My 4 Bore shotgun

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Marmite

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Hello

Recently I fetched my 4 Bore home to Norway from the UK. It was made by Giffiths in about 1860,its a true monster of a gun.

So far I have fired it a few times with 4 ounces of #2 shot over 180grain FF .Its a killer at both ends.

My buddy and I are once again talking about an Onrario Bear hunt over bait. I was wondering if this gun might be a rational choice with four ounces of Buckshot? As I understand the range over bait is generally 20 yards or so?
 

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That thing looks like fun. I don’t see why 1/4 pound of 00 wouldn’t work for anything at the appropriate range. I’m not familiar with the hunting regulations in Ontario but would that be legal there? I know Alberta specifically prohibits anything bigger than 10 gauge for any hunting. There is also the federal bore diameter limit to consider for bringing it into country, although being antique may exempt it there?
 
Would it work yes but i would up the powder charge personally. I have a 4 Bore cartridge gun it's 4 oz load is over 12 drams or about 330grains of 2F powder or 3 oz to 9 drams or about 250 grains. These loads I have shot and can say will have the power at 100 yards but I don't know what your gun is proofed for could be for less charge then mine since mine was modified in 1895 to be a cartridge gun.
 
EthanisAwsome said:
Would it work yes but i would up the powder charge personally. I have a 4 Bore cartridge gun it's 4 oz load is over 12 drams or about 330grains of 2F powder or 3 oz to 9 drams or about 250 grains. These loads I have shot and can say will have the power at 100 yards but I don't know what your gun is proofed for could be for less charge then mine since mine was modified in 1895 to be a cartridge gun.
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I won't be shooting at anything at 100 yards.

The proof will be the penetrative effects of my chosen load at my intended hunting distance ( 20 yards).

If the shot does not penetrate as desired with the load ,then I will consider increasing the charge.
 
257hunter said:
That thing looks like fun. I don’t see why 1/4 pound of 00 wouldn’t work for anything at the appropriate range. I’m not familiar with the hunting regulations in Ontario but would that be legal there? I know Alberta specifically prohibits anything bigger than 10 gauge for any hunting. There is also the federal bore diameter limit to consider for bringing it into country, although being antique may exempt it there?
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According to the Ontario Hunting regulations I found,yes it would be legal.
 
Marmite said:
I won't be shooting at anything at 100 yards.

The proof will be the penetrative effects of my chosen load at my intended hunting distance ( 20 yards).

If the shot does not penetrate as desired with the load ,then I will consider increasing the charge.
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I understand, I typically don't shoot at animals at 100 yards with my 4 Bore it was the only comparison I had that would make regular.

When I said proofed it has nothing to do with penetration on target or how effective it is, It has to do with the barrel passing a standardized test load at a proof house and passing. Typically with British guns the proof mark would be under the barrel of a crown over something to determine where it was proofed and kinda of when. Unfortunately for muzzle loaders I haven't found what the those loads would have been since the records were not kept for "custom" sporting arms it was generally done at 2.5 operating load of what the maker said the "regular" load was and true standardization didn't start until the common use of cartridges and the loads in them that were worth recording.

I think my closet gun to your 4 Bore would be my 5 Bore also muzzle loader I have used for hunting, I was also actually working on a a buckshot loads for both my big guns. The 5 Bore uses 200gr ff and 24 pellets of 000 and for the 4 Bore 28 pellets of the same shot and 270 to 300gr ff. I haven't had any success this year for big game to be able to give any "conclusive" evidence of effectiveness but plywood and paper have been made very dead.

I hope you find a load that works for you and that wonderful gun and good luck on the bear hunt.
 
A number of us were able to handle WR1894's Greener 4bore double barrel cartridge gun at the Upper Canada Double Gun Classic a couple of years ago. It was voted best gun in show. Would love to fire yours but not from a treestand I don't think.
 
I would think a round ball with a mangeable load is all you would need for a bear at 20 to 30 yards, Not sure you would want to be in a tree stand with this gun. What bore is your gun most shotguns would be around 1.052 bore, the greener I had was a 4 inch brass case gun with a .995 bore and it weighed 19 pounds, the single shot 4 bore cartiage gun I have is 16 pounds well the 4 bore muzzleloader shot gun is 12 pounds
I believe the cartiage guns are a little heavier then the muzzleloaders
It has been a while since I have shot any of these big bore guns because of a shoulder problem, there was a gentlemen in BC that made a double 4 bore rifle for 4 inch case that weighed around 24 pounds and it needed the weight, when I fired it we were shooting 1850 grain bullets with I believe 400 grains of 2F. The recoil was very stout
 
Yes the son runs the Tanner company now, I got a ball mould 3 or 4 years ago from them. I was impressed with the price and deliever. I ordered a .845 ball mould and had it in 2 weeks.
As Antiqueguy mentioned the barrel looks thin at the muzzle so that would have to be considered on any load of heavy shot or ball. The other thing I notices is there is a stalking saftey on the lock which for a water fowl gun is very uncommmon.
But any complete big bore gun is a prize in my opinion
 
antiqueguy said:
I don’t see it happening tbh. Some houses in town here still got lead pipes for crying out loud city replaced up to their property line with plastic but from there to the house lead.
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That's beside the point. Lead pipes dont distribute lead ( toxic compound) into the environment. How its gone in the UK was through the back door,laws were ammended to forbid the release of lead. Much like anyone who would pour a gallon of mercury down a storm drain on mainstream would expect to be punished.
 
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