Anyone have a flintlock 8 bore rifle?

[Matt85]

I'm a big fan of large bore guns and own a number of large bore "modern" guns. A few years back I had the privilege of shooting an antique double barrel 8 bore paradox gun... and fell in love! Sadly, the cost of such antique 8 bore guns has kept me from owning one.

So now I'm wondering if I could have an 8 bore muzzle loader made for me at a much more reasonable price than an antique double gun. Also, just to spice things up, I figured it would be neat to have it be a flintlock. Anyone have such a gun? Pictures?

Also, anyone know of a builder could make such a gun? Seems October Country used to make a percussion 8 bore rifle but when I contacted them, they said they no longer made rifles.

-Matt

 

[Comfortably_Numb]

I'll be building a 9 bore with a Rice barrel as soon as I get Rice called and order the barrel. Maybe I'll get that done today....
You'll be able to buy an original for about the same price as a custom made gun.

 

[billraby]

This is the first in a series of videos building a 4 bore flintlock.



I will be starting on another one if a few weeks that will be going up for sale when done. I might make a 8 bore someday. I don't do any custom work.

 

[Matt85]

I'll be building a 9 bore with a Rice barrel as soon as I get Rice called and order the barrel. Maybe I'll get that done today....
You'll be able to buy an original for about the same price as a custom made gun.

The original guns I was looking at tended to run for $24,000-$30,000. Was hoping a custom muzzleloader would be much less...

@billraby very cool, thanks for the video link! A 29" barrel is fairly long compared to the original examples I've seen, how much did she end up weighing? How was the balance?

 

[billraby]

It is a bit muzzle heavy. With how large the barrel is I think it cannot be avoided. Weight of the gun is about 17 pounds. I have already had offers up to $30,000 for the next one. I have not even started on it yet so I would question how realistic that is.

I expect a custom 8 bore is going to cost a good amount more than a normal custom rifle. A double barrel will be a lot more. Standard parts just don't fit. Everything needs to be made from scratch or modified.

 

[Comfortably_Numb]

The original guns I was looking at tended to run for $24,000-$30,000. Was hoping a custom muzzleloader would be much less...

@billraby very cool, thanks for the video link! A 29" barrel is fairly long compared to the original examples I've seen, how much did she end up weighing? How was the balance?

Original single barrel muzzle loading fowling guns can be had for less than 3K. British 8 bore ML rifles less than 5K

 

[Matt85]

Original single barrel muzzle loading fowling guns can be had for less than 3K. British 8 bore ML rifles less than 5K

Any links for the 8 bore muzzle loading rifles?

It is a bit muzzle heavy. With how large the barrel is I think it cannot be avoided. Weight of the gun is about 17 pounds. I have already had offers up to $30,000 for the next one. I have not even started on it yet so I would question how realistic that is.

I expect a custom 8 bore is going to cost a good amount more than a normal custom rifle. A double barrel will be a lot more. Standard parts just don't fit. Everything needs to be made from scratch or modified.

While I was originally looking for a double cartridge gun, I've decided to just go with an 8 bore flintlock muzzle loading gun for fun. Perhaps if I ever get around to selling some of my other big bore guns then I will revisit the idea of an 8 bore cartridge double rifle. The paradox gun I shot was a cartridge gun that fired 1250gr projectiles at around 1500fps but would also fire round ball loads which were more "target shooter friendly". The same gentleman also let me shoot his 4 bore double rifle and 600 NE double rifle which were both impressive beasts but far too heavy for me to ever want to hunt with.

For your next 4 bore, I suggest a 24"-26" barrel. This will give the gun better balance and should still be long enough to generate the velocities needed. If memory serves me right, the 4 bore I shot had a 24" barrel which made its massive weight somewhat more bearable (something like 26 pounds!).

 

[billraby]

My 4 bore is muzzle heavy but I would not say that the balance is bad at all. It is a lot better than the big double rifles. 26 pounds for a rifle is just too heavy! Nearly all of that weight is in the barrels.

