My friend Colin Stolzer of Stolzer & Son's Gunsmithing has completed what I believe to be the first rifle chambered in the enormous 2 Bore S&H Black Powder Express cartridge. For the past six months Colin has been meticulously documenting the build on his website and it is well worth reading. The finished rifle is incredibly beautiful.
The purpose of this rifle is obviously for hunting planets. That’s why we no longer have 9 planets, we only have 8. The owner has already taken Pluto with this fine firearm.
…at least, that’s my theory.
1 
0What’s it for?
Because!
0 0That is one big magnificent bastard of a rifle.
0 0Steve,
Thanks for featuring this masterpiece! I think the world is a better place because of skilled craftsmen like Colin and the amazing work that he has put out. Please follow up on this – the owner plans to hunt in Africa from what I know. Considering that this shoulder cannon puts out twice the muzzle energy of the 600 Nitro Express, it should flatten all the game there is on the Dark Continent. We’ll look forward to future information whenever it is available!
0 0Being a machinist going on 16 years now,and tinkering with firearms design myself, your work never ceases to amaze me in all aspects. Keep it up!
0 0That is absolutely fantastic.
I know what it is for traditionally, in hunting large game. I’m not sure what the purpose is now except for possibly …. hunting large and dangerous game!
I’d be happy with a 6 bore double, though.
The workmanship and pure unique quality of the rifle leaves me in awe. Someday, I’ll make something to match that.
0 0IIRC a similar project was documented in the pages of ‘Guns Australia’ magazine back i the late 80′s or early 90′s.
0 0Personally I think that those stupidly big bore rifles are an awesome piece of engineering and craftsmanship worth respect of admiration, but are borderline useless as rifles.
Those thing would really shine as a long range grenade launchers. The lower pressure and lighter projectile would make the thing much more manageable and practical. Not to mention that its kill power would be increased to Blue Whale and to Argentinosaurus.
0 0Oh my! Some things are wholly impractical. But wonderful just the same.
0 0Love it.
Sure, it’s pretty pointless, but please! She’s a beauty. Just the craftsmenship to build her is impressive.
Though, as a home defense weapon with grape shot? Handheld swivel gun anyone?
0 0Steve,
That would be for “Night of the Lepus”-sized rabbits.
0 0penetration alone isn’t going to be a fair “gauge” of the round- From what I’ve read, a 7.62x54R is probably going to out penetrate the 2 bore by a huge amount.
0 0BOOMSTICK
0 0man i got a nasty trex broblam on my land.
THIS SHOULD HELP
0 0Wow… that is nice. Would love to get my hands on one!
0 0I think the right question is not what the rifle is FOR, but what it can DO. How many 2x4s could it punch through. How many inches of steel? Of flesh? Of water jugs?
0 0Id go hunting panzers with a 2 bore. holy smokes, what a big SOB! i wonder what its like to shoot (the availability of ammo thought makes me cringe)?
0 0Beautiful rifle. When I was in high school, one of the local pawn shops had a 2 bore rifle on display (George’s Pawn in Longview, TX). It was built on a falling block action. Last time I was in there, they didn’t have it on display anymore. I don’t know anymore information on the rifle except that it was supposedly fired once. I suppose you could look them up and ask them for more info if you were interested.
0 0Back when I was still in high school, one of the loacal pawn shops (George’s Pawn in Longview, TX) had a 2 Bore rifle on display. It was built on a falling block action, and the story was that it had been fired once. Last time I was in there, it was no longer on display, but I’m sure you could look them up and they could provide you with more info on the rifle. Regardless, this one you have shown is pure beauty.
0 0Very nice build.
I’d use it for bear hunting.
0 0Thank You all for compliments and comments.
I haven’t had time or the right conditions(rained a lot here lately and my range is still solid mud) to get out and do the final sight in work on this rifle. However, on this blog, youtube, and my website there are videos of me shooting the 2 Bore boxlock Muzzleloader I built last year. I didn’t end up with any detached retinas or chiropractic problems or have to have any filling replaced. With proper stance, good muscle tone, and proper shooting technique the really big bore, heavy recoiling rifles are not a problem to shoot.
All of the bore cartridges from the old British Standard Bore Calibers are grandfathered in(exempted), they are not destructive devices when built on a sporting rifle.
0 0I would use it for hunting blue whales. Those suckers are hard to get!
0 0The thing’s a work of art. Who cares if there’s a “practical” use? After all, how ‘practical’ is the Mona Lisa?
0 0Hi Colin,
Thank you for responding to my query and congratulations on doing such fine work.
As for your client not informing you what he’s going to use it for, well, that just adds to the mystery. (Though I think it’s a pretty safe bet that he won’t be using it for rabbit hunting – unless he really, really hates rabbits).
