tell me about zulu shotguns!
- Thread starter Rickyy101
- Start date
They are converted from muskets, to fire black powder
Cartridges, I have one, I use brass shells. 2.5" long
65gr of 2f goex black, and 1oz - 1 1/8oz shot
I enjoy the one I have , it makes people talk that's for sure
You can use factory loaded black powder shells from gambore
They make gd paper shells,
Cartridges, I have one, I use brass shells. 2.5" long
65gr of 2f goex black, and 1oz - 1 1/8oz shot
I enjoy the one I have , it makes people talk that's for sure
You can use factory loaded black powder shells from gambore
They make gd paper shells,
They were converted from the French M1867 Tabatierre rifle, the French equivalent of the Snider. The conversion consisted of cutting down the barrel and stock and boreing them smooth for 12 Guage shells. They sold for a low price and are quite common.
antiqueguy
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- windsor ontario
yes they are converted from the French Tabatierre and the Tabatierre was a converted musket needless to say they are BP only I read about a guy having seen someone fire one with a modern smokeless shotshell rounds that sent the breech block into the eye of the guy firing it this guy who seen it then went about destroying all the Zulu shotguns he found idk if it was true or not
they are not exceptionally strong actions and the breach block is supported by a couple of "horns" of I presume wrought iron (more or less) The original Tabatierre shell was a short roughly 12 guage paper and foil case with I suspect around 50 grains of black powder. The only Tabatierre I have seen had fairly deep rifling. The photo below is a mock up shell I made for a local museum to go with their rifle. The brass shell above it is a 12 guage brass shell and the slug is a 12 guage Paradox type slug. The mock up is based on photos of original shells and I think fairly close to original
cheers mooncoon
cheers mooncoon
antiqueguy
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- windsor ontario
they are not exceptionally strong actions and the breach block is supported by a couple of "horns" of I presume wrought iron (more or less) The original Tabatierre shell was a short roughly 12 guage paper and foil case with I suspect around 50 grains of black powder. The only Tabatierre I have seen had fairly deep rifling. The photo below is a mock up shell I made for a local museum to go with their rifle. The brass shell above it is a 12 guage brass shell and the slug is a 12 guage Paradox type slug. The mock up is based on photos of original shells and I think fairly close to original
cheers mooncoon
the lucky people who have the rifles tend to use 12ga brass I would not shoot them to much and that should really go for the ones with bronze actions
I am firing mine with a 12-bore shell cut back to 2 inches, 60 to 65 grains of Black powder and a 480-grain .690" hard-lead Ball in a standard modern shot-cup/wad assembly.
Mine was at the CGN "Meet & Greet" (see 2 threads in Milsurp forum) held here in Virden on Saturday. I fired it, Tinman204 fired it, TWOSTEAM fired her own and we all still are upright and walking around, so they can be shot safely.
Owing to the very short Breech Block and the distinct "drop" to chamber a cartridge, it can be difficult to wrestle a full-length 2-3/4 shell into the critter and would be a lot harder to get out once the shell has opened up, being that the empty casing has to go UP a ramp to eject. I experimented for an evening with mine after I got it, trying to ascertain what the limits of the action might be, and found that the longest shell you can get into the gun easily and get out again is about 2 inches total overall length, so that is how I loaded my shells.
COTW-6 gives the Charge in the original military round as 69 grains and the Bullet Weight as 555 grains and .740" diameter. There was a special Carbine loading which was actually HEAVIER, if that makes sense. MOONCOON's dummy round, shown above, is just about PERFECT. I WISH I could turn out one as nice!
The Zulu guns are what are left of the Tabatieres with which the Imperial Army of the Emperor Napoleon III was armed. They served during the Franco-Prussian War (1870 - 71) and were sold off as surplus near the end of the 19th Century. They went to Belgium and were converted into cheap shotguns. The Belgian gunmakers were so efficient in their work that today VERY few original Tabatiere rifles remain in existence. They are few, far between, and quite scarce and expensive enough that I will never be able to afford one..... so I got a Zulu and I fire Balls from it. Gawd help the poor T-Rex that gets too close!
Remember, these things ARE contemporaries of the Snider, the action is NOT as solid as a Snider action..... and they are made of SOFT BROWN IRON. In my opinion, these old things are fun with light charges of Black Powder but, if you are firing modern Smokeless-Powder ammunition in one, either you are VERY lucky..... or suicidal.
Mine was at the CGN "Meet & Greet" (see 2 threads in Milsurp forum) held here in Virden on Saturday. I fired it, Tinman204 fired it, TWOSTEAM fired her own and we all still are upright and walking around, so they can be shot safely.
