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Wyosmith · March 15, 2013, 10:47 AM

Folks, I made the first 2 bore sporting rifle in at least 165 years, and perhaps in all of history. As of this time, I and others that are studying the history of these big rifles have not found any made earlier, except for harpoon firing whaling guns. I may be the very first ever. I can't say that dogmatically, but it's very possible and may be probable.
Please excuse the rifle pics here. I post them only to help prove the validity of what I am about to write here.

I am Colin's old instructor. I am better known for my German Jaegers and American Longrifles, but I have a following within the membership of Safari Club International, and my British style guns have killed the "Big Five" in Africa a few time. So I am speaking as someone with true knowledge here, and not just theory.

The idea of loading a magnum charge in a 2 bore pistol is insane.

To illustrate the point let’s look at pack howitzers.
In most cases a pack howitzer of the 1840s had a bore of about 1”. That’s close to 4 bore. Big ones would go about 1/14”. A 2 bore is larger than that by a “smidge”
A pack howitzer when it’s assembled with its barrel on a carriage and with wheels installed is about 225 to 245 pounds.

A service load of powder is about 900 grains of coarse powder.

Now let’s look at a scale of bore size to powder charges.

Going to the heavy side of usefulness we have a 40 cal rifle using about 40 grains
A 50 cal will use about 100 grains
A 58 cal will use about 135 grains
A 62 cal uses about 160 grains
A 72 cal (12 bore) uses about 220
An 8 bore uses about 280
A 4 bore uses about 550
So a 2 bore “should use” about 900-1000

A 2 bore pack howitzer used just about that much.

Records has shown that if a crewman stood in the wrong place behind one as it was fired it would often break a leg when the gun hit him. A gun and platform that weighs about two hundred and fifty pounds.The 2 bore shoulder fired sporting rifle I made weighed 22 pounds.
Are we starting to see some reality now?
A pistol will weigh about 6-7 pounds.
A magnum charge would be about 1200 grains of powder.
In my opinion, such a charge in a pistil will probably kill the shooter

Folks, don’t do it!
THINK first.

March 15, 2013, 10:47 AM	#19
Wyosmith Senior Member Join Date: December 29, 2010 Location: Shoshoni Wyoming Posts: 2,713	Folks, I made the first 2 bore sporting rifle in at least 165 years, and perhaps in all of history. As of this time, I and others that are studying the history of these big rifles have not found any made earlier, except for harpoon firing whaling guns. I may be the very first ever. I can't say that dogmatically, but it's very possible and may be probable. Please excuse the rifle pics here. I post them only to help prove the validity of what I am about to write here. I am Colin's old instructor. I am better known for my German Jaegers and American Longrifles, but I have a following within the membership of Safari Club International, and my British style guns have killed the "Big Five" in Africa a few time. So I am speaking as someone with true knowledge here, and not just theory. The idea of loading a magnum charge in a 2 bore pistol is insane. To illustrate the point let’s look at pack howitzers. In most cases a pack howitzer of the 1840s had a bore of about 1”. That’s close to 4 bore. Big ones would go about 1/14”. A 2 bore is larger than that by a “smidge” A pack howitzer when it’s assembled with its barrel on a carriage and with wheels installed is about 225 to 245 pounds. A service load of powder is about 900 grains of coarse powder. Now let’s look at a scale of bore size to powder charges. Going to the heavy side of usefulness we have a 40 cal rifle using about 40 grains A 50 cal will use about 100 grains A 58 cal will use about 135 grains A 62 cal uses about 160 grains A 72 cal (12 bore) uses about 220 An 8 bore uses about 280 A 4 bore uses about 550 So a 2 bore “should use” about 900-1000 A 2 bore pack howitzer used just about that much. Records has shown that if a crewman stood in the wrong place behind one as it was fired it would often break a leg when the gun hit him. A gun and platform that weighs about two hundred and fifty pounds.The 2 bore shoulder fired sporting rifle I made weighed 22 pounds. Are we starting to see some reality now? A pistol will weigh about 6-7 pounds. A magnum charge would be about 1200 grains of powder. In my opinion, such a charge in a pistil will probably kill the shooter Folks, don’t do it! THINK first. Last edited by Wyosmith; March 15, 2013 at 11:45 AM.