Four Bore Ball Gun - Loading Advice Required

**fourbore** · 15-05-2012, 10:08

Hello,

I am seeking some advice on charge and ball diameter for loading a four bore ball gun by Cogswell and Harrison which is built on a Field's Patent side lever operated falling block action. The gun has a 36" barrel (smoothbore - no choke) is sighted and has 4" chambers, Birmingham Nitro proofs which have the bore diameter marked as 1.001" (measured 9" from the breech). The gun is at over 19 lbs (8.7 kg) considerably heavier than a four bore shotgun.

I have had a number of 4" brass cartridges made speciffically for the gun and I have been told that it should safely take a charge of 12 drams (or nitro equivilent) of FG blackpowder.

My dilema is to what tolerance the round lead ball should be bearing in mind the 1.001" bore diameter. Any advice from forum members would be much appreciated.

I have attached a couple of pictures of the gun along side my Mauser 71/84 and a close up of the action with the four bore brass case alongside .308 and .22 lr

DSC01803 (1280x960).jpg IMG_0219 (1280x960).jpg

**Wanderin' Zero** · 15-05-2012, 10:39

Now THAT is an interesting piece. I do not know the answers to your questions but I know somebody who may well and if they do not know themselves, will almost certainly know somebody who does. Send me a private message and I will let you have details.

**driepootx** · 15-05-2012, 10:45

Round balls are seated with patches and should therfore be undesize to achieve this.

**Sean Murphy** · 15-05-2012, 13:13

Driepootx, this is not a muzzleloader so you will not load a patched ball into a cartridge case. Probably just a ball backed by wads.

I have plenty of experience with BP cartridge guns but unfortunately none with loading balls into cartridges. I would offer the following opinions though. The ball should at least match the bore diameter. Use a thick felt wad behind the ball. A lubed wad will probably help with the fouling and then a card wad between the lubed wad and the powder to prevent powder contamination. Use a ball that is hardened with tin. About 5% will probably work well.

Sean.

**Wanderin' Zero** · 15-05-2012, 14:20

As far as I know, the 4 bore did not use balls. The muzzle diameter would have had to be too big to accommodate the required weight of lead to achieve 4 bore calibre. I have some information on it somewhere… I also have an article on a 2 bore that was built.

**Sean Murphy** · 15-05-2012, 14:34

WZ. The bore diameter of the gun in question is 1.001 inches. That is a correct diameter for 4 bore. I say "a" correct diameter as stated 4 bores were made in claibers from about 24mm to about 26mm. Some were rifled and some were not. Most smooth bores were the earlier muzzle loaders. Then came rifled ML's and next breech loaders. Most breech loaders are rifled but a few smoothbores were also made. This appears to be one of them.

Should be no problem firing a ball. Just do not expect long range accuracy. These guns are, however, made for close range shots on big game so they are more than accurate enough for the job at hand.

Sean.

**Sean Murphy** · 15-05-2012, 14:39

On Powder loads. I would use BP only. Use the largest granulation you can find. In SA we do not have a wide choice. Wano FFg or Swiss No4 (1.5Fg) will probably be the best available here. The rule with Bp is to make sure that there is no space in the case. So, you will fill the case to the point that leaves enough space for the wads and powder to be loaded. If you can compress the powder charge by a couple of millimeters then that will give more consistent ignition.

Sean.