Owing to the very short Breech Block and the distinct "drop" to chamber a cartridge, it can be difficult to wrestle a full-length 2-3/4 shell into the critter and would be a lot harder to get out once the shell has opened up, being that the empty casing has to go UP a ramp to eject. I experimented for an evening with mine after I got it, trying to ascertain what the limits of the action might be, and found that the longest shell you can get into the gun easily and get out again is about 2 inches total overall length, so that is how I loaded my shells.
COTW-6 gives the Charge in the original military round as 69 grains and the Bullet Weight as 555 grains and .740" diameter. There was a special Carbine loading which was actually HEAVIER, if that makes sense. MOONCOON's dummy round, shown above, is just about PERFECT. I WISH I could turn out one as nice!
The Zulu guns are what are left of the Tabatieres with which the Imperial Army of the Emperor Napoleon III was armed. They served during the Franco-Prussian War (1870 - 71) and were sold off as surplus near the end of the 19th Century. They went to Belgium and were converted into cheap shotguns. The Belgian gunmakers were so efficient in their work that today VERY few original Tabatiere rifles remain in existence. They are few, far between, and quite scarce and expensive enough that I will never be able to afford one..... so I got a Zulu and I fire Balls from it. Gawd help the poor T-Rex that gets too close!
Remember, these things ARE contemporaries of the Snider, the action is NOT as solid as a Snider action..... and they are made of SOFT BROWN IRON. In my opinion, these old things are fun with light charges of Black Powder but, if you are firing modern Smokeless-Powder ammunition in one, either you are VERY lucky..... or suicidal.
Interesting to find out the actual load for the shell and also the history. I didn't realize they were used as long as they were. I started with a brass shotgun shell cut back to a little over finished cartridge length and made a swage on the lathe to form the shotgun shell down so that it appeared to have a separate head. I trimmed to length and wrapped the formed shell with green paper and rolled it in my grubby hands a bit so that it did not look too new. If my memory is correct, the original shells, some were green and some were blue. I have some photos buried away somewhere that I found on the net
cheers mooncoon
If loaded properly and in good condition they are totally safe to fire!
Here's proof, me firing a Zulu last weekend. The gun is owned by either Smellie or twosteam (not sure because they brought 3 and I grabbed a random one off the table.)
I still have both eyes and my face is as ugly as ever!!
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"...Here we have it..." Classic rape of The Queen's English too.
"...converted from muskets..." All muskets used BP. The so-called 'Zulu' shotguns were usually made out of Martini-Henrys et al and were shotguns because the Brits didn't trust Zulu chieftains with rifles.
"...converted from muskets..." All muskets used BP. The so-called 'Zulu' shotguns were usually made out of Martini-Henrys et al and were shotguns because the Brits didn't trust Zulu chieftains with rifles.
And you have that info from where? I have a Zulu in basement with the name printed on the top of the barrel. I have seen several others and none were made from Martinis or even closely resembled them. The is a Greener Martini model GP which is a shotgun, some in 12 guage and some for 14 guage Greener Police shells.
cheers mooncoon
The Zulu guns never went anywhere near an actual Zulu PERSON. The NAME was largely a marketing gimmick.
Besides, what were they supposed to call the poor things? "Le Fusil de Style Tabatiere a la Bubba"? ZULU sounds better..... and you can make up tales to suit the name, much as do modern companies.
Besides, the actual Zulu PEOPLE already HAD lots of rifles. They got 1200 Remingtons and Martini-Henrys at Isandhlwana alone.
Surplus, you know.
Besides, what were they supposed to call the poor things? "Le Fusil de Style Tabatiere a la Bubba"? ZULU sounds better..... and you can make up tales to suit the name, much as do modern companies.
Besides, the actual Zulu PEOPLE already HAD lots of rifles. They got 1200 Remingtons and Martini-Henrys at Isandhlwana alone.
Surplus, you know.
antiqueguy
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- windsor ontario
I read some where not guns from isandhlwana where at rorkes drift it was mostly muzzleloaders remember that they Zulus who were at rorkes drift and nothing to do with isandlwana
Hmm, IIRC after the incident at Isandlwana they moved on to RD with the captured MH's. They had the sight ladders raised in the long range position so we're not shooting them accurately at the short range CQB the engagement took place.
antiqueguy
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- windsor ontario
were did you get that piece of info any way this thread is about Zulu shotguns witch have nothing to do with the Zulu people
