What qualifies a gun to be a big bore?
Dean

I think .375 dia. and over was the originall definition for this forum. With all the new wildcats though it seems like a 416 Rigby is now referred to as a medium bore...

Check out the 4 Bore in one of the other topics here. I don't know what you call that (bigger bore?), it's in a different league IMO, since it probably weighs more than me.

I think rifles should be ranked similar to boxing, that is weight class...in which case the 4 Bore is super heavyweight, more specifically Mike Tyson if you know what I mean.

"Big" just means "bigger than."
So, it depends on the context.
I think the old British way of thinking was that "big" started with a .5" hole.
Around here and these days, though, most folks shoot 30 cal and under, so "big" has come to mean .375" and up.
(Actually, .40" and up, but the H&H is just too popular to keep out of the club!)
In my book, there's about five sizes, from .17 to .264, then up to .318, then up to .366, then up to .411, then up to .458, then up to .510, then everything else.

For competition shooting, a .30 caliber is considered big bore.

In sporting/hunting rifles, it meant .40" caliber and up.

For the purposes of this forum, it includes cartridge with a bore diameter of .375" and up.

It doesn't necessarily have anything to do with power levels, so a .44 rimfire (Henry rifles) would be a big bore.

Hope this helps,
George

Thank you for the help.
Dean Cascio

What maes a gun a bigbore?
A big reamer and a barrel change
Seriously I think for smokeless centrefire rifles the distiction starts at .400+
Special allowances are made for cartridges under 40 cal yet have a dangerous game label.
So with a 375 or german 9.3 you can sneak in too.

Karl.

Hi fellas.
So,I have 375H&H and 45-70.Understood that I am a member in the club, Right ?

Elias

in my not so humble opinion

anything legal to take dangerous game in all african countries is a big bore.

the brits, in the days of the BPE, thought of the 577 as a medium... so OBVISOULY bullet construction and powder have allott to do with it

to .358 medium or smaller

.366-.400 heavy medium or light heavy

.401-510 big bore

.510+ too much recoil for me

jeffe

Well, isn't the 38-55 legal? A 255g @ 1800 fps for a whopping 1840 ft lb of ME!
A 338-06 beats the pants off that in most every department!

Nope, the 38/55 aint legal.. neither is the 45/70, for buff, lion, etc...

there's a bore and energy requirement... but, i've never heard of a velocity check

jeffe

Dean, I think what most refere to as "big bore" is not simply the size of the bore of the rifle! I believe it to be somewhat nebulous as to what most consider to be a big bore rifle! The fact that a bullet is a certain diameter, in no way makes it what I would consider a big bore cartridge. If you want to go strictly by bullet diameter, the a 45 long colt(.452) is an elephant cartridge! I don't think anyone, in his right mind, would go up against a 14,000 lb bull Elephant with a 45 long colt, even in a rifle!

If we use our minds, at least there should be something in addition to bore diameter, to be considered! The 38-55, and the 45-70 are two fine examples of this! Though they both have the diameter to qualify, they both lack the power to qualify as legal for any of the big five, outside maybe a 100 lb Leopard!

Generally, the big bore starts at .400 cal, The mediums starts at .366, up to .400 cal , and anything less than .366 is a small bore! But all require enough energy to qualify under the law!

None of this is to say things other than the legal cartridges, can not kill large game, they certainly can! It is just that experience has shown they will not do it consistantly enough to be considered as adiquate, for that purpose.

I would much rather have a little 9.3X74R (.366)double rifle, with softs, and solids to take on a lion, or Buffalo than any 45-70 ever made. If you go by diameter alone, the .366, 9.3X74R is the bottom of the mediums, while the 45-70,is .47 above the .400 required for big bore status, but lacks the energy to be legal, and the 9.3X74R does qualify!

All, in All, the question can be answered easily, simply follow the game laws, and accept the fact that they have reasons for those rules! I fail to see what is so hard about that!

I agree with abowe..
Bullet dia and muzzle energy are the factors which makes a bigB...
My 45-70 Ruger #1 (modified)is one example,loads I shoot gives 5000J energy. .375 gives 5900J
With 45-70 I can still go up,or if I conwert it to 45-90 or 45-120,then we discuss of much higher numbers..
So,who can tell,tell me.

Elias

Maybe just semantics, but to me a 45 Colt is a big bore.
As is a 45-70. A 38 Special ain't.
We shouldn't confuse bore size with power.
A 300 RUM will almost match the 458 Winchester in power, but a .308" hole ain't big by most accounts. People want the H&H to be a big bore, and I like it enough to not argue, but secretely I know that a .375" hole ain't nearly as big as a .458" hole.
But like I said at first, "big" just means "bigger than."