Early African Hunting Guns

[Westporter]

I have been reading some books on hunting in South Africa in the early to mid-19th century; in particular, Spoor of Blood, by Alan Cattrick (1959), and Hunting Scenes in the Wilds of Africa, by J. W. Bradley,(1859). And, of course, the Dutch were there well before then. There is scant mention of the actual guns used, although the precipice to the Bradley book has an illustration of R. Gordon Cumming loading a flintlock "rifle." Cumming later references a "two-groove rifle" and also a double barrel "rifle." I am also aware that early in his African hunting career Selous used a pair of single 4 bore guns (about which he complained of the recoil - no kidding!). I am interested in learning more about the guns these early African hunters employed and am seeking additional sources of information. I hasten to add that attempting to kill an elephant, rhino, or cape buffalo with muzzle loader could be a real challenge in those days.

 

[fleener]

Want a picture of a 12 bore rifle that would of been built for dangerous game?

Fleener

 

[fleener]

Got, it. Old guys and new software, not a good combination.

Fleener

 

[fleener]

In a week or two, I should have a nice double rifle to show off.

Fleener

 

[Badger Matt]

Sir Samuel Baker found use (very little, as in only firing it 20 times or so) for a 2-Bore single shot weighing in at 20 lbs and launching a 1/2 lb projectile. Can you imagine?

 

[Westporter]

Here's a link to more information on the topic:

https://www.shakariconnection.com/giant-bores.html

 

[JBrandon]

Go see Baker's old accounts. Cheapo reprints online + Amazon. My notes when I read it.
Baker, Sir Samuel o
1889? [1854] The Rifle and the Hound in Ceylon. The Burroughs Brothers Company, Cleveland.
Shooting adventures 1845-53. Ah, what could be more English than sport! I.e. shooting things that don’t need to be shot. In this case, mostly elephants, although he goes to great pains to show how dangerous they are to villagers etc. Amazing adventures, you have to admire these guys’ courage. But awful attitudes toward game: shot birds until my ears rang from the reports on one page, next page he complains about too many guns have now ruined the sport at places he used to like. Elephants shot several at a time, young, old. Buffalo massacred, left to lie, except sometimes cut out the tongue. Long shots with almost no chance of hitting, although at least some effort is made to put downed animals out of their misery. ‘Elk’ (sambar) chased with pack of hounds and killed with only a hunting knife! But it’s expected that the hounds won’t last very long. Etc. Attitudes toward natives just as bad. Shooting with a huge elephant rifle rested on shoulder of bearer for long shot, ‘recoil cut his ear open’ [I expect he blew out the man’s eardrum as well, with 16 drachms of powder too].
Info on his guns P 28 [these are all percussion muzzle-loaders]: recommends double barreled, No 10 bore, weighing 15 lbs, shooting conical ball 2.5 oz, 12-groove rifling loads as fast as smoothbore. “Two-groove rifle” loads too slowly for dangerous game. Smoothbores lack range, although just as good as rifle at 20-30 paces, but you never know what you’ll be shooting at [because if it moves, it’s game], or the range. “My battery” [by which he means what his bearers carry for him] = one 4-oz rifle, single barrel, 24 lbs; one long single barrel 2-oz rifle, 16 lbs, and four double barrel No 10 rifles, each 15 lbs. [see conversions to understand what huge guns these are - a 4-oz ought to be 4 gauge, meaning the ball is over an inch diameter, 27mm! Even a No. 10 is .775 caliber.]

 

[crankshaft]

I read where these guns often were almost as damaging to the shooter. Dislocated shoulders and detached retina.

 

[ArtyGunner]

Here is mine 17 gauge, smoothbore .650.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

I read where these guns often were almost as damaging to the shooter. Dislocated shoulders and detached retina.

Perhaps with modern shells such as the .500 nitro expresss.

This was penned 150 years ago:

“It is evident that, of two wounds of equal depth, that which has the larger area will have the most effect on the internal economy of the animal. It will rupture more blood-vessels and nerves in proportion as it is larger [in diameter] than the other, and so produce more sudden blood-letting, and shock to the [animal’s] system. It may, moreover, include a bone or vital organ, such as a heart or brain, in its path, which would not be included in the narrower wound, and in practice this will frequently be found to be the case. Penetration, therefore, being equal, or sufficient, in both cases, that projectile which has the largest striking surface is the best for our purpose. Therefore the largest gauge of rifle, consistent with the weight of each class [of animal], should be used. “

“…, my experience [in India] is that a 14 or 16 gauge is large enough for any of the deer tribe. …., Bears and tigers are sometimes very tenacious of life, and I think perhaps the best size for them is 12 [bore], although they may be killed almost as well with 14 [bore]. It is when we come to the more ponderous brutes that large gauges begin to tell. Less than 12 should never be used for bison or buffaloes, and in any increase of size that the sportsman can manage will repay him in such sport. “

Captain James Forsyth The Sporting Rifle and Its Projectiles 1867

He used patched, round ball for all of his hunting. He did not like the conical bullets of his day.

He owned a 12-bore "two grooved rifle", which was likely a .730 rifle with a "belted" ball. While the idea was first seen in 1725, it became widespread because of the Brunswick rifle https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brunswick_rifle, it was also applied to much larger bores for sportsmen. https://www.morphyauctions.com/jamesdjulia/item/2347-391/

While the OP was about African hunting guns, Forsyth was well read by the hunters of dangerous game on several continents.


