I’m very interested in the firing pin layout what with the hammer being offset to the side, is it simply angled through the falling block at say 30ish degrees?
@@samholdsworth420 Jonathan has mentioned that that he is not an artillery expert, despite his official title. Of course they must have at least one artillery expert knocking about the Royal Armouries,
@williamlarge69 I was going to say, I'm sure he said that round was around 2500 grains (I think he said 2550, but can't say for definite) and, barring his build, it looked a pretty good match for the size of the display round.
British explorer Sir Samuel White Baker used a 2 bore black powder rifle in the 1860's. This quote gives you an idea of it "Among other weapons, I had an extraordinary rifle that carried a half-pound percussion shell-this instrument of torture to the hunter was not sufficiently heavy for the weight of the projectile; it only weighed twenty pounds: thus, with a charge of ten drachms [270 grains] of powder, behind a half-pound shell, the recoil was so terrific, that I spun around like a weathercock in a hurricane. I really dreaded my own rifle, although I had been accustomed to heavy charges of powder, and severe recoil for some years. None of my men could fire it, and it was looked upon with a species of awe, and it was named "Jenna-El-Mootfah" (Child of a Cannon) by the Arabs, which being far too long a name for practice, I christened it the "Baby;" and the scream of this "Baby" loaded with a half-pound shell was always fatal. It was far too severe, and I very seldom fired it, but it is a curious fact, that I never fired a shot with that rifle without bagging: the entire practice, during several years, was confined to about twenty shots. I was afraid to use it; but now and then it was absolutely necessary that it should be cleaned, after months of staying loaded. On such occasions my men had the gratification of firing it, and the explosion was always accompanied by two men falling on their backs (one having propped up the shooter), and the "Baby" flying some yards behind them. This rifle was made by Holland & Holland, of Bond Street, and I could highly recommend it for the Goliath of Gath, but not for the men of A.D. 1866.
Patrick F. McManus, outdoor humor writer, writes about borrowing an 8mm Label rifle to hunt with when he was a pre-teen. The round it shoots was the first smokeless powder round to be adopted by a military in the world, and still held on to some of the old black powder rifle practices. For instance using large round nose bullets of 232 grains. He describes the effect of a 12 year old boy firing the beast as "folding my shoulder blades like a taco." I think this could be easily applied to the Millennium rifle.
I love how everyone in comments is saying Scott from Kentucky Ballistics should come shoot this. Imagine the honor of that. Being an American offered the chance to fire the UK government's largest, most ridiculous small arm
Well, to be fair, if Ian McCollum is honored to review for Forgotten Weapons guns inside the Royal Armouries, Joe from Kentucky Ballictsics could be honored too, if he behaves and not destroy any tables or watermelon time the whole showroom.
16:32 Ian from Forgotten Weapons has done a coverage on a ~true 2 bore i.e the " Double Deuce " made by Stolzer & Sons. Weighs 44 pounds, 1.32 inch bore diameter barrel firing a 3500 grain projectile.
@JaenEngineering I think physically he would be strong enough. Look at Kentucky ballistics shoot the 4 bore. He's built like a brick shit house, and it knocks him around a bit. I assume this kicks even harder, and this bloke is not built like a brick shit house. He looks frail .
@@DaveDave-e6t I don't think Scott needs a mortgage, that boy has serious money. He has some of the most expensive guns in the world, and I doubt RUclips is his only source of income. Rich wife, maybe? Inheritance? He was a Kentucky State Trooper before becoming a Guntuber, so he obviously didn't get the money for 6-figure rifles there lol.
Excellent video and I would like to specifically commend the editor for a fantastic job, take a bow, the hit markers were nice but the "Joules Jules" was perfection.
That engraving is utterly astonishing. One of the most tastefully adorned firearms I've ever seen. Top notch seems like an understatement. Thank you for sharing this with us.
Aside from being absolutely ludicrously overpowered, this piece is fabulously nicely decorated. Thank you very much for sharing! I'm also very thankful that you were able to include some range footage, that was unexpected.
@@Piploidus The 4-Bore is normally 26.33mm in diameter and 2-Bore is 33.67mm, it's impossible to be a 2-Bore if it's 1.05 inch, and 1 inch is not 4-Bore it's an inch, unless it's measured differently between the USA and the UK.
Britain may have lost its ability to design and build enough small arms to equip an army, but it can make absolutely wonderful firearms by three men in a shed.
