A cape gun

[MichaelZWilliamson]

Figured I should post some pics. I got this a couple of years ago. 18 gauge next to .40 cal. Belgian. Maker unknown.

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[salpal48]

Very nice Looking Cape gun. What is the inscription On the top Read.

[toot]

what is the difference between a CAPE GUN and a regular DBL, gun?

[Davy Sprocket]

Very nice, sir. I've always been intrigued by cape guns. A percussion in 12 gauge by 50 cal would be very handy. A 20 gauge by 45 cal would be neat too.

Sent from my SM-T867V using Tapatalk

[JimB..]

Very nice Looking Cape gun. What is the inscription On the top Read.

Superfine xxxxxxxxxx Steel Parts

[GhostHawk]

Toot it is my understanding that the rifle bore side of a cape gun is rifled. Where the other bore is smooth.

Most doubles be they black powder percussion, old hammer guns or modern are smooth x smooth.

[elk hunter]

Lovely! Absolutely lovely!

Wish my Belgium made muzzleloader, combo gun was that nice. It's just a plain utility weapon 16 gauge left barrel and 11 MM right rifle barrel.

[rking22]

Beautiful, hope to see some hunting posts with it being an integral part!

[MichaelZWilliamson]

Very nice Looking Cape gun. What is the inscription On the top Read.

Superfine Laminated Steel Barrels

[MichaelZWilliamson]

what is the difference between a CAPE GUN and a regular DBL, gun?

A cape gun is smooth left, rifled right (if Continental) or rifled left, smooth right (if British).

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[MichaelZWilliamson]

Lovely! Absolutely lovely!

Wish my Belgium made muzzleloader, combo gun was that nice. It's just a plain utility weapon 16 gauge left barrel and 11 MM right rifle barrel.

Thank you. I'm pleased with it.

This is my German one from about 1800, converted to percussion. Nominal 24 gauge. Straight polygonal left, rifled right.

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Pretty rough when it arrived. I did some cleanup.

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[Beerd]

I'm new at this, is that a set trigger?
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[MichaelZWilliamson]

Well, there's a trigger for each barrel, but the rifle trigger is screw adjustable for release.

[sharps4590]

Combination guns are just cool and yours looks to be a very nice example. Have you worked up loads for it or do you shoot it? The rifle trigger is adjustable for sear engagement.

I have a Jost & Diehl in 16 X 10.5 X 47R which is not Nitro proofed so I worked up BP loads for both barrels. I used Mag-Tech brass hulls for the shotgun side and had to work up 10.5 X 47R cases from the 11.15 X 60R cases I had. Shot shell load was the classic square, 16 bore load. Don't see how I could improve on it.

[toot]

GhostHawk & MichalKWilliamson, guys thanks for answering my question, that I was clueless about. a great bunch of guys'. I thought that it was for CAPE BUFFALO. so it was a gentleman gun for upland game & deer?

[MichaelZWilliamson]

In some countries (Germany was and still is), there's a limit on how many guns you can have, and licenses and taxes. So a combination gun saves money and slots. Also, their hunting seasons overlap and are less restrictive, so you might be able to take some birds on the way back from your deer.

It's also much easier to regulate one rifle and one shotgun barrel than two rifle barrels.

In modern guns, I have a drilling--16 gauge double over an 8X58R Sauer rifle that does the same thing.

German Hunting Guns forum has a picture of one of the earliest drillings. One smoothbore, one straight rifled, one twist rifled.

Yes, I shoot this one. 90 grains of BP equivalent and 3/4 oz shot, and the nominal .40 cal barrel (10.2mm) actually perfectly takes a patched .38 ball or bullet. Then I scrub is vigorously. The bores are still shiny, even with proof dates showing 1853-1860.

[Beerd]

Well, there's a trigger for each barrel, but the rifle trigger is screw adjustable for release.

Okay, I get it now.
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[BFJ]

Thanks for posting. Great looking Cape gun.

[toot]

it sounds like a marriage made in paradise!? the best of both worlds. again thanks for the explanation.

[MichaelZWilliamson]

The older one balances much better. This one is rather long. And when compared to say, my Westley Richards, it's a beast.

[BPJONES]

Very nice. I've always been captivated by cape guns although I've yet to acquire one.

[Gray Fox]

When considering a tri-barrel combo gun with smooth bore, twist and straight rifled bores, what was the purpose of the latter versus the other two? GF

[MichaelZWilliamson]

When considering a tri-barrel combo gun with smooth bore, twist and straight rifled bores, what was the purpose of the latter versus the other two? GF

The straight rifle can serve as a second shotgun barrel, or a rifle barrel. For charging game, rifle first, straight second. For retreating game if it's close enough, straight first, then rifled. For birds, smooth, then straight.

It minimized regulation issues between the barrels, while still providing some improvement in accuracy over a smoothbore.