Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Express Rifles and Big Bores Only What big bores do you shoot?

I would like to see you Ruger #1 with a 28" barrel. They come with a 26" NOT 28". But then what do I know I only have one. What does the 28" barrel have to do with not getting 3000 FPS with 250 gr. Hornady. One inch only gives 100 FPS at best. I an only shooting 96 gr of powder. This gives me the best accuracy.
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I do realize that in MIN-A-SOO-TA that a long shot is nothing close to what we have in the west. This year we watched a B&C bull that was 1700-1800 yards away but then I WAS there.
<br>Want to have a shoot off ? My KT against your Rigby. We could put ther target out at say 600 yards and then we can let them fly. It sounds good to me.
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<br>I will have send my laser range finders back and have them adjusted, or maybe we can use your eyes, but that is no good you couldnot see out 700+ yard.
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<br>All is in fun. Have a good time .
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<br>Good hunting and Great shooting

I don't need a laser rangefinder, I stalk close enough to call it hunting......not sniping. The 416 has a 1-4 Vari-X II, the 500 Nitro has express sights.
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<br>What's that thing about Minnesota? I guess I missed that one.

.458 Lott I saw your comment on building a .500 Jeffery.
<br>2 weeks ago on the big German Hunting /Fishing show I had the pleasure handling and slobbering all over the Johansson Magnum Mauser 98 action in .500 Jeffery.
<br>Whaaaaat a gorgeous rifle, whaat a beautifull action!!
<br>The action was glass smooth, emaculate workmanship in all details, winchester safety, recoil proof magazine release, polished feeding ramp and rails, beautifull express sights with relative large ivory front bead. All that beautifull crafted metal set in a relative simple well proportioned straight grained beautifull finished piece of english walnut. Sigh!! The stuff dreams are made off.

By actual definition "Big Bore" is .458 and larger according to the British Big Bore Rifle makers. The 375HH and the 416 are referred to as Medium Bores. I would guess the 45/70 is going to fall on the side of Big bore by definition but hardly meets the power standards of others in the "big bore" catagory.
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<br>25 years ago a 300 weatherby was an awfully powerful rifle to me. I would have considerd it more or less silly for anyhting in the USA. So the "power" each of us sees as un-necessary or excessive is going to be reletive to what we are used to.
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<br>By todays standards the 300 Weatherby is not an overly powerful rifle for any big game. But I would bet in some SE or Midwest states it's looked upon just as I did 25 years ago. I'm not looking for a flame or a debate just trying to put into context the term "Big Bore" by those who have built them the longest. Big bore for the British rifle makers are .458, .500, .505. 470. 477, 600 nitro and 700 nitro etc. etc. I'm sure I missed plenty but you get the idea.
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<br>They did not coinsider the 375HH anything but a Smaller Meduim bore "all around hunting rifle". Even the 404 and 416 were referred to as meduim bores. Those Brit's really must have had a high tolerance to recoil, or they actually understood what was needed to crumple the big guys in Africa. or anyplace else in the world.

Of course you are correct JJ. That is how the "olde tyme" Brits classified the large bores, and this was done in the blackpowder days, was it not? If you wanted more terminal energy on target, the only thing to do was increase bore size, because you couldn't drive the bullets any faster.
<br>Then along comes 'smokeless", cordite, and finally the slow burning magnum powders.
<br>I know that numbers are just numbers, but how else to compare dissimilar cartridges performance? What I would like to have someone show me is how the old, slow huge bullets compare with the newer, faster, smaller bores.
<br>Is Taylors KO value table valid?
<br>If the old timers, (Sir Samuel Baker) had had a 458Lott, 416Hoffman, or some such, would he ever have had any reason to put up with 'Baby' , his 4-bore rifle(I think that's right?)
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<br>In the end, I feel that the .40 calibers and above are getting to be big bores, but that is compared to what I am used to encountering here in good old Nebraska, and what size rifles are needed to be useful on the game that we have available to us. Most people around here think that a 375HH is just HUGE. and they are not wrong, for around here. But if we had lions and tigers and bears roaming these creek bottoms, I suspect that people would feel that the 375HH is a reasonably moderate sized deer gun, and most would be carrying 416s or 458s.
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<br>So for me, I'll include 375HH and the 416s in the big bore category, because the energy the develope is on the upper end of the scale compared to what I'm used to.
<br>I know a gentleman that lives within 25 miles of me who thinks that the 470NE is kinda whimpy, and much prefers the 500 3"NE. He hunts all over the world, and has used just about everything there is to use. I would think that his definition of big bore would be somewhat different than mine, and he is probably correct. (But I have to wonder if the recoil has started to affect his judgement, as he has done a bit of spearing of large dangerous game this year.)
<br>Big bore rifles are fascinating!
<br>Best to you,
<br>Bill in NE

Just one. My Marlin Guide Gun in 45-70.