The biggest rifle caliber I ever fired in a single shot was the .50 BMG, a buddy of mine attended gunsmith college in Prescott Arizona and as his project gun build required for his graduation he built a single shot .50. The only commercial parts were the trigger group, a target system made for the Mauser system, and the barrel, a reject from a commercial manufacturer where one of the flutes on the outside of the barrel was cut to thin and separated from the barrel. She was a monster, he had a spring system in the buttstock that really didn't do what he expected and to tame down the recoil, he made several versions of muzzle breaks until settling on a nice flat type with 3 vents to channel the muzzle blast to the sides and back not at the shooter, but missing him by a few degrees. It along with the weight of the very thick receiver and long heavy barrel kept the recoil to a bit more then a 12 gauge firing a rifled slug. Uther then that, I did fire a .458 Winchester Magnum and several other magnum hunting rounds in my career as a part time gun smith and full time cop. It was the 50 though that I will remember as the ultimate, I am sure the 2 bore would hurt way more then the .50 BMG ever did. While serving in the US Army when I was a young man, I did have the opportunity to fire the M2 .50 Caliber machine gun off a tripod in Vietnam, we all did familiarization fire with the .50 and the M-60 30 caliber machine guns, and when I was with the 3rd Armored Cav down in Texas, our company commander decided that all his troops must be able to fire every weapon in our company, that was a fun week of hitting different ranges, firing everything from the lowly M1911A1 in .45 ACP to the track mounted 20mm full auto cannon. Because of cost we were limited to 5 rounds of 20mm but it was fun, being inside the track with a telescopic sight firing at 55 gallon drums with the big gun. Sadly our unit didn't have any tanks so we didn't get to fire them. Damn, that would have been a blast. When I served in Vietnam I actually carried both the M-16 and when carrying the PRC77 backpack radios, I was armed with an M1911A1. The only time I got to fire the weapon in any sort of fight, I was out laying wire for an outpost with several other field wiremen when some of the enemy happened to run into our little group. They shot at us and missed, we shot back at them with our .45's and M-16's and missed, they ran and we finished our installation of wire, then went back to Camp Haskins.
I see people mentioning Kentucky Ballistics and how he should/would want to fire it. this "2 bore" fires a 2500 grain to Scott's 2150 4 bore so while it would be bigger its not by too much. I would love to see Jonathan Ferguson Keeper of Firearms and Artillery at the Royal Armouries Museum which houses thousands of iconic weaponry from throughout history join Scott for some shooting
The problem with this comment is that Scott first owned a 600 nitro-express, then a 700 nitro-express. It isn't the miniscule difference in bullet weight, it's the ability to flex having the largest shoulder fired rifle.
I think Ian from Forgotten Weapons mentioned about the use of "gauge" and "bore" in caliber measurement. If the gun is designed as a scatter gun, use "gauge"; if the gun is designed as rifle, then use "bore".
I have built several guns the first was a 2bore muzzel loader. Then I thought no one has built a 8bore over and under. This took some 9months from design to completion; and the first one in the world! At the time. It turned out a real beast with under lever opening and single trigger: firing 3oz backed by 7drms black powder. After testing this on crows I took it to the marsh, where at dusk I shot a greylag with the very first shot at wildfowl. The next gun I built was a 1-1/4" muzzel loading punt gun which I made very short at 2mtrs, so it could be loaded in the punt. The Rusians have made a 4bore shotgun modeled on the 2bore that you show.
This reminded me of a book on old ivory hunters in Africa and one (Walter Bell if memory serves) who used a four bore gun until his nerves got so shattered from having fired it so often that he nearly had to give up hunting. However he'd gotten such a good understanding of the elephants anatomy that he'd figured out he could bypass the elephants skull by shooting through the gap for the ear canal. Supposedly he got so good at stalking and lining up the shot that was able to use .275 bolt action to take a brain shot. Which, considering an elephants brain is the size of a loaf of bread while it's skull is the size of a recliner chair, would have been quite the feat.
I am unsure where the bores stopped in terms of size, but this sort of bore, as a shotgun, was very common in the UK at one time, albeit with a very much longer barrel - punt guns. The original ones were made exactly as a shorgun except that they would have been muzzle-loaders, and with something like a 6 foot barrel. Very obviously not shot hand-held, but tied-in to braces across the punt and fired over the bow. I have not searched online, but I have seen, a loooong while ago, extremely old photo's of cartridge cases for substantially larger bores than this. I would imagine that punt-gunning is still legal, it certainly was in the 1970's/80's although no-one did it except as a once in a blue moon adventure and test of skill in understanding the quarry, the tides and the wind. Back at that time, I was told that one or two people were looking at making new punt guns and had identified JCB hydraulic tubes as potential barrels given the vast pressures that they work at. I suspect that things didn't get much further than plans. This gun must presumably have been shot, at the proof house?
Watched the Slow Mo guys shooting large calibre (one inch) weapons just last week. You could see the gun twisting in Dan's hand simply due to the rifling.
I used to live near Giles Whittome in Suffolk. We were members of the same rifle and pistol club in Glemsford during the 1980s and early 1990s. On one of his visits to my home, he brought another of his newly-built, massive falling block rifles to show me. This was his “Mammoth” rifle which was decorated with Mammoth ivory and engraving. It was chambered for .700 Nitro Express, which has a bullet of 1,000 grains, a muzzle velocity of 2,000 ft/second and muzzle energy of 9,000 ft/lb. Giles very generously let me fire several of his large-calibre rifled firearms: a .577/500 double black power express rifle, a .55 Boys anti-tank rifle, and a Holland and Holland 12 bore Nitro Paradox, which fired a 750 grain lead bullet. Of all the many rifles and shotguns I’ve fired, the Paradox was the most unpleasant, with heavy, sharp and painful recoil. I suspect that the original owner had it built on the light side for ease of carrying, and of handling when using it as a shotgun. If he only intended to use the bullets on rare occasions, perhaps he was willing to tolerate the recoil. I have photos Giles took of me firing each of these weapons, other than the “Mammoth” (which I didn’t fire, thankfully); I just have a couple of photos of me holding that one! I also have photos he took of me firing his .577 Black Powder revolver, which had similar recoil to the .44Magnums I owned. I would add that I sold all of my firearms around 30 years ago, and I now only shoot with cameras.
