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Old August 13, 2011, 02:03 AM   #1
swopjan
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8 gauge shotguns

Have been looking around the internet a bit but not finding a whole lot of information on them except that they are illegal for duck hunting in the U.S. However, i'm willing to bet they would attract a few spectators and make for quite a day at the range if you don't mind icing your shoulder for a day or three afterwards.

Does anyone have any experience with these, or know of a site where i could view some for sale? couldn't find much on gunbroker or anywhere else, and i imagine they're very expensive but what the heck, it's on the wish list and i'm still young.
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Old August 13, 2011, 07:03 AM   #2
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Most 8 gauge guns these days are industrial kiln guns, used to blast chunks of material from kiln walls. I don't know of any modern sporting firearms that are barreled in 8 gauge. Ammo would be problematic, although not impossible.

Link here for the Remington Industrial site.

One alternative would be to build an 8 gauge muzzle loading shotgun, using black powder as a propellant.
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Old August 13, 2011, 07:30 AM   #3
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knew of those, but never saw one before. think that would draw even more of a crowd

never thought of building one, either. would prefer something that takes shells, i believe there were sporting guns that accepted shells as i've seen reloading components for sale here and there, but blackpowder would do fine.

how difficult/complicated would it be to build one? are there any custom shops that specialize in, or would at least be capable of, producing guns like this?
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Old August 13, 2011, 07:46 AM   #4
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Me shooting a muzzle loading 8 gauge.



8 gauge next to 12 gauge for comparison.

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Old August 13, 2011, 08:09 AM   #5
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Any surviving 8 gauge cartridge gun in shootable condition is likely to cost so much to purchase, it could hardly be considered a lark. While they do turn up from time to time, they tend to be expensive. See http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0800308/ and scroll down to "Trivia" - if Hollywood can't afford one to make a movie, even a relatively low-budget movie - can you?

http://www.gunsinternational.com/4-a...fm?cat_id=1209 lists a few for sale...

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Old August 13, 2011, 08:15 AM   #6
swopjan
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how did it feel? a bit rougher than my 30-06 i'll bet, looks like you could load just powder and still bump off a few birds at some distance.

sad to admit, but when it comes to shotguns i own a .410 and a 12 gauge but i've only ever fired Dad's 20 gauge pump, trap loads i think. was slightly disappointed with it, sister always complained about the recoil but when i got my hands on it didn't feel a kick at all and it was before that range got a machine to chuck clay pigeons so i got to shoot at dirt.

where and how did you get to shoot that?



and i've got enough years left that $7,500 for a nice double 8-gauge makes me wince but isn't out of the question. much cheaper than an Anzio Ironworks 20mm rifle, and prettier to boot!

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Old August 13, 2011, 08:30 AM   #7
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Go to Doublegun Shop,com and you'll be able to find out about 8 gas. In a lot of states they are illegal for hunting any game. Loading info and shells are available, little pricey to get into.
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Old August 13, 2011, 08:34 AM   #8
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One of the local gunshops had a whole box of Winchester 8 gauge paper slugs. He was selling them by the piece for 5$. Should have got one to sit on the self, but didn't. The shells were huge!! It looked like somebody cut off a 2inch piece of a 1inch solid lead pipe, and shoved it in the hull. It wasn't rounded like slugs are today, it was just flat. Can't believe I didn't get one.

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Old August 13, 2011, 09:20 AM   #9
swopjan
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everything i find seems to point to the UK. is it illegal to buy a foreign-made double shotgun and bring it into or have it shipped to the US? i know there's some restrictions requiring foreign firearms to have a certain number of specific American-made parts, does this also apply to double or single shotguns? what about antiques, like most of the 8 gauges i've seen?
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Old August 13, 2011, 09:49 AM   #10
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The 8 gauge we had at our power plant replaced the Remington 12 gauges we kept wearing out and was tripod-mounted for blowing slag off the boiler walls. The gun was rented from Winchester and the ammo purchased directly from them

Swopjan - since a 12 gauge pheasant load of 1-1/4 oz @ 1300 or so is right at a 30-06, the 8 gauge will have more recoil
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Old August 13, 2011, 09:53 AM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by swopjan
how did it feel? a bit rougher than my 30-06 i'll bet, looks like you could load just powder and still bump off a few birds at some distance.

sad to admit, but when it comes to shotguns i own a .410 and a 12 gauge but i've only ever fired Dad's 20 gauge pump, trap loads i think. was slightly disappointed with it, sister always complained about the recoil but when i got my hands on it didn't feel a kick at all and it was before that range got a machine to chuck clay pigeons so i got to shoot at dirt.

where and how did you get to shoot that?


It really wasn't that bad because that gun weighs about 12 pounds. There is actually a lot of overlap between 10 and 8 gauge and even magnum 12 gauge.
I'd rather shoot 'target' loads out of an 8 than 3.5 inch magnums out of a 12.

That picture was taken at the Texas Muzzleloading Rifle Association shoot in Brady TX, the gun belonged to a gentleman from Houston and was custom built by the late Ralph Austin I think. A lot of the finer and more historically accurate muzzleloaders are custom built by individual gunsmiths, sort of a cottage industry, and you won't find them at BassPro or Cabelas.
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