The 4 Bore cartridge

[LINK] The Cryptic Subterranian

Jay.Mac admires the size of the 4 Bore.

John MIllar tells us:

The so-called 4-Bore’s bullet diameters varied widely in the cartridge versions usually around .935 to .955 with the true one inch size normally found only in the old muzzle loading rifles. The 4-Bore size being an old reference measurement of 4-Balls to the pound of lead, which computes out to 1750 grains of weight. The cartridge rifles usually fired projectiles weighing around 1850 grains.

But, bigger is not always better. See the continuation.

John Shehan tells us the problems:

[The 4 Bore] could potentially inflict permanent nerve damage to the hunter if fired too frequently in rapid succession. The huge lead slugs created massive wounds, but frequently failed to penetrate to the vital organs of their intended game animal--the elephant. Anecdotal evidence from this period suggests that elephant, were on occasion, shot a dozen times or more during running gun battles closer to an all-out war than a hunt. The animals eventually bled to death, but managed to take the occasional hunter with them. The massive soft, lead slugs weighed 1,882 grains and had a very large frontal surface. The calibers generally ran in the .890" range, +/.010". These large slugs, traveling at a modest 1,330 fps propelled by 12 drams of black powder, generated 7,400 ft-lbs of muzzle energy and created tremendous wounds, but the bullets deformed quickly and slowed down dramatically when striking large bones. Still, it was a formidable weapon and one wonders how many failures were due to poor shot placement caused by the hunter flinching.