Just gone and done it!!!

[roughshooter]

I have a bore gauge here but you a long way away. I would have though Wabbitbosher wuld have had one. The bore generally taper up along the barrel on the bored out 8 bores as they need to leave as much metal as possible in them. Any good gunsmith should have the necessary tools to measure the bores.

Graham

[Big Mat]

No one ive contacted has kit big enough to measure a 8 bore. apparently the proof marks should say. it has undergone 8 bore proof.

 

Elderkins of Spalding will measure it for you, they bored out greylag 10s to 8s years ago. Its not that far from you, i'd have thought that any decent gunsmith would have a gauge

[Beretta28g]

All my local gunsmiths have gauges. But not gauges that go up to 8 bore size!

[Doriboy]

All my local gunsmiths have gauges. But not gauges that go up to 8 bore size!

That's odd where abouts are you?

[Beretta28g]

East Norfolk, Great Yarmouth.

 

According to the proof marks it has a 20.6 mm barrel diamiter which is about .811

Edited December 14, 2013 by Beretta28g

[Doriboy]

.811 is extremely tight

[Doriboy]

A true 8 is 21.22mm or .8353" so if that is right you need to be very careful about what you fire through it. Defo still worth getting it checked though

[Double four]

Soft wool felt the stuff they use for industrial gaskets would be the way to go and maybe a 1 1/8 thin card cup not the thick 1 1/4" ones deakin sells, .

Over the years I have seen more of these that have bulged that have not, choke reduction would be an idea buffering and shot wrapping would stil give you fair patterns.

Edited December 14, 2013 by Double four

[Catweazle]

I use the excellent Circlefly wads in my BP revolver, they list a 9 gauge wad at 0.815", perhaps that would work for you.

 

http://www.circlefly.com/html/wad_sizing_chart.html

[Old farrier]

Yeah around £3.75 for 2 oz of bismuth these days rest of the components you can find fairly cheap if you shop round, rough shooter might still have some tackle still.

It appears it would be cheaper to buy a box of 12 bore shells and take the shot out off them than to buy loose shot can that be an option ?

Hope you enjoy your big gun

All the best

[Big Mat]

It appears it would be cheaper to buy a box of 12 bore shells and take the shot out off them than to buy loose shot can that be an option ?

Hope you enjoy your big gun

All the best

 

Yes it is cheaper, i've got a box of bismuth 32gram 4s here, they cost me £22, so thats £22 for 800 grams of shot, claygame price is currently £61 a kilo

[Old farrier]

 

Yes it is cheaper, i've got a box of bismuth 32gram 4s here, they cost me £22, so thats £22 for 800 grams of shot, claygame price is currently £61 a kilo

And I've just found a load that the heads have gone rusty on I don't know if its good practice but I'm going to use shot in homeloads

[Big Mat]

And I've just found a load that the heads have gone rusty on I don't know if its good practice but I'm going to use shot in homeloads

 

Nothing wrong with it, shot is shot! I cut a load of lyvale steel open a while back to use the shot

[FatFreddysCat]

Hi All,

New to this forum.

On 8 bore wads. Before the lead ban I used to use a muzzle loading 7 bore. There are no wads available in this size so I cut my own from the old fashioned hairy type carpet felt underlay. Two thicknesses of felt with a card circle glued to each end worked fine.The load was 2 1/2oz No.3 + 6 drams black powder or an equal volume of Pyrodex CTG.

I have an 8 bore wad punch, well, it's got 8 written on it and rough measurement with a ruler looks to be about 21.5mm ID. Yours for free if you want it.

[motty]

This sounds more hassle than it's worth to have a bored out 10. I don't think i'd bother unless I could get a 'proper' 8. There really is no benefit in terms of range over a normal 10.

[kent]

Why has anyone even mentioned Steel? there is no reason to use an 8 over a ten if your on steel velocity will fail before patterning. I know a number who have these Greylags etc and take hart I have seen them work extremely well. However you will only be accused of shooting too high by most clubs every time you are seen to miss (even if your season ratios might be as good or better than average), still non the less I might be tempted.

Cant even use my ten at present as I am nursing a torn muscle and damage tendon in my shoulder and such guns are too heavy to risk at present I am on the 12 ga Auto

[Double four]

Personally I wouldn't bother with one, as has been said the ten will do the same job with none of the hassle associated with these bored out guns.

That being said if that what floats your boat and you want an affordable 8 why not.

I know plenty of people that use them to good effect, I bought my first 8 bore a English single in the early eightys and had numerous big bores since a very addictive pastime and now unfortunately a very expensive one too good luck with it beretta 28.

. Ps Kent I had a rotor cuff and tendon repair along with some arthritis spurs removed on my shoulder 6 months ago no doubt caused by some of the daft loads I used to put through the big bores when I started out, I have been struggling for years with it but its been a success and im back to normal now..

