Looking for a four bore? The Nizam's gun . . .

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timmy
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Looking for a four bore? The Nizam's gun . . .

Post by timmy » Mon Apr 05, 2021 1:59 am

from here: https://www.forgottenweapons.com/james- ... ng-rifles/
The 4-bore (approximately 1″/25mm bore diameter) is the largest shoulder-fired rifle actually used for hunting. Developed in the days of black powder muzzleloaders, it was intended to be the ultimate rifle of last resort, to stop a charging elephant, rhinoceros, or other angry behemoth by sheer size of projectile. The cartridge continued to be used through the development of centerfire metallic ammunition and smokeless gunpowder, although it would be made obsolete by the greater penetration available from smaller smokeless-power cartridges in the 1890s and later.

While they were used by professional guides and hunters as well as sportsmen, the 4-bore was often a presentation and display gun, as it was simply too much for many people to want to carry and shoot. The most notable high-end bespoke gunmakers like Holland & Holland offered 4-bore rifles of exquisite quality and engraving, and in this video I’ll take a look at several of those (including guns from the collection of the Nizam of Hyderabad).

In addition, I will fire a couple rounds through a single-barrel 4-bore rifle rebuilt by J.J. Perodeux of Enid, Oklahoma. This rifle is truly a shooter’s gun, without the decorative embellishments of the guns from aristocratic collections. Whatever your taste in elephant rifles, I have something here for you!
https://www.full30.com/embed/8d592b032c ... 081360a08d

(This isn't a youtube video and the "media" and "video" bb code tags didn't work, so I couldn't post a preview of these exquisite hand cannons! For myse;f, I love these things, but find myself more drawn to howdah pistols. There is a lot to enjoy in this video!)
“There is nothing new in the world except the history you do not know”

Harry S. Truman

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Re: Looking for a four bore? The Nizam's gun . . .

Post by ckkalyan » Thu Apr 15, 2021 5:39 am

Thanks, timmy, excellent video on these mammoth firearms!



Good point there when Ian clarifies that bore is ascribed to rifled barrels while gauge refers to smoothbore barrels; as well as rifle vs gun

:cheers:
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Re: Looking for a four bore? The Nizam's gun . . .

Post by timmy » Thu Apr 15, 2021 6:05 am

:-)

I enjoyed it too!

re: smoothbore vs rifled -- then you have my hero, George Vincent Fosbery, inventor of the Webley Fosbery revolver, who also invented the "Paradox rifle"! I guess he liked his "mixed metaphors": "automatic revolver" and "rifled smoothbore".

Even if they are out of reach due to rarity and cost, they are still fun to see and think about.
“There is nothing new in the world except the history you do not know”

Harry S. Truman

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