4 gauge
 

any body out there loading any 4 ga shells..i have tom armbrusts book on 4 and 8 ga loads..just wandering if anybody else besides me wanna shoot the old cannons... charlie

Go over to accuratereloading.com and ask them on the forum.those guys should.know. I got some load data on a 10 bore rifle 700 gr or might been 900 gr slug at 1500 fps as a moderate loads lol. Also custom gun maker colin Stolzer could help you since he makes them and loads to proof them himself

thanks milt... got interested in the big bores again got my eye on a 4 ga... charlie

Two years ago, I had the opportunity to tour the Holland and Holland factory. While there, i had a chance to see a 4 bore double which was being completed. Gun was reputed to have $100,000 worth of engraving. Becha the gun never has a shell put in it.

Anybody make snap caps for the 4?

I bought eight gauge snap caps from Adams and Spencer while they were making them. I don't know if they ever made four gauge caps.

Charlie at least one of our members owns fours. I don't know whether he is loading for them or not.

Here are a few 4s, with a WRA Co. 24 gauge 'Repeater' load for comparison. From left to right:

1) 24 Gauge
2) Kynoch 'Patented Brass Shell'
3) Late Eley
4) WRA Co. 'Leader' NPE
5) UMC Co. (that someone thoughtfully removed the shot from?!)

thanks for the photos rounder...i have a eley 4 ga and a french 4 ga in my shotshell collection and looking at a loaded umc 4 ga....want aloaded winchester but out of my reach rite now.. charlie

I have a sealed box of Eley fours, and it is sitting on a shelf in the "room" waiting for a gun. Does anyone have an idea of the value of this box in case I decide to let it go? There are 25 of them in there. They are 4" shells, loaded with 3 ounces of lead BBs. They have never been opened. I know where the gun is, but I don't think the owner will sell it to me.

Bill, from what I have seen over the years, your box of Eleys would do well on Gun Broker. If it were mine, I would start the bidding no less than $400.00. If it did not sell, you can always go down, if you want. That brass 4 in my photo is a $100.00 cartridge. The paper Eley 4 is easily a $25.00 specimen. I don't know if anyone loads custom 4s or 8s, but shooting originals, if they even fire, can be very expensive, especially if the box is still sealed.

bill i bid 500 hundred on a box of eley 4 ga and i did not get them..if i remember rite the owner wanted 800 hundred for them...they are scarce i bet a box of winchester 4 ga would go inthe 1000 s several times.. i would get me a gun to shoot them shells at least one of them...been adream of mine to fire one of these old cannons... charlie

Charlie, I recall the auction or offer to sell that you mentioned. I wouldn't have sold them for $500 either. They are worth a bunch more than that. I wonder who that guy was? Maybe he has changed his mind. I recently bought a lifetime supply of modern Gamebore and Eley eights that someone can buy from my estate sale. I don't know if I will ever shoot them, but I did know for sure that I needed them when I was counting out the bills.

bill i bid on a 4 ga but did not get it..was a w d golden gun with 36 inch barrel a hammer gun double went for a few dollars under 5 grand...i sure would like to have tried it out with the one eley 4 ga shell that i have...hope who ever got it shoots it some instead just looking at it.... charlie

An empty 4 gauge Eley box went for $168.00 plus shipping this week.

i seen that box just forgot about it...i paid all most that much for a nice 8 ga eley empty box..the 4 s are rare... charlie