The 6 bore, also known as the 6 gauge, is an obsolete

caliber In guns, particularly firearms, but not #As a measurement of length, artillery, where a different definition may apply, caliber (or calibre; sometimes abbreviated as "cal") is the specified nominal internal diameter of the gun barrel Gauge ( ...

that was used commonly in 19th-century black-powder firearms.

Design

The 6 bore is a caliber firearm, used both as a

shotgun A shotgun (also known as a scattergun, peppergun, or historically as a fowling piece) is a long gun, long-barreled firearm designed to shoot a straight-walled cartridge (firearms), cartridge known as a shotshell, which discharges numerous small ...

firing shot and solid projectiles from

muzzleloader A muzzleloader is any firearm in which the user loads the bullet, projectile and the propellant charge into the Muzzle (firearms), muzzle end of the gun (i.e., from the forward, open end of the gun's barrel). This is distinct from the modern desi ...

s and breech loaders, both in

smoothbore A smoothbore weapon is one that has a barrel without rifling. Smoothbores range from handheld firearms to powerful tank guns and large artillery mortars. Some examples of smoothbore weapons are muskets, blunderbusses, and flintlock pistols. ...

and rifled

long gun A long gun is a category of firearms with long Gun barrel, barrels. In small arms, a ''long gun'' or longarm is generally designed to be held by both hands and braced against the shoulder, in contrast to a handgun, which can be fired being held w ...

s. Late breech loaders were designed to fire cartridges. A 6 bore cartridge rifle built by W.W. Greener in 1891 for a southern African trekker called Viljoen, fired bullets at . Three types of ammunition were supplied, hardened lead for

elephant Elephants are the largest living land animals. Three living species are currently recognised: the African bush elephant ('' Loxodonta africana''), the African forest elephant (''L. cyclotis''), and the Asian elephant ('' Elephas maximus ...

s and

rhinoceros A rhinoceros ( ; ; ; : rhinoceros or rhinoceroses), commonly abbreviated to rhino, is a member of any of the five extant taxon, extant species (or numerous extinct species) of odd-toed ungulates (perissodactyls) in the family (biology), famil ...

, slightly hardened lead for buffalo, and pure lead with a copper tube hollow point for

lion The lion (''Panthera leo'') is a large Felidae, cat of the genus ''Panthera'', native to Sub-Saharan Africa and India. It has a muscular, broad-chested body (biology), body; a short, rounded head; round ears; and a dark, hairy tuft at the ...

History

Early 6 bores tended to be large

muzzle loading A muzzleloader is any firearm in which the user loads the projectile and the propellant charge into the muzzle end of the gun (i.e., from the forward, open end of the gun's barrel). This is distinct from the modern designs of breech-loading fire ...

shotguns that were used for

wildfowling Waterfowl hunting is the practice of hunting Water bird, aquatic birds such as ducks, geese and other Anseriformes, waterfowls or Wader, shorebirds for sport and meat. Waterfowl are hunted in crop fields where they feed, or in areas with bodies ...

. While designed to fire shot, experiences with dangerous game in Africa and India led to them also being loaded with solid projectiles. These projectiles were usually propelled by a double charge of

black powder Gunpowder, also commonly known as black powder to distinguish it from modern smokeless powder, is the earliest known chemical explosive. It consists of a mixture of sulfur, charcoal (which is mostly carbon), and potassium nitrate, potassium ni ...

. By the 1850s, the

ivory trade The ivory trade is the commercial, often illegal trade in the ivory tusks of the hippopotamus, walrus, narwhal, black and white rhinos, mammoth, and most commonly, African elephant, African and Asian elephants. Ivory has been traded for hundred ...

was well developed in Africa and India, and muzzle loaded 6 bores were relatively popular, particularly for rifled weapons as opposed to smoothbores. As breech loaders and cartridge rifles came into vogue, the 6 bore's popularity faded in favour of the larger

4 bore Four bore or 4 bore is a black powder caliber of the 19th century, used for the hunting of large and potentially dangerous game animals. The specifications place this caliber between the larger 2 bore and the smaller 6 bore rifles. This caliber ...

2 bore Two bore or 2 bore is an obsolete firearm caliber. Specifications Two bore firearms generally fire spherical balls or slugs made of hardened lead, or in the case of a modern metallic cartridge with either solid brass or bronze projectiles. The ...

, which became something of an industry standard, as it was a very popular choice of caliber for

punt gun A punt gun is a type of extremely large shotgun used in the 19th and early 20th centuries for shooting large numbers of waterfowl for commercial harvesting operations. These weapons are characteristically too large for an individual to fire from ...

s. By the 1880s, the 8 bore was a more practical caliber for

elephant hunting Elephants are the Largest and heaviest animals, largest living land animals. Three living species are currently recognised: the African bush elephant (''Loxodonta africana''), the African forest elephant (''L. cyclotis''), and the Asian ele ...

, as rifles could be produced with a more manageable size, weight, and recoil, than could be had with the larger 6 bore, 4 bore, or 2 bore cartridges. Despite this, 6 bore cartridge rifles and cartridges could still be purchased. The 6 bore was only made obsolete by the introduction of Nitro Express cartridges chambered in

bolt-action rifle Bolt action is a type of manual firearm action that is operated by ''directly'' manipulating the turn-bolt via a bolt handle, most commonly placed on the right-hand side of the firearm (as most users are right-handed). The majority of b ...

s and

double rifle The double rifle, also known as a double-barreled rifle, is a rifle with two barrels mounted parallel to each other that can be fired simultaneously or sequentially in quick succession. Synonymous with big game hunting found primarily in Africa an ...

s, beginning in 1898.

Prominent users

Sir Samuel Baker had a 6 bore made as his first specialist elephant rifle. The percussion rifle, made by the gunmaker, George Gibbs of Bristol in 1840, it weighed and had a barrel with rifling of 2 very deep grooves. This rifle fired a belted spherical bullet or a conical bullet with a charge of 16 drams () of black powder. Baker later wrote of this rifle: :''"An extraordinary success attended this rifle, which became my colossal companion for many years in wild sports with dangerous game. It will be observed that the powder charge was one-third the weight of the projectile, and not only a tremendous crushing power, but an extraordinary penetration was obtained, never equalled by any rifle that I have since possessed."''

Cigar A cigar is a rolled bundle of dried and Fermentation, fermented tobacco leaves made to be Tobacco smoking, smoked. Cigars are produced in a variety of sizes and shapes. Since the 20th century, almost all cigars are made of three distinct comp ...

, the 19th century hottentot elephant hunter who introduced

Frederick Selous Frederick Courteney Selous, Distinguished Service Order, DSO (; 31 December 1851 – 4 January 1917) was a British people, British explorer, army British Army, officer, professional hunter, and conservation movement, conservationist, famous for ...

to elephant hunting, hunted with an old heavy 6 bore muzzleloader.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:919 in Firearms by caliber Rimmed cartridges British firearm cartridges

Design

History

Prominent users

See also

References