0 0SpudGun, or he has a problem with really really big rabbits 
0 0Spudgun: What is a Spudgun for? 
0 0And here I thought that Russian 12.7mm rifle from the other day was big.
Jeebus.
0 0WOW… Heres how it works I think, Load gun, Aim, Pull Trigger. Put gun away. Visit Chiropractor to be adjusted. Visit dentist to get fillings etc replaced. Repeat.
0 0Steve, Thank you for another generous write-up on the blog.
Spudgun, Thank you for the compliments. As for what it’s for, well the best way I can answer that is that not everything has a purely logical reason to exist. In this case the client that commissioned the build didn’t give me a stated purpose for the project(i.e. hunting or collecting, etc.), he’s told me he does intend to shoot it. So it’s not just a safe queen.
I wish I had a better more logical answer for you, but it is what it is.
0 0Let me quote Homer Simpson when pining for something he really, really doesn’t need:
Oh, but it’s so unnecessary!
0 0When does “rifle” become “cannon”?
(Beautiful gun, BTW)
0 0DavidR, the bore size is actually very similar to the swivel cannons they used back in the golden age of sailing!
0 0Very nice. It that only for airliners, or can it take down prop planes as well?
Seriously, was it test fired? If so, how was it?
0 0I don’t suppose we could get it squeeze bore with AP rounds?
0 0… Nevermind. Apparently, since 2-BORE is an obsolete caliber, a firearm with a rifled barrel chambered in 2BORE that uses a replica of a pre-1898 action may be considered an antique firearm.
I guess this means my AR-15 2-BORE idea would be a DD.
-mm
0 0Looks like a good gun for whale hunting if you ask me.
0 0BLOODY LOVERLY!!!!!!
And you built it apparently, for a gentleman of the Sinister persuasion. I would feel quite comfortable hunting T-Rex or any of the other large saurii of any era. A rifle like that desrves all the Pukka Sahibb accoutrments, shooting sticks, pith helmet, ammo walla, the works. Well done sir, well done
Thad
0 0It sure is pretty. It’s uniqueness is enough to make it desirable. Besides having both “the biggest” and “the smallest” of any class of item is always a fun pursuit.
-D
0 0Q: Under what exemption is this 2-BORE rifle NOT a destructive device?
Is it because it’s black powder, because its a smoothbore (vs. rifled) barrel, or something else ?
That being said, I wonder how long before someone decides to one-up this and make a 2-BORE upper for an AR-15.
-mm
0 0because you can- no more reason needed!
0 0Looks rather like the old M-79 in a double mount.
0 0It’s an amazing weapon, but in all seriousness he really needs to think hard before he shoots the thing.
Two words to consider
Detached Retinas
0 0Whilst I applaud the design and engineering of such a rifle and though I agree that Mr. Stolzer has done an excellent job of creating such a fine piece of work, the question remains -
What’s it for?
0 0
Wow… that is nice. Would love to get my hands on one!
man i got a nasty trex broblam on my land.
THIS SHOULD HELP
BOOMSTICK
penetration alone isn’t going to be a fair “gauge” of the round- From what I’ve read, a 7.62x54R is probably going to out penetrate the 2 bore by a huge amount.
I think the right question is not what the rifle is FOR, but what it can DO. How many 2x4s could it punch through. How many inches of steel? Of flesh? Of water jugs?
Id go hunting panzers with a 2 bore. holy smokes, what a big SOB! i wonder what its like to shoot (the availability of ammo thought makes me cringe)?
Very nice build.
I’d use it for bear hunting.
Back when I was still in high school, one of the loacal pawn shops (George’s Pawn in Longview, TX) had a 2 Bore rifle on display. It was built on a falling block action, and the story was that it had been fired once. Last time I was in there, it was no longer on display, but I’m sure you could look them up and they could provide you with more info on the rifle. Regardless, this one you have shown is pure beauty.
Beautiful rifle. When I was in high school, one of the local pawn shops had a 2 bore rifle on display (George’s Pawn in Longview, TX). It was built on a falling block action. Last time I was in there, they didn’t have it on display anymore. I don’t know anymore information on the rifle except that it was supposedly fired once. I suppose you could look them up and ask them for more info if you were interested.
Steve,
That would be for “Night of the Lepus”-sized rabbits.
Love it.
Sure, it’s pretty pointless, but please! She’s a beauty. Just the craftsmenship to build her is impressive.
Though, as a home defense weapon with grape shot? Handheld swivel gun anyone?
The purpose of this rifle is obviously for hunting planets. That’s why we no longer have 9 planets, we only have 8. The owner has already taken Pluto with this fine firearm.
…at least, that’s my theory.