@@patrickwhittome4859 Hello Patrick, how is Giles? We lost touch after we moved from Suffolk with my job. I later took early retirement, and we moved to Dorset in 2002, and then to East Sussex in 2022. Giles is the most interesting person I’ve ever met. I always felt that he really belonged in the time when the sun never set on the British Empire, with the likes of Selous, Ewart Scott Grogan or Sir Samuel White Baker.
He's not good I'm afraid. He's 87 now. Released to palliative home care by Addenbrookes hospital as there's nothing more they can do, and with a do not resuscitate order. He's comfortable and cheerful when lucid though. In a way it's awful but in another it's really not. He's happy.
@@patrickwhittome4859 I’m so very sorry to hear that Patrick. My wife, Jacquie, and I were talking fondly about him only recently, and she’s now saddened to hear how unwell he is. She remembers Giles sitting on our kitchen worktop in Clare, chatting away to her while she was doing the dishes. I have many happy memories of times with Giles, such as when we went to Belgium in his NSU RO80, crossing the Channel by hovercraft to visit a Belgian firearms dealer, and when we went to the Army ranges in Lydd. You were there on that occasion, if I remember correctly. That was when we fired the Vickers gun, the Boys and the Paradox. If it’s convenient and the opportunity arises, please give him our love and best wishes. Every best wish to you, too. Neil
About 40 years ago I had the privilege of firing a 2 bore muzzle load, black powder shot gun. It was loaded with 7oz of ssg shot. The ram rod was a rake handle. The owner used it regularly on the Solway shooting geese at much longer ranges than our 12s and 10s. It was a real beast ... one I will never forget.
What a beautiful piece! I half expected to see a Trilby wearing James Bond - 007 shooting back with that great shot you gave down that rifled bore. Speaking of beautiful metal, is there any chance of you doing an episode featuring any Doune Steel flintlock pistols? They've long been a favourite of mine & I live quite close to where they originated.
@@schiz0phren1cshoulder blades in recoil or weight? The weight in pounds Jonathan listed is not that much more than what I would have carried in the form of an M60 machine gun. Now recall that's a whole different matter. In the past I've actually shoulder-fired while standing a 50 BMG rifle but that was a extended bullpup with the action back over the shoulder.
Some engraving and decoration looks, as Jonathan said, "over-the-top". This gun has the most tasteful engraving I've seen in recent years. The hints of gold and sapphire-blue against exceptionally fine scrollwork and that exquisite wood is rather breathtaking. Not as breathtaking as trying to hold that monster on target for one full minute I imagine...
I always thought this type of rifle wasn't primarily for hunting. It was for when you missed with both barrels of your already rediculously huge sporting rifle and now have 7 tonnes of enraged bull elephant with a headache heading towards you at 40mph. At which point you declare "It's coming right for us!", have your manservant hand you your 2-bore and stand-fast until you can see the whites of his eyes.
Awesome! Thank you for creating that masterpiece and showing it to us. I am a falling block enthusiast, so any classic falling blocks pique my interest. Although we Americans use the term "gauge" for shotguns, we use the term "bore" for rifles.
I had a school friend in 1970, his father was British diplomat. He claimed to own (or be in the care of) a 2 bore rifle. I was under the impression it was a shotgun, but that might be how I'm remembering it 55years later. I checked this video because this is the only other time in 55yrs I've ever heard the term 2 bore.
Ooo, I guessed correctly. It is certainly an interesting rifle and one I'd have to think about, if in some dream sequence, I got the chance to fire it (thinking of my shoulder). Nice engraving and that wood is superb. Cheers.
Scott from @KentuckyBallistics has said on his videos about his falling block 4 Bore that it produces around 200lb ( almost 100kg ) of felt recoil so not an easy gun to fire ( or hold up going by that weight... )
I think Scott's gonna need to come to Leeds rather than Jonathan and the 2-bore going to Kentucky... make an adventure out of visiting the Royal Armouries Museum and getting to examine or even fire other large weapons he can't access easily in the US.
Jonathan Ferguson
Keeper of Firearms and *_Artillery_*
I’m very interested in the firing pin layout what with the hammer being offset to the side, is it simply angled through the falling block at say 30ish degrees?
By convention of bore diameter defining cannons this is infact an artillery piece.
@@ianbrisland1982 You can see in the closeup that the firing pin itself is a seperate piece in the breechblock, the hammer just smacks the end of it.
Speaking of artillery. They need to do more videos on artillery pieces 😊
@@samholdsworth420 Jonathan has mentioned that that he is not an artillery expert, despite his official title. Of course they must have at least one artillery expert knocking about the Royal Armouries,
A crossover of Johnathan Ferguson, Kentucky Ballistics, AND the Slow Mo Guys would be amazing to see this fired once again
Yes indeed.
