old duck guns

Allen Peterson

Allen Peterson

Member
duck guns.jpgI love shooting old duck Guns and still use them each year with bismuth. Left to right A big 8bore that I wish I could hunt with It is 14 lbs and has 34 inch bbls.all the rest have 32 inch bbls next an Ithaca magnum10 . an Ithaca super10(nid) Ithaca Flues 10(grandfathers gun) A Fox Wildfowl 3 inch 12 ga(only 48 made), A winchester model 1901 10 GA. and a Winchester model21Duck 3 in.2020 goose.jpg
Tolley.jpg
 
Last edited:
Have you ever fired off a shot in that #8 bore? Where would you even get cartridges? Probably have to get reusable brass ones with waxed paper stops on them.


"Whoom" (Like an elephant fart)
 
Awesome guns, you have some real history on your hands there!
That 8 bore is closer to an artillery piece than a shotgun, holy cow! I wonder what the intended role for such a huge shotgun was, were they intended for market hunters to flock shoot with similar to a punt gun?
 
Kind of crazy in my mind that we/you are not able to hunt with the 8 bore. Once seasons and bag limits were put in place what difference did it make as to the gauge of gun used. A bird killed with a 12 gauge isn't any different from a bird killed with an 8 gauge. Some great guns there.....
 
I shoot it couple times a year. it only proofed for black powder so I use the black industrial remington shells and size them down to use . my light load is 1 1/2 oz of shot but regular load is 2 oz. Dont know why its got 2 barrels you can't see for a follow up shot unless there's a twenty knot crosswind. recoil is light the gun weighs 14 pounds. killing power is about a modern12 GA there is no choke. it works on the trap range and I let the guys try it out . the boom and smoke is impressive but most are surprised by the moderate recoil. the ban on hunting was made by those who did not know anything about shotgun ballistics. it won't kill any more ducks than a modern gun. My grandfather gave my brother and me the old 1901 lever 10 when we were kids and the local hardware store sold us shells 1 at a time as we could not afford a whole box. its heavy and he would carry it for a while and then I would carry it some. Both of us would have a couple of shells in our pocket.. trying to walk up rabbits.
 
Last edited:
Allen, I had two 8 bores. Was able to use them in the field here in the US as I had a gunsmith in British Columbia make me removeable 3 1/2 10 bore chamber sleeves. Both guns were nitro proofed so I didn't need black powder. A friend with several 8 bores had a 8 bore reloading machine and he reloaded 8 bore shells for me. I was able to buy 8 bore hulls from a reloading company. I used one 8 bore several times in Scotland where they are legal. Certainly was the correct gun to use for geese! I refuse to say if I ever used the 8 bore shells over here. Totally stupid that they were banned over here in 1918. Especially since the 3 1/2 10 has 2 oz. of shot, which was what most 8 bores were made for. Of course they were 8s made to shoot 2 1/4, 2 1/2, 2 3/4, and a very few 3oz. which was the standard 4 bore load. The rarest gun I have ever seen was a Parker with 4 inch chambers. That gun weighed 17 pounds! Best, Worth
 
very cool. I also like to hunt with vintage duck guns.
I have Ithaca NID's in 10 magnum, super 10 and a 30" barreled 12 gauge 2 3/4 NID. A Remington Model 11 with a 32" solid rib long range barrel, a Browning BSS 30" 12 gauge, a Scott premier 10 Gauge with crystal indicators and back action locks, and finally 3 Pieper 10 gauge hammer guns.
Always a decision usually based on weather and where we will hunt as to what I take with me.
If it is crappy weather, just a Remington 11-87.
 
nice battery Allen

is that 8 a Parker? can't quite tell in the pic. We have a few Parker 8's in the club and they come out for clays shooting on a regular basis -

I thinned my rack of heavy duck guns down to just the Super Fox (predecessor to your wildfowl) and an NID Super 10 - they were the ones I shot regularly for both ducks and clays
 
That 8 is a Enos James of Birimgham made gun. He made a lot of heavy wildfowl guns . Its a well made gun but certainly not a London best class. I am waiting to hear from a guy with a big 4 bore right now can't wait to try that one out The gun I shot the swan with is a Ithaca magnum 10 with 3 1/2 chambers 1 shot at 40 yards he was dead in the air.like a dove Swan with bismuth.jpg
 
Last edited:
Honestly I don?t know. Been at the club for a number of years but I?ve not found any info on it. Just it is a big gun. Wish I knew the story behind it. You would think it got dumped to avoid getting busted?
 
rfberan said:
Honestly I don?t know. Been at the club for a number of years but I?ve not found any info on it. Just it is a big gun. Wish I knew the story behind it. You would think it got dumped to avoid getting busted?
Click to expand...

well, I can't tell dimensions from the picture - but if that is a large fireplace - and the relative size of the breach end of the barrel to the hammer - I m guessing it was a punt gun

and from tales told - yes many were dumped over board to prevent arrests - some later recovered - and I would guess some were not, especially after the new restrictions were in effect for a while and getting caught with one became more serious - if you haven't read The Outlaw Gunner by Joe Walsh, there is some great history in there.

if you don't mind saying - where is the club and how long has it been there -


totally aside - but old duck gun related is a funny story from the family of a long departed duck hunter I once knew and hunted with - from a long line of duck hunters

the tale is

one day while my friend was at his office, his teenage son decided to go get a duck dinner to surprise his parents for some special occasion -

they lived on a lake near the mouth of the outlet river. the son, hunting alone did not want to try the big wood and canvas 18' old town canoe by himself, so he carried the little 12' solo canoe to the lake shore, took the dog and his Dad's pride and joy Winchester Model 12 Heavy Duck for the trip down the river.. Soon he was set up and a a mallard was on it's way into the decoys

the mighty hunter swung the big gun and dropped the bird. and then things went south - the bird hit the water and the dog jumped out of the canoe to get it - only, a 12 footer solo is not an 18' heavyweight , and as the dog went one way, the canoe with the young hunter and dad's gun went the other. I have hunted that area and you cannot stand in the soft bottom, the silt goes on forever. The son grabs the canoe, swims to the bank, pours out the water, he and the dog and the duck get in - leaving the decoys to mark the spot and paddles home just shy of planing speed. He calls his uncle in a panic to ask what can they do. His uncle calls a friend who happens to be a SCUBA diver and they hurry back to the spot and in short order the gun is retrieved -

fast forward to the end of the day, my friend and his wife arrive home to find a wet dog at the door, a dead duck on the counter - and number one son on the floor trying to clean, dry and oil the inner working of a classic pump shotgun.

All's well that ends well I guess, my friend told me the story the next day with a laugh.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top