12 or 11 bore?

Eterry · Monday at 9:11 PM

I recently bought a 12 bore double. The seller stated he'd had the barrels ultrasound for integrity. The muzzles mic at .750" and are 30".
Is it a 12 or 11 bore? She carries Belgium proofs, but not much else is visible.
Very nice wood, but the forend has a few splinters I believe can be easily repaired. The nipples are bad, beat down from decades of dry firing. I had them soaking in ATF. The locks are strong as per the period, both hammers have some slack and need shimmimg.
I bought this for my niece, but she's in love with my William Moore. I may have to break her heart.
Pics to follow..

tenngun · Monday at 9:43 PM

.75 is just about eleven gage and a bit
Howsomever if you shot a ball in it you would likely shoot a 12 (.725) in the gun

Rock Home Isle · Monday at 10:12 PM

The Brown Bess is a .750 calibre, 11 gauge…

Eterry · Monday at 10:39 PM

Eterry · Monday at 10:42 PM

I know it isn't a Bespoke gun, but I think it's a ways from what W.W. Greener called a Sham Damn gun.

SDSmlf · Monday at 11:42 PM

Eterry said:
The muzzles mic at .750" and are 30".
Is it a 12 or 11 bore?

Call if whatever you want, but a .750” bore is pretty much nominal for 11 gauge. I forget the exact bore diameters on my Pedersoli 12 gauge double (they are slightly choked), but I know I use 13 gauge wads and cards when using purchased components (Mike’s Quality Black Powder Shotgun Wads if I recall correctly, a great place to deal with).

Basically, don’t worry about the ‘gauge’, just measure and size components accordingly.

Eterry · 2025-01-21T00:47:45-0500

SDSmlf said:
Call if whatever you want, but a .750” bore is pretty much nominal for 11 gauge. I forget the exact bore diameters on my Pedersoli 12 gauge double (they are slightly choked), but I know I use 13 gauge wads and cards when using purchased components (Mike’s Quality Black Powder Shotgun Wads if I recall correctly, a great place to deal with).

Basically, don’t worry about the ‘gauge’, just measure and size components accordingly.

Well, I have a 10, 12, 14, 16, and a 20. Now I have an 11 to fill in the blank.
IIRC, VM Starr's favorite gun, Sue Betsy, was an 11 bore.

I've been buying from Mike's since my first smoothbore. Great guy, great products.

TransYank · 2025-01-21T09:12:30-0500

Eterry said:
Well, I have a 10, 12, 14, 16, and a 20. Now I have an 11 to fill in the blank.
IIRC, VM Starr's favorite gun, Sue Betsy, was an 11 bore.

I've been buying from Mike's since my first smoothbore. Great guy, great products.

Nice find for a hunting gun.. Take your time those nibbles will come out. Worst case you may have to tap threads oversize .010. Belgium gun barrels where brazed rather than soldered have never see any separated. I too purchased a very robust Wm Moore at an online auction that was advertised as a 12ga. It was proofed as a 10ga. and stamped. Bores actually mic at 9ga. and purchase wads to fit a 9ga. shoots well. And because of weight and heft of gun shoots a very heavy load very comfortable.

Capt. Jas. · 2025-01-21T09:16:39-0500

Mic the bore and not the muzzle

Eterry · 2025-01-21T12:03:40-0500

Capt. Jas. said:
Mic the bore and not the muzzle

That's an idea, but I really don't want to unbreach or buy new tools to measure it. I'll have to go off the muzzles.

Eterry · 2025-01-21T12:29:29-0500

tenngun said:
.75 is just about eleven gage and a bit
Howsomever if you shot a ball in it you would likely shoot a 12 (.725) in the gun

I bought a .725 mold a few years back. I guess I'd better run a couple dozen to try.

12 or 11 bore?

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