Welcome to today’s Photo of the Day! This massive Cogswell & Harrison 4-bore shotgun is what duck hunters used when they were serious about putting meat on the table. With a bore diameter measuring nearly an inch, this falling-block behemoth weighs in at a shoulder-crushing 18 pounds, 14 ounces – about three times the weight of a typical modern shotgun. The 4-bore designation dates back to the days when shotguns were sized by how many lead balls of bore diameter made a pound. For this cannon, that’s just four – each about the size of a golf ball. These guns were developed for market hunters who needed to take down multiple birds with a single shot, often from primitive punt boats or shore blinds. Built on a brass Field patent action likely from the 1890s, this particular gun has a later nitro-proofed barrel dated 1984, suggesting it was rebuilt or refurbished for modern use. That’s remarkable considering 4-bores were largely obsolete by the early 1900s when market hunting was banned in most places. The sheer impracticality of this gun is what makes it fascinating. The recoil would be absolutely brutal, the ammunition virtually unobtainable today, and the weight makes it nearly impossible to shoulder for any length of time. Yet professional hunters in the Victorian era used these monsters to harvest waterfowl by the dozens, often shooting into massive flocks at ranges up to 100 yards. While today’s ethical hunters use modern shotguns with smaller gauges and strict bag limits, this 4-bore giant stands as a reminder of the industrial-scale wildlife harvest that nearly wiped out many American waterfowl species before conservation laws saved them.
“Gargantuan Cogswell & Harrison 4 Bore Single Barrel Duck Shotgun.” Rock Island Auction Company, https://www.rockislandauction.com/detail/4094/482/gargantuan-cogswell-harrison-4-bore-single-barrel-duck-shotgun. Accessed 14 Apr. 2025.
Writer | TheFirearmBlog
Writer | AllOutdoor.com Instagram | sfsgunsmith Old soul, certified gunsmith, published author, avid firearm history learner, and appreciator of old and unique guns.
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