Finally Jug Choked the 7 bore

[BS]

Been putting it off for about 10 years now, but finally set he barrel up in my 1937 Southbend lathe.

I cut .015 a side on a 3" taper, then 4" of back bore, into a slight taper.

So I have .030 constriction, that should make it modified.

Only test fired 2 shots of copper plated # 6 shot. Both were a 30" circle at 30 yards.

180 FF and same amount of shot. [2.5/8 oz] The barrel lifts up about a foot. Not really that much kick from the heavy Underhammer.

The other target looks like this one.

Going to try Skychief's lubed wad loading with Brokennock's paper shot sack.

 

[Britsmoothy]

Wow, and I thought my bess was greedy!
I bet that gun dont get to go squirreling often!
Good old southbend. Good lathes.

 

[LawrenceA]

I am in awe!

 

[R.J.Bruce]

Is your 7 bore legal to hunt with? I thought most states had a upward limit for shotguns of 10 gauge.

 

[Robby]

7 Bore, is close to 7/8" right? Yikes!!!! Punt gun?
Robin

 

[BS]

I can shoot turkeys in Michigan, but not waterfowl. Never shot a turkey, but going to try with the 7. It is a true 7/8" bore. Shoots a 1000 grain round ball at 1100 fps. Just kind of a over grown 22 LR. Not sure how the jug choke affected the RB accuracy. It use to shoot fist size groups at 50 yards. Ever shoot a deer with a golf ball? Kind of what it looks like. But, I need a turkey gun.

 

[LawrenceA]

How does one procure such an item as a 7 bore?

 

[BS]

All home made, I spent two weeks with a long rod and Sunnen Lapping stones and fuel oil honing the tubing smooth. I put .002 choke in it, thought it might help with round balls.. Thinking about putting in more choke for a tighter pattern. Lot of work! [Jug choke] Do I do another .010 or go .020?
Old RB target.

 

[SmokepoleSam]

At that distance it's fine. I would try it at 50yds first before you do anything else.
Good luck.

 

[LawrenceA]

All home made, I spent two weeks with a long rod and Sunnen Lapping stones and fuel oil honing the tubing smooth.

I am in awe!
Love to see picciees if you dont mind

 

[BS]

1000 grains of lead.
Not a pretty gun, but it's mine!
and
When the loading rod is a broom stick!!!

 

[oldwood]

When I lucked into my 7 ga. about 1970 , they were in Dixie Gun Works catalogs . Turner Kirkland was doing business procuring m/l parts and guns from a supplier in Belgium. The 7 ga. barrel I bought was clearly stamped "Liege" from an armory there. The ad stated the barrels were made into guns and shipped to Africa to be used by native folk to kill Elephants for food. Said the hunters would run close to the side of the huge critters , get a well placed shot , and they would follow the monster until it died. I did the best I could with what I knew at the time , and built a gun with not enough drop in the stock. Off the bench , the recoil was somewhere between a .375 H/H and a 10 Ga. 3 1/2 " mag.. 5 shots and the effect was kind'a like a bad head ache emanating from just above the back of the neck into the back of the brain. In the offhand position ,the recoil was tolerable. The first time I fired the 7 at game , it was at a grouse flying straight away down an over grown abandoned rail road track. The load was an equal measure of FFG followed by wads , and around 2 1/2 oz of #4 buck shot. The effect was , the grouse escaped , but a quantity of black birch twigs and small limbs were cut from their branches. I was impressed. Fun.........oldwood

 

[LawrenceA]

1000 grains of lead.
Not a pretty gun, but it's mine!
and
When the loading rod is a broom stick!!!

Looks magnificent!

 

[bud in pa]

shouldn't a ball that have finger holes in it?

 

[BS]

This is with 2F, I need to see if I have any 1F and change cards and wads and powder.

I am close, but need better repeatability. Fine tuning!

 

[Britsmoothy]

Have you ever just tried 1&1/2oz #6 in it? 3or4f.

 

[LawrenceA]

Have you ever just tried 1&1/2oz #6 in it? 3or4f.

Excellent question.
How scalable is it?

 

[BS]

Have you ever just tried 1&1/2oz #6 in it? 3or4f.

No, but I am going to try 2 and 1.1/2 oz of 6s and 4s. With paper tubes and without. Also change up the cards and wads.

 

[BS]

This is the back side of the above Turkey.

Dropping down from 170FF to 115FF is almost an ounce of lead.
2.37 to 1.6 oz.
I also replaced the Nitro card with 2 over shot cards.
Also tried cutting the fiber wad into thirds and use it for the over shot.
Now I need to do a comparison of the 2.
But, 115FF has a more consistent pattern, with a little less shot on target.
Lot less kick and ROAR!

 

[LawrenceA]

Looking good.
Tried Skycheif load yet?