I can imagine scott is having cold sweats dreaming of this the round isnt much bigger then his 4 bore 😂😂😂
@williamlarge69 I was going to say, I'm sure he said that round was around 2500 grains (I think he said 2550, but can't say for definite) and, barring his build, it looked a pretty good match for the size of the display round.
@@twilightfyre6902 Scott would be like a kid in a sweet shop in the armouries private collection.
@@williamlarge69 and we all know that Scott knows how to sweat..
LOL, Scotty is on a plane to London already.
ROFLMAO you're probably right.🤣
That is immediatly what I thought too!
Probably the only action he can't destroy...
Beat me to it 😂
Beat me to it
2:04 whoever decided to edit in the hitmarker, thank you, that made me smile
I had to rewind to make sure I wasn't seeing things haha
I had to rewind to see what else happened at that time.
Sam Fisher is in the building?!
Very N64 Golden Eye 👁 ❤😅
Splinter Cell NPC: "Who turned out the lights?"
British explorer Sir Samuel White Baker used a 2 bore black powder rifle in the 1860's. This quote gives you an idea of it "Among other weapons, I had an extraordinary rifle that carried a half-pound percussion shell-this instrument of torture to the hunter was not sufficiently heavy for the weight of the projectile; it only weighed twenty pounds: thus, with a charge of ten drachms [270 grains] of powder, behind a half-pound shell, the recoil was so terrific, that I spun around like a weathercock in a hurricane. I really dreaded my own rifle, although I had been accustomed to heavy charges of powder, and severe recoil for some years. None of my men could fire it, and it was looked upon with a species of awe, and it was named "Jenna-El-Mootfah" (Child of a Cannon) by the Arabs, which being far too long a name for practice, I christened it the "Baby;" and the scream of this "Baby" loaded with a half-pound shell was always fatal. It was far too severe, and I very seldom fired it, but it is a curious fact, that I never fired a shot with that rifle without bagging: the entire practice, during several years, was confined to about twenty shots. I was afraid to use it; but now and then it was absolutely necessary that it should be cleaned, after months of staying loaded. On such occasions my men had the gratification of firing it, and the explosion was always accompanied by two men falling on their backs (one having propped up the shooter), and the "Baby" flying some yards behind them. This rifle was made by Holland & Holland, of Bond Street, and I could highly recommend it for the Goliath of Gath, but not for the men of A.D. 1866.
What an excellent, witty review.
Patrick F. McManus, outdoor humor writer, writes about borrowing an 8mm Label rifle to hunt with when he was a pre-teen. The round it shoots was the first smokeless powder round to be adopted by a military in the world, and still held on to some of the old black powder rifle practices. For instance using large round nose bullets of 232 grains. He describes the effect of a 12 year old boy firing the beast as "folding my shoulder blades like a taco." I think this could be easily applied to the Millennium rifle.
It takes a serious set of stones to hunt elephant with a a muzzle-loader...Sir Samuel had 'em.
Great quote -- thanks for that!
White also used .577 Black Powder Express by HH , and 2 bore Rifle also . He liked the .577 very much .
MY NAME IS JOHNATHAN AND THIS IS ROYAL ARMOURIES BALLISTICS !!
_Proceed to destroy the table using a cup of tea_
Awesome april fool's crossover idea ... Just sayin'
Glad I'm not the only one who though Kentucky Ballistics would kill to shoot this. Might be one of the few people to be able to wield this beast.
That's a deep program because I heard the whoosh-punch sounds and everything hahaha
_Proceeds to destroy the table by placing the 2 Bore Millenium Rifle onto it_
@@alistairsmith459 The gun he owns is basically identical, probably from the same maker.
Scott is salivating somewhere in Kentucky right now
You may be right about that lol😂
Jonathan lowkey flexing on Scott
Straight sneak dissing.
I love how everyone in comments is saying Scott from Kentucky Ballistics should come shoot this. Imagine the honor of that. Being an American offered the chance to fire the UK government's largest, most ridiculous small arm
Scott actually has one like this in 4 bore falling block that he shoots a lot. And he has an even bigger punt gun.
@@Jimtheneals yeah his smooth bore anti-waterfowl cannon 😛
@@Manco65 That thing is so huge he could probably take out small low flying aircraft with it. 🤣
Relatively small arm, old boy. Relatively. 🙂
Well, to be fair, if Ian McCollum is honored to review for Forgotten Weapons guns inside the Royal Armouries, Joe from Kentucky Ballictsics could be honored too, if he behaves and not destroy any tables or watermelon time the whole showroom.
Jonathan Ferguson
Keeper of the Boomstick
Boomstick very good!
Gigantic Boomstick! 😃
The Doomstick
16:32
Ian from Forgotten Weapons has done a coverage on a ~true 2 bore i.e the " Double Deuce " made by Stolzer & Sons.
Weighs 44 pounds, 1.32 inch bore diameter barrel firing a 3500 grain projectile.