Marlin 1895GS 45/70

Hello,
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<br>This is my first post here. This seems like a nice forum. By way of introduction, the big bores that I presently shoot are: .45-70, .45 X 2 4/10" (.45-90), and .45 X 2 7/8" (.45-110). These are all Black Powder Cartridge rifles. One original Rolling Block Sporting Rifle (new barrel), a Browning Creedmore 1885 High Wall, and two Shiloh Sharps. I am working on building a .416 (Taylor?) on a nice VZ-24 action that I have. Will stock it with English Walnut.
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<br>Scott

Scott, welcome!
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<br>There is lot of wisdom and experience here, (as well as some joking and BS).
<br>Hope you want to stick around and be an active part of the group. (unless you're an opinionated idiot, then you can post more, for our collective comic relief)
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<br>Bill
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I bought some years back a rifle that was told and sold to me as a big bore gun. Now that caliber is a .375H&H bolt action Winchester with a wooden stock.
<br>So now, I am told 20 years later, I have in fact a medium bore rifle, still yet all the gun one needs to hunt most dangerous game in far away places I have never been yet.
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<br>I get so sick of the so called Cowboys "want ta bee" shooters and their 45/70 guide guns at the range who insist they are carrying the big bores of today with advanced technology behind them, in the way of a ported barrel I guess is what they are referring too. That rifle is a joke in my eyes! I don't care it is my opinion and I am sticking to it........what a way to screw up a nice lever action.
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<br>Well, I will still take that .375H&H of mine, even though it sets more than is shot by me, over any other big bore or lever out there and bring home the bacon in spite of what some call a medium bore now days, or weather time has changed the grading system any.

'Shroom, time does indeed change the grading system.
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<br>A century ago, 45 cal was small bore.

Man,this thread has come out of the dark spaces of internet time hasn't it?
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<br>I have a 378 Weatherby Magnum (I'd qualify a 300 grain bullet going 3000 FPS as a big bore,wouldn't you?),several 45/70s,a 45/120 3 1/4 inch,and a 458 Winchester Magnum.Plan on picking up a 416 Weatherby and 460 Weatherby one day also.
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<br>WB.

Wheel Chair, by my standards I would call the .378 you posted about as being more into mounted cannon offerings. I fired one of those things once without a muzzle break. It would seem to me to be a deady killer of game on one end and a crippler on the other. Yes, indeed I would certainly call it a big bore and then some.

Mushroom,
<br>Without a muzzel brake,the 378 Weatherby Magnum is one of the most ferocious kickers in the world;from a 10 pound rifle,it'll have nearly 80 pounds of recoil at 23 FPS.Even worse yet,if you have one that hasn't been made in the last view years,it'll have a #2 barrel instead of a #3,and will be VERY light-some weight only 8 1/2 pounds,complete with scope!Mine has a #2 barrel,but luckily has a very dense peice of Claro on it,and weights 8 3/4 pounds scopeless.It also has a muzzel brake on it,which automaticaly makes it into a pussy cat,albit a very LOUD pussy cat.
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<br>WB.

WCB, I only fired that 378 once, it left forever lasting branded impression upon my brain and body. I got a bloody nose from the idea, friends of mine thought I had been in a fight earlier, from the blood on my shirt. A mule won't kick as hard as that rifle I was told and believe it too.

.45/70 T/C Contender.

375 H&H x2
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<br>460 WBY.
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<br>Just got rid of the 416 WBY.
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<br>I really liked the 378 WBY I had,it was a Lazer mark with a really nice stock .
<br>235 grain speers at 3300fps really got the message down range in a hurry.
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<br>Charlie

john 'pondoro' taylor, a transplanted english irishman who somewhat defined the golden age of safari in the waning days of empire, defines 'big bore' as follows in his seminal book, 'african rifles and cartridges' (safari press, reprint 1994):
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<br>"LARGE BORE. A rifle the caliber of which is not less than .450".
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<br>"LARGE MEDIUM BORE. A rifle the caliber of which is not less than .400" nor greater than .440" (11.2mm).
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<br>"MEDIUM BORE. A rifle the caliber of which is not less than .318" nor greater than .375".
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<br>"SMALL BORE. A rifle the caliber of which is less than .318".
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<br>"MINIATURE. A rifle the M.E. of which is less than 1,500 ft. lbs.
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<br>"MAGNUM. A rifle the M.V. of which is not less than 2,500 f.s.
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<br>te

My only big bore that I shoot is my .375 H&H. Dunno if that is a true big bore or not, but plenty big enough I think!