[Old farrier]

Just enjoy your new toy treat it as a adventure and the home loads as a journey mate

I would take the measurement from a lead factory load ( to shoot at clays ) for practice and go from there there must be some about

They were made with wads to go through any 8 bore

Best of fun with it

[Beretta28g]

Currently looking at using 9 bore wads. I think I have found a Smith who can measure the bores so that's a job for tomorrow. I'm just finishing off making a jag and cleaning rod.

 

Next job is a mop and pull through. I'm thinking of using sponge stiffened with "Scotch-Brite",any thoughts on this?

[DerbyshireDale.]

Currently looking at using 9 bore wads. I think I have found a Smith who can measure the bores so that's a job for tomorrow. I'm just finishing off making a jag and cleaning rod.

 

Next job is a mop and pull through. I'm thinking of using sponge stiffened with "Scotch-Brite",any thoughts on this?

you can still buy the wool mops and wire brushes off e-bay...about a £5 each!

atb...Dale.

[DerbyshireDale.]

This sounds more hassle than it's worth to have a bored out 10. I don't think i'd bother unless I could get a 'proper' 8. There really is no benefit in terms of range over a normal 10.

Agreed!!...I've got a couple of 8 Bores and to be honest its only for the nostalgia part...they're really nice things to have but what Wayne says about the Hassle is true...your dealing with expensive non-tox shot because of the Barrels, where as with the 10g...it fires a big load of steel at superfast speeds..(cheaper shot!), so your energy is there...you can get the 3.5" case now, where at one time you were restricted to the 2&5/8's or the 2&7/8's and lucky if you had a 3" chambered one, and all the gear is available to purchase..(dont need access to a lathe) for some 8g tools....my friend uses a Browning 10g auto and it fair knocks the stuffing out of the Geese...he killed 3 with one shot this year Decoying in scotland, I know thats not everyones "cuppa tea" but it emphasizes just what the modern 10'S are capable of, energy wise!

best wishes...Dale.

[muncher]

Agreed!!...I've got a couple of 8 Bores and to be honest its only for the nostalgia part...they're really nice things to have but what Wayne says about the Hassle is true...your dealing with expensive non-tox shot because of the Barrels, where as with the 10g...it fires a big load of steel at superfast speeds..(cheaper shot!), so your energy is there...you can get the 3.5" case now, where at one time you were restricted to the 2&5/8's or the 2&7/8's and lucky if you had a 3" chambered one, and all the gear is available to purchase..(dont need access to a lathe) for some 8g tools....my friend uses a Browning 10g auto and it fair knocks the stuffing out of the Geese...he killed 3 with one shot this year Decoying in scotland, I know thats not everyones "cuppa tea" but it emphasizes just what the modern 10'S are capable of, energy wise!

best wishes...Dale.

I agree with you the day of the 8 is done and now so is the ten they shoot marginly further than a 3 1/2 twelve but most can't shoot a ten that well, the cases are stupid money. Now the sp10 has stopped production only browing left it will take a while but these are the last glory days of the ten.

[snowmonster]

I agree with you the day of the 8 is done and now so is the ten they shoot marginly further than a 3 1/2 twelve but most can't shoot a ten that well, the cases are stupid money. Now the sp10 has stopped production only browing left it will take a while but these are the last glory days of the ten.

 

That's a very opinionated statement , which of course you are entitled to but I'm quite sure a fair few members will disagree including myself. As for the cost of cases being stupid money a little enquiring and shopping around landed me with a tillage bag of 8 bore cases free of charge from a very generous member on this forum, no doubt if you were to buy from the Alan Myers's of this would they no doubt would come out expensive. As for your 3 1/2 inch most people I know have had them got rid and reverted to the good old 10 or 8's, trying to cram a 10 bore load through a 12 bore is a recipe for disaster and the best you'll achieve is a longer shot string.

[shakin stevens]

I've had decent 8b, and I think it was a real hobby looking for the components and learning off other folk who have shot them for years, I've had some good memory's of shooting geese with it,but the price of shot has killed the old guns off, final nail in the coffin was the itm shot going off the market.

Good luck with your 8 bore I'm sure you will have some fun, it's like trying to keep an old vintage car going these days!

[snowmonster]

Good luck with your 8 bore I'm sure you will have some fun, it's like trying to keep an old vintage car going these days!

 

Agreed but most vintage car owners will have a few spares kicking about, luckily I'm a born hoarder the last itm I bought was when the lead ban first came in and we had a contact for some cheaper than the norm, but with the writing on the wall I bought it whenever I heard of any and had any spare cash so still got a little at the old money. When it's time to buy some more then I may rethink things but got enough to keep me going for a while yet as I don't get out as much as I used to.

 

ps still have a few bismuth eley forest for the twenty I bought at £9-00 a box, in the local gunshop the other day I was told their now £35-00 a box for bismuth and that was 12 bore.