2 Bore Boomer! (pic heavy)

[Shasta]

You fellas that been here a while might recall a picture I posted some time back of my late brother and the 2 bore flintlock rifle he built:




I thought you might enjoy a few pictures of a shooting session I had with the rifle-

Ready for some fun!





Just for perspective here is a 2-bore ball (it weighs half a pound) along side a .54 caliber rifle ball





Loading up. Note broomstick size ramrod-





Make ready! A camera tripod helps hold up the 23 lb. rifle-




Even a light charge of 150 grains Fg black powder makes 'er buck!




A little too smokey to see the target-




These were just light loads of 150 grains Fg black powder. I have shot it with as much as 300 grains, but at that level it makes you take a step or two back and really takes the "n" out of "fun"!


SHASTA

[RustyJr]

Makes me think of Capstick and his stories about Frederick Courtney Sellous. If I'm not mistaken Sellous carried a 2 bore cap gun in Africa (not sure though, its been a while since I've read it. According to the account I read the stock of his rifle just behind the lock was wrapped with dried elephant ear to reinforce it because of the heavy recoil. I remember one storey where he took a crack at Ole Mbogo with it from horse back and it proceeded to "unhorse" him. I think he missed the buff too. Definately looks like it would be "fun" to play with.

RustyJr

[1894c]

WOW... :)

[claybob86]

Should be able to control any wooly mammoth infestations around the place with that!

[LeverBob]

As I recollect from readings it was a 1/4 pound explosive shell & and 1/2 (one?) pound of fg. Correct me if I'm wrong Pards. Also, the leather wrapped around the wrist of the stock was put on because in a fight with an elephant, the gunbearer (in his haste & fright) double charged the gun. Selous aimed & landed several yards to the rear...on his back with a deep cut under his right cheekbone.

Must have been akin to a Joe Fazier left hook!

The gunbearer had to massage his shoulder to get the feeling back when he came to, so he could reload & finish the elephant. They added the repair later. Or...so they said...

LB

[cshold]

Wow!
At today’s prices for lead & BP, that's some expensive shooting right there

[Rusty]

Yea but a busy day of shooting will only consist of six rounds fired.


Thanks for posting!

[rjohns94]

Love it. Does it come in a double?

[Borregos]

Love it. Does it come in a double?

[cshold]

Yea but a busy day of shooting will only consist of six rounds fired.


Thanks for posting!

This is very true

[cshold]

Love it. Does it come in a double?

Good one Mike

[iceman]

Looks like a lot of fun. (to watch) It might be more comfortable for you if it was left handed. Have you tried it with shot, or is it rifled?

[kimwcook]

Wow! I bet I'd only shoot that once.

[Shasta]

Looks like a lot of fun. (to watch) It might be more comfortable for you if it was left handed. Have you tried it with shot, or is it rifled?

Being left-handed is a minor drawback to firing this gun as it is so wide, the trigger is off-set to the right side of the gun, so I have to reach a little extra with the trigger finger. The gun is indeed rifled, twist is 1-96" if I remember correctly. With 300 grain loads the gun torques nearly off my shoulder and is difficult to control.

Want one of your own? Barrel and parts are available from Joe Williams at The Gun Works in Springfield, Oregon. He also sells custom-made muzzleloaders of all types and sizes. A ready-made rifle like this would probably run about $4,000.

SHASTA

[Mac in Mo]

That would put a serious hurt on an Ozark whitetail. I would like to try that just once, put a deer down with it. I would imagine it would be a short range gun, right? To get any serious velocity/ range would make it unbearable to shoot I would think.
Have you guys done any serious range time with it? Chronograph? Let's here some details.

Kevin

[Modoc ED]

Shasta - Were those pictures taken at the range up around Burney on 299?

Great gun.

[Shasta]

"Have you guys done any serious range time with it? Chronograph? Let's here some details."

No serious range time or chronographing. It really has no practical purpose other than having some fun. My brother built it as a novelty, along with a 4 bore and an 8 bore, and he was working on a 6 bore when he passed on due to a heart attack. He always very much enjoyed the instant crowd his guns drew whenever he drug one out at a local rendezvous.

Shasta - Were those pictures taken at the range up around Burney on 299?

Great gun.

Modoc, you are correct. Hat Creek Rifle & Pistol Club on Highway 299 east of Burney, CA.

SHASTA

[Canuck Bob]

I almost chocked on my coffee when I saw the two balls. My 54 will never look the same again!

Awsome heirloom.

[gamekeeper]

It looks really well made too but then it would have to be to take all that recoil WOW!

[Chuck 100 yd]

I`m huntin waskowey wabbits !!!

[Bill in Oregon]

Shasta: Sure does underscore the usefulness of a gunbearer, eh?

[AmBraCol]

Definitely a "One P" rifle. POWERFUL for sure! Not very practical or packable, but that's not why it was built! I love that you're continuing your brother's tradition. I've NO idea what velocity you're getting with a 150 grain load - but there's nothing on four legs in N. America that can take very many of those to the boiler room!

[KWK]

I've seen a few old British 2 bore guns, both singles and doubles, at an auction house. I never picked one up to inspect it. I knew just looking at the muzzle I would dislike firing the thing.

[jkbrea]

Wow! I'm never complaining about recoil again

[Bill in Oregon]

Hope our friend Shasta sees this. The thread goes back to 2011, but shooting big-bore BP long guns never gets old!