Sure he's been in t'Royal Armouries too if I recall..
@@DaveDave-e6t yep he frequently visits
You just know Scott is grabbing his checkbook lol.
"Tell me about your gun"-
- "Its 44."
"Oh .44 Magnum, nice"-
"nope, 44 lbs"
@@lorddoobsworth144 lol
“My name is Jonathan and you’re watching Yorkshire ballistics”
CLARKSON!!!
I wonder if Scott knows about the 2 bore.
Surely, this bloke isn't going to fire it, though. It would knock him on his arse.
@@Tonymarony5113I'm pretty sure Johnathan has more than enough experience to be able to handle a rifle like this.
@JaenEngineering I think physically he would be strong enough. Look at Kentucky ballistics shoot the 4 bore. He's built like a brick shit house, and it knocks him around a bit. I assume this kicks even harder, and this bloke is not built like a brick shit house. He looks frail .
"Hey Siri, how much is a flight from Kentucky to London?"
Then ask it for a price to Leeds from Kings X and remortgage your house..
Louisville, Lexington, or Cincy -> Either Philly, Newark, Boston, or Denver -> LHR is ~$500-600 for economy all the way, last I checked anyway.
@@kingawsume Sorted..
Just the train 200 miles north to worry (£165) about then.
@@DaveDave-e6t I don't think Scott needs a mortgage, that boy has serious money. He has some of the most expensive guns in the world, and I doubt RUclips is his only source of income. Rich wife, maybe? Inheritance? He was a Kentucky State Trooper before becoming a Guntuber, so he obviously didn't get the money for 6-figure rifles there lol.
@@VladprydeI think he's more pointing out the geography. They have airports up there.
I can feel Scott's shoulder hurting already
She be kicking!
My neck is tingling a bit.
Has thumb, will travel.
Excellent video and I would like to specifically commend the editor for a fantastic job, take a bow, the hit markers were nice but the "Joules Jules" was perfection.
Do I see a Kentucky Ballistics/Slow Mo Guys/Royal Armouries collab.....?!?!🎉
I live in Kentucky, so maybe it's proximity related, but I can hear Scott crying to the heavens for this thing.
Well, it's virtually the same size, despite the different name.
This is a nicer looking rifle, though.
That engraving is utterly astonishing.
One of the most tastefully adorned firearms I've ever seen.
Top notch seems like an understatement.
Thank you for sharing this with us.
Exquisite craftsmanship, not overly ornate. Beautiful.
Aside from being absolutely ludicrously overpowered, this piece is fabulously nicely decorated.
Thank you very much for sharing! I'm also very thankful that you were able to include some range footage, that was unexpected.
Kentucky Ballistics will absolutely love that thing for sure.
@@Piploidus The 4-Bore is normally 26.33mm in diameter and 2-Bore is 33.67mm, it's impossible to be a 2-Bore if it's 1.05 inch, and 1 inch is not 4-Bore it's an inch, unless it's measured differently between the USA and the UK.
you could say that he'll go... ballistic
He has one
The editor had fun with this one, love to see it lol
Britain may have lost its ability to design and build enough small arms to equip an army, but it can make absolutely wonderful firearms by three men in a shed.
Wonderful enough for the Army to adopt as an official rifle sometimes!
Not really. After 2 years with no documentation of progress, " I WOULD BE BOILING PISSED AND CALLING MY ATTORNEY "
Best precision rifles in the world
Anything good we make comes out of a shed - if we get too greedy, the quality goes down
So long as you’re not in a rush. 10 to 15 year turnaround? I’m guessing Giles’s nickname isn’t The Flash.
Unless it’s ironically😁
One of the most beautiful guns I've seen. Work of art
The biggest rifle caliber I ever fired in a single shot was the .50 BMG, a buddy of mine attended gunsmith college in Prescott Arizona and as his project gun build required for his graduation he built a single shot .50. The only commercial parts were the trigger group, a target system made for the Mauser system, and the barrel, a reject from a commercial manufacturer where one of the flutes on the outside of the barrel was cut to thin and separated from the barrel. She was a monster, he had a spring system in the buttstock that really didn't do what he expected and to tame down the recoil, he made several versions of muzzle breaks until settling on a nice flat type with 3 vents to channel the muzzle blast to the sides and back not at the shooter, but missing him by a few degrees. It along with the weight of the very thick receiver and long heavy barrel kept the recoil to a bit more then a 12 gauge firing a rifled slug. Uther then that, I did fire a .458 Winchester Magnum and several other magnum hunting rounds in my career as a part time gun smith and full time cop. It was the 50 though that I will remember as the ultimate, I am sure the 2 bore would hurt way more then the .50 BMG ever did. While serving in the US Army when I was a young man, I did have the opportunity to fire the M2 .50 Caliber machine gun off a tripod in Vietnam, we all did familiarization fire with the .50 and the M-60 30 caliber machine guns, and when I was with the 3rd Armored Cav down in Texas, our company commander decided that all his troops must be able to fire every weapon in our company, that was a fun week of hitting different ranges, firing everything from the lowly M1911A1 in .45 ACP to the track mounted 20mm full auto cannon. Because of cost we were limited to 5 rounds of 20mm but it was fun, being inside the track with a telescopic sight firing at 55 gallon drums with the big gun. Sadly our unit didn't have any tanks so we didn't get to fire them. Damn, that would have been a blast. When I served in Vietnam I actually carried both the M-16 and when carrying the PRC77 backpack radios, I was armed with an M1911A1. The only time I got to fire the weapon in any sort of fight, I was out laying wire for an outpost with several other field wiremen when some of the enemy happened to run into our little group. They shot at us and missed, we shot back at them with our .45's and M-16's and missed, they ran and we finished our installation of wire, then went back to Camp Haskins.
