[Humakavula]

A good friend of mine has asked my assistance in locating for him an old empty brass casing for what he says is a 4 gauge. apparently its approx. an inch in diameter. anyone know what he's talking about and have additional info for me??

[Cosmoline]

He may have been talking about a 4 bore rifle. I believe there was variation in diameters and the brass is often custom-made. Ten rounds can cost more than most rifles.

You'd need to know exactly what he's trying to load. What the firearm is, when it was made, who made it, and all the other details.

If he just wants one for showing around, mockups can be found on gunbroker.

[Humakavula]

thanks much Cosmoline. my problem was searching for a 4ga. instead of a 4 bore. he's looking for a winchester made one. He has been informed about the price and hung up promptly... he he. maybe a christmas present. thanks again for a quick response.

[highlander 5]

One of the larger gun shops in Maine had 4 bore ammo brass case using shotgun primers only $75 a round.

[Jim K]

In spite of some opinion, 4 bore and 4 gauge are usually the same thing (four round lead balls to a pound weight). Depending on whose "gauge" you use, the actual bore diameter will be about 1.052". The service charge was 273 grains of powder behind 3 1/2 ounces of shot or a 1649 grain bullet. Those huge guns were fired from the shoulder, but also from a rest with some means of holding the gun in place. 4 bore rifles were used in Africa with solid ball on large game, but in this country, 4 bore was used mainly as shotguns by market hunters. Guns were made in England and Belgium; double guns were made with matching smooth bore and rifled sets of barrels.

The shotguns were popular enough here that Winchester made shells in both brass and paper, but I don't know if other makers did. AFAIK, no gun of that gauge were ever commercially produced in the U.S. They are now banned for use in hunting and any new gun of that size would have to have BATFE approval as a sporting gun; otherwise it would be a destructive device.

Jim

[Ron James]

And for whatever it's worth, the Cartridges of the World calls it the 4 gauge, but what is surprising is that they state that new guns are being built in Belgium and England? Mad dogs and Englishmen.:what:

[Cosmoline]

otherwise it would be a destructive device.

There are two pertinent exceptions. The first is for "a shotgun or a shotgun shell which the Attorney General finds is generally recognized as particularly suitable for sporting purposes" and the second is for "or any other device which the Attorney General finds is not likely to be used as a weapon, is an antique, or is a rifle which the owner intends to use solely for sporting, recreational or cultural purposes. ." 18 USC 921(a)(4).

The only way this is going to be a problem is if some nut is trying to set up shop to hunt with punt guns and blow whole flocks out of the air for commercial sale, and in the extremely unlikely event that's the case the state F&G people and the migratory bird fanciers (not to mention Ducks Unlimited) are going to be at him long before the BATF gets wind of anything. These enormous weapons are mainly curiosities. There's an outfit called Schroeder & Hetzendorfer that's been making new two bore rifles, which are not illegal for hunting in a lot of places (you have to distinguish between punt guns and elephant guns)

I'd be more worried about shoulder and nerve damage, which actually is a real risk with this level of firearm. Dislocated retinas too. And the monumental destructive impact to bank accounts ;-) All of which weighs against the inherent coolness of the round. But if anyone is worried about a mega bore being a DD, you can always ask for a formal opinion on it.

[jim in Anchorage]

I think 4 bore or gauge, take your pick guns in the US were used mostly with solid projectiles to knock ash out of industrial smoke stacks.