant Hunter 1864-1875 by William Finaughty
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