I'm pretty sure the sea level is rising because of Scott / Kentucky Ballistics drooling over this video
Jumped on to make a hilarious comment about Kentucky Ballisistics but well and truely at the back of the queue with that 😂
Nice to see Jules getting a cameo.
I cracked up
The engraving is incredible!!
Ok so we need Scott from Kentucky ballistics to give that a test run lol
I see people mentioning Kentucky Ballistics and how he should/would want to fire it. this "2 bore" fires a 2500 grain to Scott's 2150 4 bore so while it would be bigger its not by too much. I would love to see Jonathan Ferguson Keeper of Firearms and Artillery at the Royal Armouries Museum which houses thousands of iconic weaponry from throughout history join Scott for some shooting
What Scott should really get his hands on is that 2-bore muzzle-loaded pistol that Forgotten Weapons showed off in his 2-bore video.
The problem with this comment is that Scott first owned a 600 nitro-express, then a 700 nitro-express. It isn't the miniscule difference in bullet weight, it's the ability to flex having the largest shoulder fired rifle.
@@zedalbanow he's got the jdj 950 fat mac...
@@BenBallard13 He's got a Solothurn AT rifle too.
I loved the bore and gauge explanations about the reality of claims over hard measures. As well as the mention of the etymology, as it were.
I think Ian from Forgotten Weapons mentioned about the use of "gauge" and "bore" in caliber measurement. If the gun is designed as a scatter gun, use "gauge"; if the gun is designed as rifle, then use "bore".
I have built several guns the first was a 2bore muzzel loader. Then I thought no one has built a 8bore over and under. This took some 9months from design to completion; and the first one in the world! At the time. It turned out a real beast with under lever opening and single trigger: firing 3oz backed by 7drms black powder. After testing this on crows I took it to the marsh, where at dusk I shot a greylag with the very first shot at wildfowl. The next gun I built was a 1-1/4" muzzel loading punt gun which I made very short at 2mtrs, so it could be loaded in the punt. The Rusians have made a 4bore shotgun modeled on the 2bore that you show.
This reminded me of a book on old ivory hunters in Africa and one (Walter Bell if memory serves) who used a four bore gun until his nerves got so shattered from having fired it so often that he nearly had to give up hunting. However he'd gotten such a good understanding of the elephants anatomy that he'd figured out he could bypass the elephants skull by shooting through the gap for the ear canal. Supposedly he got so good at stalking and lining up the shot that was able to use .275 bolt action to take a brain shot. Which, considering an elephants brain is the size of a loaf of bread while it's skull is the size of a recliner chair, would have been quite the feat.
Selous it was .
Bell liked .303, .318 , 416 , and .400
But he much is known for the 7x57 similar .
You must have big loafs of bread where you live.
Jonathan rocking the old school Casio Databank watch....nice!
Might as well just say it " stunning, absolutely stunning".
This is a very cool filming location, love the cold light on front and the warm in the back
Scott at Kentucky Ballistics is drooling. "she be kickin'!"
Scott from Kentucky ballistics probably booking an appointment, plane ticket and speaking with his bank manager.
@@michaeldalton2386 eh I can imagine it but that 2 bore is up in the priceless/not for sale category.
IDK, he already have a 4Bore, but if this one was a real 2Bore he would be already there... with the Tacticall T-rex if was the T-rex Gun
Scott claimed that a 4 bore was the biggest rifle ever.
@@Xerdoz Is this thing rifled ?
@Xerdoz Biggest PRODUCTION rifle...as in "we'd make a thousand of them if a thousand people stumped up the cash".
Scotts' shoulder is weeping already
The woodwork on that thing is exquisite.
I am unsure where the bores stopped in terms of size, but this sort of bore, as a shotgun, was very common in the UK at one time, albeit with a very much longer barrel - punt guns.
The original ones were made exactly as a shorgun except that they would have been muzzle-loaders, and with something like a 6 foot barrel.
Very obviously not shot hand-held, but tied-in to braces across the punt and fired over the bow.
I have not searched online, but I have seen, a loooong while ago, extremely old photo's of cartridge cases for substantially larger bores than this.
I would imagine that punt-gunning is still legal, it certainly was in the 1970's/80's although no-one did it except as a once in a blue moon adventure and test of skill in understanding the quarry, the tides and the wind.
Back at that time, I was told that one or two people were looking at making new punt guns and had identified JCB hydraulic tubes as potential barrels given the vast pressures that they work at. I suspect that things didn't get much further than plans.
