Something You Don't See Often

[Loyalist Dave]

Scrounged this out of a back room of an old gun shop. It is a 6 bore double, and the bores aren't bad.

As I'm sure you know, but for the benefit of others who may read this thread and be new to hunting with a 6-Bore..., when hunting the appropriate game, as ALWAYS SHOT PLACEMENT is the KEY.

There are two barrels, but the second barrel is really for an emergency shot if for some reason the first shot goes awry, OR you find that there is more than one target present, and they can be ornery when cornered, wounded, or when you've shot a companion. Note the reference points of axle and fender line for a broadside shot. The quartering-toward-you shot is easy to locate. Either location hit from a 6-bore will render a quick and humane dispatching of the game.

LD

 

[toot]

did he sell you the wheels that went with it?? or were they extra?

 

[Ironoxide]

Really nice Belgian gun made in Liege. I have a single barrel big bore gun also made in Liege with the same proof mark.

That particular proof mark was "the sole proof mark" before 1853. After that year the barrels would have extra marks. The tiny mark looks like either provisional proof mark which would mean the gun was made after 1853 or an inspection letter. If it is a single letter with a crown it is the latter. I can't tell for sure from the photo.

I managed to identify the maker of my gun based on markings found on the inside of the lock. If possible, can you remove the locks and see how they look inside?

If you could take pictures and post them that would be great. I'm very much interested in those Belgian big bore guns.

If you find any markings I have a full catalog of Liege gunmakers from the guy at littlegun.be. I can look up any marking you may find.

Also this site contains lots of info Nouvelle page 0 if you want to look yourself, but I preferred to have it in a book form

 

[Packrat]

A 6 bore cartridge rifle built by W.W. Greener in 1891 for a southern African trekker called Viljoen, fired 1,750 gr (113 g) bullets at 1,550 to 1,600 ft/s (470 to 490 m/s). Three types of ammunition were supplied, hardened lead for elephants and rhinoceros, slightly hardened lead for buffalo and pure lead with a copper tube hollow point for lion.

From Wikipedia

 

[Ironoxide]

A 6 bore cartridge rifle built by W.W. Greener in 1891 for a southern African trekker called Viljoen, fired 1,750 gr (113 g) bullets at 1,550 to 1,600 ft/s (470 to 490 m/s). Three types of ammunition were supplied, hardened lead for elephants and rhinoceros, slightly hardened lead for buffalo and pure lead with a copper tube hollow point for lion.

From Wikipedia

I would like to comment that not all big bore guns were designed to be loaded so hot. For example my 9 bore has a (single octagon to round) barrel that is over 45mm thick at the breech (1.77 inch). I can imagine someone shooting a round ball with a 250 grain charge with it to 1600fps safely. However ops 6 bore double seems pretty light in comparison.I wouldn't recommend trying heavy period ball or conical loads in it.

Maybe that's just the way the picture looks and in reality it is thick enough at breech.

 

[Notchy Bob]

@Mulebrain

Thanks again for posting! Would you mind providing some dimensions for that gun? I would be interested in the total weight, barrel length, width or barrel diameter at the breech, and length of pull to the front trigger. I think that would give a better understanding of exactly what I'm seeing. I'd also like to know if it has any cast-off, or a straight stock, and if the original nipples (cones) were sized for musket caps or caps for sporting arms. Just to satisfy my curiosity. If you don't have time or inclination, that's cool, no problem.

I looked it up on my chart, and a pure lead sphere weighing one-sixth of a pound (1166.67 grains) would have a diameter of 0.919", or pretty close to .92 caliber. You could almost use a broomstick for a ramrod...

Notchy Bob

 

[hanshi]

That cannon would make a good gun to dissuade the baddies just by pointing the empty gun at them.

And another fan of Jim Corbett, here.

 

[Mulebrain]

I will post up more info on this gun in a bit
I took more detailed pictures of other markings that are under the barrel as well
Stand by for more

The locks, trigger guard, stock, etc. everything on this gun is oversized

 

[Jacobeen]

Really glad your curiosity was rewarded and so many have tapped in. James Forsyth's 'The Sporting Rifle' of 1867 might also provide loading info. Since there are no elephant, rhino or Cape Buffalo on the continent is the consensus for a punt gun cut down or a brown bear back-up?

J

 

[Mulebrain]

Here are some more pics

Barrels are 30" long
Barrels are 1" at the muzzle
Length of pull is 14.25
Barrels weight 8lb
Gun weight is 12.5 lb

For comparison and old 12 gauge double

 

[Notchy Bob]

Wow! Thanks! It was hard to appreciate just how massive your six-bore is, until seeing it side-by-side with the twelve gauge. It is a massive weapon, and a fine old piece. It shows some age, but it would be great to hear it speak again.

Notchy Bob

 

[nightwolf1974]

Nice old gun!

 

[Ironoxide]

Really cool gun. In those new photos I can definitely see the provisional proof mark (next to 24 - caliber designation in mm). Also the definitive proof mark. So the gun was made after 1853. Also I believe there is an inspection letter, but I'm not 100% sure. I can't see any maker's marks.

If I read this correctly the gun is actually slightly bigger than 6 - bore. 6 bore is 23.3mm, while the mark on the barrel says 24.

My Belgian gun is also not an exact 8 bore. In fact it is closer to 9 bore as it is 20.4mm.

 

[charlesk]

very nice,

 

[Musketeer]

Makes Ash's boomstick look like a pop gun.

 

[Eterry]

Was reading last night about early pidgeon shoots in England, 8 and 6 bore guns were mentioned. They were used before formal rules for pidgeon shoots were created AND they did NOT use a huge shot charge, the reasoning behind the large bore was a much shorter shot string.

I don't recall the date, but 10 gauge became the maximum bore, with 12 bore being the standard.

So your Belgian 6 bore may have started life "grassing" birds at the Old Hats Inn.

 

[Feltwad]

Was reading last night about early pidgeon shoots in England, 8 and 6 bore guns were mentioned. They were used before formal rules for pigeon shoots were created AND they did NOT use a huge shot charge, the reasoning behind the large bore was a much shorter shot string.

I don't recall the date, but 10 gauge became the maximum bore, with 12 bore being the standard.

So your Belgian 6 bore may have started life "grassing" birds at the Old Hats Inn.

The true live pigeon muzzle loader is minus a ramrod and came in bore sizes from 4 to 12 the shot charge remained the same weight and shot size for all guns these were loaded from a bowl supervised by a official so no cheating took place . It was not only the large bores which killed but the smaller bore did better . I did a lot of research into this sport and un earthed information not known
Feltwad

.

 

[Mulebrain]

I had my friend look at it, and he doesn't believe the barrels were cut, and are original

I need to repair the cracked stock, so I need to tear it down. I had to drill out the forward lock plates screw. I don't think this gun has ever been apart by the looks of it. I also have a busted main spring on one as I suspected. I noticed there is two marks inside the lock DR, and M

 

[oldwood]

Those doubles reek of Africa..........amazing...................... Folks over 50 years old should use caution firing full loads from such guns????????

 

[BuffaloSoldier]

Thanks for the great pictures of that old firearm.