OT..largest guage shotgun?

[Greg Parent]

Hello all,
Does anyone know what the largest guage shotgun is? It does not have to be a hand held, hunting type firearm. I remember reading something about a tool used to clean out kilns and ceramic slurry tumblers that used a 1 guage shotgun shell and silica beads. Is there something bigger than a 1 guage?
Thanks...
Greg

[BillH]

I've heard of 4 guage, but never 1 gauge, geez.
If you got a 1 guage, I dare you to shoot some magnum slugs with it against your shoulder.

[pgmrdan]

By definition, there can't be.

According to the way I learned it, shotguns were 'gauged' according to the number of round lead balls that could be made from 1# of lead. The old shot guns would shoot a single, round ball of lead - a shot.

On a .410, that's really a caliber and not a gauge so that's an exception.

The barrel of a 12 ga. would allow a 1/12 pound ball of lead pass. So a 1 ga. should allow a 1# ball of lead to pass!!! This sounds rather bizarre so I'd doubt there's such a thing as a 1 ga. shotgun.

I know I've heard of modern 10 ga. shotguns used for goose hunting and I'm not sure but there may have been an 8 ga. at one time.

I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong.

[This message has been edited by pgmrdan (edited 06-21-2004).]

[Evan]

A number of the old radial engines used a very large shotgun style shell for starting. I don't know what guage they are but they are in some cases much larger than 10 guage. No shot of course.

[Jimmy]

Several years back I was at Harold's Club in Reno Nevada, heck of a gun collection! They had a 4 gauge if I remember correctly, it was a "Flock" gun and mounted in the front of a boat. Just shoot into the flock and go pick em' up!

[Forrest Addy]

ever hear of a "punt gun"? It was used by market hunters way back when. There's one in a museum at Ocean Shores that had a 2" barrel. The paper cartridges were big as ears of corn.

[pgmrdan]

Like the shells used in 'Flight of the Phoenix', to start the airplane engine?

[mochinist]

Look up punt guns and english shotgun also check out these links http://www.chuckhawks.com/intro_gauges.htm
shotgun gauge chart

[Rustybolt]

The largest legal gauge in the US, in most states is 10 gauge. Before the turn of the last century market hunters would use 4 or even two. These weren't exactly shoulder fired weapons. They'd hunt at night when the ducks and geese were roosting on the water.
Sometimes I wish they'd come back and take care of the goose population out here.

[jfsmith]

I have seen 10 gauge goose guns and an 8 gauge guns that are used for putting a large cow down.

Some gun shop in the area has a small 8 gauge cannon for sale.

Jerry