8 bore

8 bore
Type	Smoothbore, rifle and shotgun
Place of origin	United Kingdom
Specifications
Bullet diameter	.835 in (21.2 mm)

8 bore 3¼-inch shotgun cartridge
Type	Shotgun
Specifications
Bullet diameter	.835 in (21.2 mm)
Base diameter	.913 in (23.2 mm)
Rim diameter	.998 in (25.3 mm)
Case length	3.25 in (83 mm)

The 8 bore, also known as the 8 gauge, is an obsolete caliber used commonly in the 19th-century black-powder firearms.

An 8 bore is a .835 in (21.2 mm) caliber firearm. Historically it was used to fire solid projectiles from smoothbores, rifles and partially rifled "paradox" longarms, as well as shot from muzzle-loading and breech-loading actioned shotguns. Later breech loaders were designed to fire cartridges.

The 8 bore was a popular wildfowling calibre both in muzzleloaders and later cartridge shotguns. 8 bore cartridges were available in multiple lengths including 3-inch, 3¼-inch, 3¾-inch and 4-inch.

When the Dutch established the Dutch Cape Colony in the 17th century, they soon discovered their muskets were hopelessly inadequate against local game. Within a century the most popular Boer firearm was a flintlock smoothbore musket of about 8 bore with a 5-6 foot long barrel. Early British settlers of the Cape Colony in the 18th century also found specialist firearms were required for the local game. British and European gunmakers responded with various long arms from the enormous (although seldom produced) 2 bore down.

By the 19th century, the giant 4 bore had been established as the standard elephant gun amongst European settlers and explorers within Africa, whilst the 8 bore was considered the standard for all other dangerous game. Typical 8 bores weighed 15 to 16 lb (6.8 to 7.3 kg), and fired a 1,250 gr (81 g) conical bullet at around 1,500 ft/s (460 m/s) or an 860 gr (56 g) spherical ball at around 1,650 ft/s (500 m/s), both with 10 to 12 drams (17.72 to 21.26 g) of black powder, although sometimes heavier charges of 14 drams (24.82 g) were used, generally in Africa.

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Wikipedia