This gun must presumably have been shot, at the proof house?
Watch all the way to 16:00 or jump to section labelled "Test Firing."
@@j_taylor I had not noticed the caption - I had sssumed it was a n other gum, not this one. Thanks
In this case a 2 bore means 2 of the shells = 1 pound.
I agree, quite happy watching someone else fire that behemoth!
@15:43 the editor wins the internet for the day.
That revolver is ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL
Watched the Slow Mo guys shooting large calibre (one inch) weapons just last week. You could see the gun twisting in Dan's hand simply due to the rifling.
The cod hit on the light at the back was frankly... Magic 👌
Dang I kind of like the peacock blue. That's neat!
Everything about the gun is so smooth, very nice.
16:17 TFW you fire your custom one-of-a-kind humongous rifle and your reaction is "loveley". Truly a perfect display of a posh british lad.
The hit marker when the light went out was a nice editing touch.
Oh wow. I would have guessed this was from the turn of the previous century, not this one.
Same
I’d be very interested in an episode staring that original double! That’s real history 👍🏼
I used to live near Giles Whittome in Suffolk. We were members of the same rifle and pistol club in Glemsford during the 1980s and early 1990s. On one of his visits to my home, he brought another of his newly-built, massive falling block rifles to show me. This was his “Mammoth” rifle which was decorated with Mammoth ivory and engraving. It was chambered for .700 Nitro Express, which has a bullet of 1,000 grains, a muzzle velocity of 2,000 ft/second and muzzle energy of 9,000 ft/lb. Giles very generously let me fire several of his large-calibre rifled firearms: a .577/500 double black power express rifle, a .55 Boys anti-tank rifle, and a Holland and Holland 12 bore Nitro Paradox, which fired a 750 grain lead bullet. Of all the many rifles and shotguns I’ve fired, the Paradox was the most unpleasant, with heavy, sharp and painful recoil. I suspect that the original owner had it built on the light side for ease of carrying, and of handling when using it as a shotgun. If he only intended to use the bullets on rare occasions, perhaps he was willing to tolerate the recoil. I have photos Giles took of me firing each of these weapons, other than the “Mammoth” (which I didn’t fire, thankfully); I just have a couple of photos of me holding that one! I also have photos he took of me firing his .577 Black Powder revolver, which had similar recoil to the .44Magnums I owned. I would add that I sold all of my firearms around 30 years ago, and I now only shoot with cameras.
Hello Neil I remember you. This is Giles' son Patrick. Very very long time no see. Hope you are well. And, yes, that Paradox kicked like a mule.
@@patrickwhittome4859 Hello Patrick, how is Giles? We lost touch after we moved from Suffolk with my job. I later took early retirement, and we moved to Dorset in 2002, and then to East Sussex in 2022. Giles is the most interesting person I’ve ever met. I always felt that he really belonged in the time when the sun never set on the British Empire, with the likes of Selous, Ewart Scott Grogan or Sir Samuel White Baker.
He's not good I'm afraid. He's 87 now. Released to palliative home care by Addenbrookes hospital as there's nothing more they can do, and with a do not resuscitate order. He's comfortable and cheerful when lucid though. In a way it's awful but in another it's really not. He's happy.
@@patrickwhittome4859 I’m so very sorry to hear that Patrick. My wife, Jacquie, and I were talking fondly about him only recently, and she’s now saddened to hear how unwell he is. She remembers Giles sitting on our kitchen worktop in Clare, chatting away to her while she was doing the dishes. I have many happy memories of times with Giles, such as when we went to Belgium in his NSU RO80, crossing the Channel by hovercraft to visit a Belgian firearms dealer, and when we went to the Army ranges in Lydd. You were there on that occasion, if I remember correctly. That was when we fired the Vickers gun, the Boys and the Paradox. If it’s convenient and the opportunity arises, please give him our love and best wishes. Every best wish to you, too. Neil
Beautiful commission. I imagine the guy or gal who did the proofing got quite the show.
Scott from Kentucky Ballistics NEEDS the 2 bore with the T-Rex.
The scope cam hit marker at 2:05 and 14:08, when the light goes out, is top tier! 😎
Beautiful gun.
It's a pity Johnathan spoiled the shot by leaving his thermos flask on the table.
If the museum's gift shop doesn't sell shell-themed flasks they're missing a trick!
@@tarnetskygge We do :)
When you discover your mission, you will feel its demand. It will fill you with enthusiasm and a burning desire to get to work on it.
means Royal Armories should meet Kentucky Ballistics!!!
This is a true work of art!
I think a follow up video on two and one bore punt guns will be perfect.
Thank you for not disappointing me, comments section. As soon as I saw this video I knew what the comments would be saying.
That gun looks amazing and it seems pretty powerful, i can only imagine how devastating it would be. Thanks for showing it to us Jonathan.
A certain Scott from Kentucky would like to have a chat with you. 😁😁😁
About 40 years ago I had the privilege of firing a 2 bore muzzle load, black powder shot gun. It was loaded with 7oz of ssg shot. The ram rod was a rake handle. The owner used it regularly on the Solway shooting geese at much longer ranges than our 12s and 10s. It was a real beast ... one I will never forget.
