Slug Gun

[kwhi43]

Here is something not a lot of you see I bet. It is a slug gun they shoot at
Friendship. Matches are at 100 thru 500 yds. Normal caliber is 45. They shoot
about 1200 fps. It is not at all common to see targets with 10 shots all in
the little 1 1/2 inch "10" ring at 200 yards. These weigh around 40-60 lbs.
They weigh their powder charge as they load them on ditigal scales.

 

[Deerhunter25]

Very interesting.

 

[bedbugbilly]

Thanks for posting the photo - an interesting gun for sure! I've watched these matches at Friendship and they are amazing! I think that over the years these guns have "evolved" like any others in regards to improvements, etc. I remember many, many years ago watching an "old timer" at Friendship load and shoot his - it weighed 75 pounds and was a flintlock. It had a full stock and the barrel was shorter than what they seem to be now but it had to be 3" across the flats. And, as you say, the groups they get with these things is amazing. Your photo reminded me of a number of years ago when I was at Friendship and I saw a guy pull his, what I assume was a "chunk" gun, out of the back of his station wagon. Listening to the conversation, he had just finished it. I chuckled when I saw it as it had to be almost 8 feet long. I have no idea of what it weighed, but the barrel looked to be around 2" across the flats. I say it was a "chunk" gun but it may have been made for "over the log" shooting or something like that - I really don't know whether it met the requirements for a "chunk" gun or not. You could tell the guy had a lot of fun making it and as much fun shooting it. It was "unique" and it turned a lot of heads. Thanks for showing this beauty to us - much appreciated and admired!

 

[B.L.E.]

You don't see many slug guns once you get away from the Friendship Indiana region of the country.
There is a lot of patched roundball benchrest competition in my part of the country and these rifles superficially resemble slug guns, however they use slow twist roundball barrels and aren't allowed to use scopes or ignition systems that use centerfire cartrige primers instead of percussion caps.

I have been told that the slug gun shooters are mostly retired tool and die makers, which that area of the country is full of with the manufacturing industry in that area.

These guns shoot paper patched bullets and that thingie on the front is a false muzzle fer loadin', with a sight blocking thing on top of it so you won't accidently shoot the thing with the false muzzle still attached, something that's guaranteed to ruin your relay.
Our range rules insist on a lanyard connected to the false muzzle and the loading bench so that you can't possibly forget to remove it before shooting.

 

[arcticap]

Wow, what an underhammer!

 

[mykeal]

Here's a couple more in action:

 

[munson1]

Very Kool !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ken

 

[Old Grump]

The older I gets the less I find out I know. I saw a gun similar to that one once and had no idea what it was or what it was for. You just filled another empty hole in the large empty space between my ears.

 

[Ideal Tool]

Hello, And thanks for very nice pictures of VERY nice slug guns. These were some of the very first guns to shoot paper-patched slugs. I have seen false muzzles that were machined with slots on their face to take paper strips..some were quite elaborate with star shaped cuts. Just another step on the ladder in firearms accuracy evolution!