 

[SlidePicker]

Stoeger used to offer in the Shooter's Bible a 4 bore smoothbore flintlock. They had several other offerings, like a 14 bore "Buccaneer's Gun" with long bright red painted stock. They were said to be either old Belgian made guns for African trade, or assembled from Belgian parts made for such trade. I really wanted one of those 4 bores when I was a kid. I wish I'd "pulled the trigger" on that one!

 

[Matt85]

My 4 bore is muzzle heavy but I would not say that the balance is bad at all. It is a lot better than the big double rifles. 26 pounds for a rifle is just too heavy! Nearly all of that weight is in the barrels.

I fully agree on it being too heavy! His 600 NE was also something like 23 pounds and my wimpy out of shape arms could barely shoulder the thing, let alone take the proper time to aim (I ended up using a tripod). Having said that, the recoil on both guns was quite fierce compared to the 8 bore paradox (Which weighed 16 pounds) or my own 577 HE (which weighs around 15 pounds).

 

[hanshi]

Have an 8 bore? NO, thank goodness.

 

[Matt85]

Have an 8 bore? NO, thank goodness.

An 8 bore rifle firing a round ball really isn't that bad in terms of recoil. Now when you start shooting conicals, the recoil can get to be a little much for most people.

At the last shoot my friend brought 40 round ball and 8 conical cartridges for his 8 bore paradox gun. By the end of the shoot, there were 0 round ball loads and 6 conical loads left over. This meant 6 perfectly good cartridges for me to shoot!

 

[david w]

I shot an 8 bore percussion once with 300 gr. 1-1/5 g. I was instructed on how to hold it, tight to the shoulder, and leaning a bit forward. You most likely will not be leaning forward after the shot. I shot it twice, and that was enough for me. You wouldn't believe the ka-boom! Either you are hunting elephant or T-Rex with one of those, or you just enjoy pain!

 

[Matt85]

Is there really no one out there that can make one of these at this time?

 

[billraby]

I will be starting on a 4 bore in a few weeks. Probably put in an order for a 8 bore barrel soon after that. It will take about a year to get it. But it will be at least 2 or 3 years before I could get around to building one. It will go up for sale when finished. I don't do any custom work at all. I don't think there are very many people building these big rifles. The ones that do are going to have a waiting list that lasts for years.

 

[Comfortably_Numb]

Is there really no one out there that can make one of these at this time?

So, what are you looking for? a smooth bored 8 barrel or a whole gun. I'm gathering up the parts to make a 9 bore fowling gun at the moment. No problem finding the barrel, Rice makes them. I wouldn't get all hung up on this 8 bore thing, you show just as much testicals shooting a 10 bore.
Bob Hoyt could make you an 8 bore, smooth or rifled.

 

[Matt85]

It has nothing to do with "testicles", I want an 8 bore because of the African hunting history tied to the caliber. An 8 bore rifle was by far the most common tool for hunting the "big 5" during the black powder era.

What I had in mind was a flint lock rifle with a 24" barrel and enough lead in the stock to bring it up to a proper weight.

 

[billraby]

Oregon Barrel has 8 bore barrels listed at $450 for a tapered barrel. Add in a matching breech plug and shipping and you are at about $550 or so. They will make it any length you want. The 4 bore barrels that have gotten from them weigh over 12 pounds.

Sounds like you have something fairly specific in mind. Best way to go is to contact gun builders and see what they have to say. That is the only way that you are going to get an accurate price or time. I would recommend looking for someone that has actually built one of these big guns before. There is a lot involved in building one that you don't run into with a typical long rifle.

 

[Smokey Plainsman]

I want an 8 gauge fowler

 

[Matt85]

Oregon Barrel has 8 bore barrels listed at $450 for a tapered barrel. Add in a matching breech plug and shipping and you are at about $550 or so. They will make it any length you want. The 4 bore barrels that have gotten from them weigh over 12 pounds.

Sounds like you have something fairly specific in mind. Best way to go is to contact gun builders and see what they have to say. That is the only way that you are going to get an accurate price or time. I would recommend looking for someone that has actually built one of these big guns before. There is a lot involved in building one that you don't run into with a typical long rifle.

Can you recommend a builder? I don't personally know any.

Also, does Oregon Barrel have a website? I can only find a company of the same name that makes barrels for alcohol.

Thanks all!