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"In 1803, Secretary of War Henry Dearborn wrote about the utility of a short barreled rifle, it being easier to charge enemy positions with, and 'less likely to foul by firing.' He specified that the new rifle that should 'not exceed 33 inches' and have a ball one-thirtieth of a pound weight, about .54 caliber." - Wikipedia

The statement above was a prelude to what would become the Harpers Ferry Model 1803 rifle. Does one-thirtieth of a pound or .54 caliber equate to a 13 gage?

Not totally sure; but I think it equates to a 28 gauge. According to a muzzleloading supply catalog I have a 12 gauge is equal to .73 caliber, and a 20 gauge is .62. You would use a .60 round ball in a 20 gauge smooth barrel.

Qtip
Soli Deo Gloria!

My bad, I mistook Gage for Bore. There was a rifle once called a 2-Bore that shot a 8oz projectile. Then there's the Fred Wells 4 bore. Niceeee

So a one-thirtieth of a pound round ball would be a 13 bore.

a .62cal is a .20 gauge so im not sure what the heck a .54cal would be.

Awww, so certain Baker's that were .62 caliber were basically 20 slug gun (slug being a lead ball). I say certain because I heard of a Banker that was a .61 caliber.

"714: Type I, Baker Rifle with Flat Faced Lock

This is the most common pattern Baker Rifle encountered with the rectangular patchbox and new land pattern lock, with the reinforced cock, and the tumbler with a fly. It 1s equipped with a 30 1/4" barrel which was rifled in .62 caliber. The stock had a 14 1/8" pull. This is the most well designed Baker Rifle for military use. It has a slightly beefy walnut stock with a fuller butt, and the 2 compartment patch box. "

One-thirtieth is 1/30. One thirteenth is 1/13. A 13 gauge would be 13 lead balls to the pound meaning that the balls would weigh about 538 grains each. If they truly meant one thirtieth (1/30) of a pound then those balls would weigh about 233 grains each. I use .535 swaged round ball in my 54 and those weigh about 230 grains so when the quote above says "about 54 cal." I'd say it's pretty close to on.

Thanks for the catch. Servers me right for reading past it so fast. Dit.da.dee

trekker
you are correct in the post. There was an old preacher when I was a kid who had a four bore and let me shoot it. It was a percussion cap short(about 30") barrel. Now that was fun. I don't know the charge weight, but he used a pill bottle to store it in, premeasured at home. More of a slow hard push than a kick. The ball was 1700gr or something close to that.

Randy