Solway as in Cumbria/Scottish borders?
@@jacklurcher5813 Yes, very cold that winter as I remember it. The gun had been made by a local gunsmith.
What a beautiful piece! I half expected to see a Trilby wearing James Bond - 007 shooting back with that great shot you gave down that rifled bore.
Speaking of beautiful metal, is there any chance of you doing an episode featuring any Doune Steel flintlock pistols? They've long been a favourite of mine & I live quite close to where they originated.
*Happy Scott Noises*
I think Elmer Fudd wants his gun back.
It would reverse Daffy's bill for sure 😅
That’s a remarkable thing. The woodwork and peacock blueing is beautiful
Oh hey, Kentucky Ballistics has a 4 Bore version of that XD
Was just gonna say that Scott would LOVE that beastie!, would love to see him fire it!( I doubt this one is easily shoulderable!)
@@schiz0phren1c Maybe Scott needs to take a trip to England XD He'd be totally down to shoulder that thing lol
ahh you got here before me. Even with an XD. I didn't think anyone but me still used it XD
Well, almost. His is a beefed up Ruger No 1 i believe.
@@schiz0phren1cshoulder blades in recoil or weight?
The weight in pounds Jonathan listed is not that much more than what I would have carried in the form of an M60 machine gun. Now recall that's a whole different matter.
In the past I've actually shoulder-fired while standing a 50 BMG rifle but that was a extended bullpup with the action back over the shoulder.
Some engraving and decoration looks, as Jonathan said, "over-the-top". This gun has the most tasteful engraving I've seen in recent years. The hints of gold and sapphire-blue against exceptionally fine scrollwork and that exquisite wood is rather breathtaking. Not as breathtaking as trying to hold that monster on target for one full minute I imagine...
surprised Johnathan didnt destroy the table with an obscenely large cup of tea, or furby
That revolver is GORGEOUS!!!!! Yes, Jonathan, I think you might be a bit light to fire this one. Thanks for the video. Cheers!
Scott and the Slow-mo guys demonstrated how this rifle twists when fired due to the rifling and Newton's law.
Stunning figure on that weapon. Scott at Kentucky Ballistics is itching to try it
‘It’s a fucking anti aircraft gun, Vincent’
‘Well, I wanna raise some pulses, don’t I?’
"...too tight?"
1st . Awsome gun. 2. Great shirt 3. Yes Scott needs to be told about this lol
I always thought this type of rifle wasn't primarily for hunting. It was for when you missed with both barrels of your already rediculously huge sporting rifle and now have 7 tonnes of enraged bull elephant with a headache heading towards you at 40mph. At which point you declare "It's coming right for us!", have your manservant hand you your 2-bore and stand-fast until you can see the whites of his eyes.
Awesome! Thank you for creating that masterpiece and showing it to us. I am a falling block enthusiast, so any classic falling blocks pique my interest. Although we Americans use the term "gauge" for shotguns, we use the term "bore" for rifles.
what a beauty!
I had a school friend in 1970, his father was British diplomat. He claimed to own (or be in the care of) a 2 bore rifle. I was under the impression it was a shotgun, but that might be how I'm remembering it 55years later. I checked this video because this is the only other time in 55yrs I've ever heard the term 2 bore.
Scott's rifle is a four bore and has similar dimensions.
Saying thank you is more than good manners. It is good spirituality.
We need Scott from Kentucky Ballistics to get his hands on this rifle
Oh my goodness this is a gorgeous gorgeous *gorgeous* piece! The blued pins 🤌
Shoot, I really wanted it to be a De Lisle carbine
A suppressed version of this would be an interesting challenge!
Ooo, I guessed correctly. It is certainly an interesting rifle and one I'd have to think about, if in some dream sequence, I got the chance to fire it (thinking of my shoulder). Nice engraving and that wood is superb. Cheers.
Well, if Leeds gets attacked by Godzilla, someone will be rooting around for those 2 live rounds...
never heard of the Tiffany revolver before, it's beautiful
Scott from Kentucky Ballistics: "I'll take your entire stock!"
I rarely comment on gun videos. That's a beautiful thing right there ❤️
*KENTUCKY BALLISTICS HAS ENTERED THE CHAT*
Shoulder-fired *artillery*
The wood looks like bocote. Beautiful!
*Scott has entered the chat*
xD of all things, i came to say: That hit marker when the light went out: PRICELESS
Scott from @KentuckyBallistics has said on his videos about his falling block 4 Bore that it produces around 200lb ( almost 100kg ) of felt recoil so not an easy gun to fire ( or hold up going by that weight... )
I'm absolutely floored that no one has mentioned the Shaun of the Dead shirt.
I know a museum's job is to preserve history but this is one of those times to make history and get this rifle on a plane to Kentucky.
I think Scott's gonna need to come to Leeds rather than Jonathan and the 2-bore going to Kentucky... make an adventure out of visiting the Royal Armouries Museum and getting to examine or even fire other large weapons he can't access easily in the US.
The guess image made it look like a short barrel regular rifle, did not expect this absolute beast