4 Bore Proof Test, And Results

[huntingsgr8]

About 1 year ago I came on the forum looking for advice in building a 4 bore caplock, today I finally proof tested it. The standard charge I will use in this monster is a 4oz projectile, and 14 drams (385grs) of powder. The proof load consisted of a 6.6oz projectile, and 550 grains of 3f Goex. Here are some pictures, The first is of a .22 pellet container with the charge in it, the container is approximately 2.5" in diameter and 7/8" deep. The second is of the hollow based projectile I cast from a mold I made, still haven't perfected it yet. The next two are of the setup I had to fire it, I set the cap off with a party sparkler. The next show the penetration into the frozen block of poplar it shot into, and the projectile after. The mold was cold when I cast the bullet, so it wasn't as solid as it could have been. The piece on the left was the front, and the piece on the right was the rear. In the future I will heat my mold up for better fill out, I was just being lazy when I cast this one. The shot https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9Uw...ature=youtu.be The aftermath https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SLuX...ature=youtu.be

[Omnivore]

Strange. It looks as though the skirt blew, and the projectile exited, and impacted, as two separate pieces. The hololow base slug may have to be re-thought. If a less-than-perfect cast resulted in separation, then it seems you're right on the edge of, if not beyond, the pressure that the projectile can handle. Or am I misinterpreting the photos?

Anyway; that's a pretty impressive shooter there. Holy smokes! You plan on hunting elephant, or T-Rex with that thing? I can't make out any evidence of rifling on the slug. It that a rifle or a smooth bore?

[TenTea]

Pretty neat!

Whenever I hear the phrase *4 bore* I think Henry Bowman and Unintended Consequences by John Ross.

[Hickory]

You must have something big around the house you want to kill.

[dondiego]

I could use that for a wood splitter at my house!

[bubba.50]

calls to my mind the old sayin' : "just because you can doesn't mean you should." I guess it's better than takin' up jugglin' hand grenades for a hobby but, if I wanted to go that big I'd take up cannon buildin'. but that's just my opinion & yer welcome to it. luck to ya & my best wishes to yer health.

[Col4570]

just wondering,what is it for.It would make a good avalanche Starter.

[wgr]

I do,nt think i was ever that mad at anything

[45 Dragoon]

Col4570,
That's funny, I believe it was born in your country!

Mike

[Duster340]

Very cool. Congrats!

[Gaucho Gringo]

Pretty neat!

Whenever I hear the phrase *4 bore* I think Henry Bowman and Unintended Consequences by John Ross.

Same here. I am rereading it again for the I don't remember X time.

[huntingsgr8]

Strange. It looks as though the skirt blew, and the projectile exited, and impacted, as two separate pieces. The hololow base slug may have to be re-thought. If a less-than-perfect cast resulted in separation, then it seems you're right on the edge of, if not beyond, the pressure that the projectile can handle. Or am I misinterpreting the photos?

Anyway; that's a pretty impressive shooter there. Holy smokes! You plan on hunting elephant, or T-Rex with that thing? I can't make out any evidence of rifling on the slug. It that a rifle or a smooth bore?

The hollow in it is 5/8" wide and rounded on top, so I'm thinking of tapering it to give it more strength near the front of the projectile, and being over the level of pressure this thing can take would not surprise me, it was a proof load. Proper casting technique should resolve the issue, if not I'll have to bite the bullet and make a ball mold. It's a smooth bore, and as of now the barrel weighs 15 pounds, the bore diameter is 1.007", the OD is around 1.843", and the length is 32". As far as hunting with it....well I'll make that judgement after I fire it shouldered for the first time.

[huntingsgr8]

You must have something big around the house you want to kill.

We've got some mean squirrels up here.

[huntingsgr8]

According to the Weatherby recoil calculator, which has a calculation for black powder, at 800 fps the barrel would have recoiled with 245 ft/lbs of force, and at 1000 fps the barrel would have recoiled with 335 ft/lbs of force. I've never felt so sorry for a piece of firewood.......

[LynC2]

We've got some mean squirrels up here.

No lie, that thing is big enough to qualify as an anti-tank gun! I recall reading that the old time professional hunters in Africa all had developed a terrible flinch from shooting those cannons.

[Walla2]

No lie, that thing is big enough to qualify as an anti-tank gun! I recall reading that the old time professional hunters in Africa all had developed a terrible flinch from shooting those cannons.

I wouldn't worry about the flinch. That thing will make your eyeballs swap sockets!

[huntingsgr8]

Ha Ha. If nothing else people's reactions when i tell them what I'm making convinces me to push on. Albeit I'm doing everything in my power to do this safely....if there is such a thing with one of these.

[Omnivore]

I'm doing everything in my power to do this safely....if there is such a thing with one of these.

As a Russian friend of my Russian (now American) friend once said;
"Is gun. Is not safe."

[sharps4590]

I think it's pretty cool! Don't know that I'd want to shoot it but it's cool! Awww...I'd have to try it....once.

[Travelor]

I shot a 1" bore muzzle loader one time at a match. It was an original Civil War rifle said to have been made and used to shoot the boilers on steam boats. The gun must have weighed 60 pounds and we placed a 6" piece of pipe insulation between us and the butt. Kicked like a mu;e, but now I can say, "Been there, Done that".

Will be interesting to see how your project goes.