Euroarms Magnum Cape Gun

[Dave Markowitz]

I was up at Dixon's Muzzleloading Shop today for their annual Gunmaker's Fair, and in the shop ran across a Euroarms Magnum Cape Gun in excellent shape. It's a single shot percussion 12 gauge that's been on my want list for a little while, so it came home with me. I'm hoping to take it out after small game, upland birds, and maybe deer this year.





I plan to pattern it with a couple different sizes of shot and also try it with a patched round ball. (Buckshot isn't legal for deer in PA.)

So, anyone else tried a black powder shotgun for deer hunting?

 

[Patocazador]

1) I always thought a "cape gun" was a double-barrel with one barrel smooth and the other rifled.

2)What's the choke on your gun?
If it's an open choke, you'll be better off using a patched round ball of .690-.715" diameter with 70-80 gr. of 2F black powder. Limit your shots to <50 yds.

If you want to use buck shot get some Multi-metal plastic cups from BPI to contain the buckshot longer so it doesn't spread so far out of the open choke.

I have never taken a deer with my SxS 12 gauge but within 50 yards, I would give it a try.

 

[Dave Markowitz]

"Cape gun" is what Euroarms called it, historically correct or not.

The gun is cylinder bore. It measured .72 inside the muzzle using calipers. I plan to try a .690 PRB. Buckshot isn't legal for deer here in PA.

 

[Spad2008]

What a wonderful find, thanks for sharing that fine rifle/shotgun with us. You will have fun shooting it. Spad

 

[Will5A1]

I'm jealous - in the early '80's, I think, I read an article on this gun; I think it was in the old Buckskin Report, wanted one since then. Thanks for sharing and good hunting with it.

 

[PapaG]

Several guys at the Wisconsin Sportsmen's Alliance black powder shotgun shoot held back in the late 70s had these. Pretty well made. When I had a chance to pick up a Pedersoli Mortimer 12 which is very similar, I jumped on it.

 

[Dave Markowitz]

I got to try in Sunday, shooting a half dozen .662 PRBs (the only size I had on hand) over 80 grains of 2Fg Goex. Even with the undersized balls I was able to keep them in about 6" at 20 - 25 yards, good enough for deer at that range.

Recoil wasn't bad with that load and the smoothbore cleans up easily.

Last night I ordered some .690 balls and some 0.020 patching to try, along with some other accessories.

 

[Patocazador]

This is just a thought but you might get very good accuracy by shooting a bare .715 ball with greased tow or other wadding. Mine has a .730" bore and it is fairly accurate with a .715 ball and spanish moss wadding. The tighter bore on your gun might make that a great combo.

 

[Dave Markowitz]

Thanks, I will have to try that out.

 

[denster]

Nice find. I've been after one of those for years with no luck.

 

[Dave Markowitz]

Well, I got to shoot the Magnum Cape Gun again today, patterning it at ~15 yards with number 7.5 and number 5 shot, and out to 50 with a .690 PRB.

80 grains of 2Fg Goex and the equivalent volume of number 7.5s:




80 grains of 2Fg Goex and the same volume of number 5s:



(The hole on the left was a wad, and there's a .45 caliber hole from my friend's flintlock on the upper right.)

Three .690 patched round balls over 80 grains of 2Fg, with a 0.020" patch lubed with Bore Butter, at 50 yards.



I yanked the first shot low and left. Again, there's a .45 caliber hole from my friend's rifle. It shoots a little high but I figure out to 50 yards if I aim at the bottom of a deer's chest it'll plant a big hunk of lead in its boiler room.

As a side note, I fired a total of 11 shots today without wiping between shots. The last shot seated a little harder than the first, due to a crud ring building up down in the breech. We called it quits for lunch after shot # 11, but one wet patch and I could've kept going for awhile. The PRBs could be seated with my thumb, no short starter needed.

I am really looking forward to taking the gun afield this fall for small game, upland birds, and whitetail.