LD

 

[Sparkitoff]

I am a retired PH with most of my credential from various locations in South Africa. Over the past 3 decades black powder shooting and hunting has had accentuated peaks and valleys as the laws changed. Powder was impossible to obtain for a while and suddenly was more plentiful at larger outfitters only to become scarce again. I'm no expert on the black powder big bores but I have seen them in some museums and at one PH School. The one that stands out in memory was a single barreled 82-20 made from a short cannon. The 82 is the cm length of barrel and the 20 is the mm of bore diameter. This barrel originally had a fuse gate (hole) on top. A craftsmen added a frizzen on top offset to the gate that was dished. Two small shield were added on either side to direct the sparks into the gate. The action moved a large giraffe-necked cock. It was set into a stock with a short butt and not quite full length channel. The rear sight was a letter T in black and the front sight was a letter A in brass. My guess is that you put the point of the A on the flat of the T and the impact is at the tip of the point, but a sight of the likes I have never seen otherwise. This was clearly a uniquely made transformation of a small cannon barrel into a musket of 85 caliber. I can only suppose the owner wanted something handy to take very large or dangerous game. I wish I had a picture to show this.

I too have heard about the 4-bore and even 2-bore muskets. You are likely aware that the "bore" is also referred to as "gauge". A gauge is a number of same-sized ball to equal one pound. So a 4-bore is shooting 4 ounce balls and a 2-bore is shooting 8 ounce balls. Just think of the weight of the musket and the amount of recoil, not to mention the vast quantity of powder needed to move the ball! These explorers were travelling with a caravan and their capacity to carry supplies was limited. Large balls required more lead and more space to store than a smaller ball. Powder could not be "wasted". A lot of PH's think it folk-lore that "hunters" were carrying around a 27 pound musket with half-pound balls and a quarter pound of powder for one shot. There was often a Feldwebel that arranged the carriage of musket, balls and powder. There is evidence of a number of contraptions that held the musket on a cart, ox or other vessel. Having the heavy, large bored, recoiling musket in a fixture just makes more sense than attempting to steady it off-hand and fire it on a bare shoulder. This might be akin to a North American punt-gun used on waterfowl. It was affixed to the watercraft or structure, not hand-held. Nonetheless, some fellows were going to try to shoulder and shoot these muskets anyway just like any other extreme sport participant today.

There is a book with a lot of references but I am racking my brain to recall the title. I will repost when it comes to mind. Meanwhile, the Professional Hunters Association of South Africa or PHASA is a good source of information and the lady that answers the phone is a wealth of knowledge on historical literature with such references. You might email them and see if someone can provide a few titles to review.

I've used a 600 N.E. a handful of times with American PH Mark Sullivan. It was unpleasant for me. A century ago the people tended to be of smaller stature and frequently in poor health comparative to today. "Health care" was non-existent in the bush and I would think they'd be deaf in short order from firing shouldered cannons. So while there is some evidence of a handful of experimenters I am skeptical that there was any widespread acceptance or interest of this type of arm for hunting.

 

[Robby]

This is my 14 bore English sporting rifle, Off the bench, with 140gr. FF it will cut one ragged hole at 100 yards. I feels like your'e sitting in someone else's seat at a real cheap bar. Off hand it isn't too bad. I can't even imagine what a four bore feels like.

Robby

 

[crankshaft]

A friend showed me the gun he inherited from his dad. 4 bore I believe, and an old Receipt from who the gun was purchased from. A well noted African expeditionary. The bbl was totally engraved, except about 5" behind the muzzle where it was worn thru where gripped by the bearer as he held it on his shoulder just ahead of the shooter. and there was wear on the fore end where it rested on the shoulder of the bearer. Not much wear elsewhere. So it was carried for miles, and miles.

 

[Howie1968]

it interests me as well, that's why I bought a pedersoli Kodiak side by side in .72 caliber. roundballs are around 500 grains. I do have some conical bullets for it. this rifle has a slow twist but the big conicals shoot decent at under 50 yards to hunt hogs

 

[Robby]

I believe that Kodiak has a relatively narrow buttplate which will make it fairly uncomfortable to shoot even with a mild load. Guns of this nature should have at least a 2" wide plate in my opinion.
Robby

 

[toot]

is it odd to have a left handed 14 bore rifled gun? were they made back in the day? I thought that all were rite handed? I know that today you can get anything that you desire. it is a beautiful piece.

 

[Pukka Bundook]

Toot,

Yes, we do see left handed rifles. Most guns were made to order.

Robby,

Just saw your rifle. That is a Very Nice build!! Splendid in fact!
Beautiful and correct style to the stock.

 

[toot]

Robby, thanks for enlightening me on the subject.

 

[Robby]

Toot,

Yes, we do see left handed rifles. Most guns were made to order.

Robby,

Just saw your rifle. That is a Very Nice build!! Splendid in fact!
Beautiful and correct style to the stock.

Thank you Richard. As always, it's a labor of love.
Robby

 

[Westporter]

In my reference above to Wilds of Africa, I described the "precipice" showing an illustration of Cumming loading a flintlock. I should have used the correct term "frontispiece" - so much for the English grammar lesson. Now on to the subject at hand. In that same volume, Cumming talks about using a Westley Richards double rifle. He also talks about using "caps," so obviously said rifle was a percussion rifle, not a flinter, even though his five years hunting in Africa were from 1843-48. Frankly, in my being around guns for the last 60 years or so, double barrel muzzleloaders are pretty damn rare. Granted, Pedersoli is currently producing a model. There is also an antique Thomas Kennedy 14 guage for sale at present on Guns International for the princely sum of $4500. I wonder if any current muzzle loading gunsmiths are or could produce such a rifle?