Steve,
Thanks for featuring this masterpiece! I think the world is a better place because of skilled craftsmen like Colin and the amazing work that he has put out. Please follow up on this – the owner plans to hunt in Africa from what I know. Considering that this shoulder cannon puts out twice the muzzle energy of the 600 Nitro Express, it should flatten all the game there is on the Dark Continent. We’ll look forward to future information whenever it is available!
That is one big magnificent bastard of a rifle.
Because!
Being a machinist going on 16 years now,and tinkering with firearms design myself, your work never ceases to amaze me in all aspects. Keep it up!
That is absolutely fantastic.
I know what it is for traditionally, in hunting large game. I’m not sure what the purpose is now except for possibly …. hunting large and dangerous game!
I’d be happy with a 6 bore double, though.
The workmanship and pure unique quality of the rifle leaves me in awe. Someday, I’ll make something to match that.
Oh my! Some things are wholly impractical. But wonderful just the same.
Personally I think that those stupidly big bore rifles are an awesome piece of engineering and craftsmanship worth respect of admiration, but are borderline useless as rifles.
Those thing would really shine as a long range grenade launchers. The lower pressure and lighter projectile would make the thing much more manageable and practical. Not to mention that its kill power would be increased to Blue Whale and to Argentinosaurus.
IIRC a similar project was documented in the pages of ‘Guns Australia’ magazine back i the late 80′s or early 90′s.
Thank You all for compliments and comments.
I haven’t had time or the right conditions(rained a lot here lately and my range is still solid mud) to get out and do the final sight in work on this rifle. However, on this blog, youtube, and my website there are videos of me shooting the 2 Bore boxlock Muzzleloader I built last year. I didn’t end up with any detached retinas or chiropractic problems or have to have any filling replaced. With proper stance, good muscle tone, and proper shooting technique the really big bore, heavy recoiling rifles are not a problem to shoot.
All of the bore cartridges from the old British Standard Bore Calibers are grandfathered in(exempted), they are not destructive devices when built on a sporting rifle.
BLOODY LOVERLY!!!!!!
And you built it apparently, for a gentleman of the Sinister persuasion. I would feel quite comfortable hunting T-Rex or any of the other large saurii of any era. A rifle like that desrves all the Pukka Sahibb accoutrments, shooting sticks, pith helmet, ammo walla, the works. Well done sir, well done
Thad
Looks like a good gun for whale hunting if you ask me.
… Nevermind. Apparently, since 2-BORE is an obsolete caliber, a firearm with a rifled barrel chambered in 2BORE that uses a replica of a pre-1898 action may be considered an antique firearm.
I guess this means my AR-15 2-BORE idea would be a DD.
-mm
It sure is pretty. It’s uniqueness is enough to make it desirable. Besides having both “the biggest” and “the smallest” of any class of item is always a fun pursuit.
-D
Q: Under what exemption is this 2-BORE rifle NOT a destructive device?
Is it because it’s black powder, because its a smoothbore (vs. rifled) barrel, or something else ?
That being said, I wonder how long before someone decides to one-up this and make a 2-BORE upper for an AR-15.
-mm
It’s an amazing weapon, but in all seriousness he really needs to think hard before he shoots the thing.
Two words to consider
Detached Retinas
Looks rather like the old M-79 in a double mount.
because you can- no more reason needed!
I don’t suppose we could get it squeeze bore with AP rounds?
Very nice. It that only for airliners, or can it take down prop planes as well?
Seriously, was it test fired? If so, how was it?
Spudgun: What is a Spudgun for?
Hi Colin,
Thank you for responding to my query and congratulations on doing such fine work.
As for your client not informing you what he’s going to use it for, well, that just adds to the mystery. (Though I think it’s a pretty safe bet that he won’t be using it for rabbit hunting – unless he really, really hates rabbits).
SpudGun, or he has a problem with really really big rabbits
The thing’s a work of art. Who cares if there’s a “practical” use? After all, how ‘practical’ is the Mona Lisa?
I would use it for hunting blue whales. Those suckers are hard to get!
And here I thought that Russian 12.7mm rifle from the other day was big.
Jeebus.
WOW… Heres how it works I think, Load gun, Aim, Pull Trigger. Put gun away. Visit Chiropractor to be adjusted. Visit dentist to get fillings etc replaced. Repeat.
When does “rifle” become “cannon”?
(Beautiful gun, BTW)
DavidR, the bore size is actually very similar to the swivel cannons they used back in the golden age of sailing!
Let me quote Homer Simpson when pining for something he really, really doesn’t need:
Oh, but it’s so unnecessary!
Steve, Thank you for another generous write-up on the blog.
Spudgun, Thank you for the compliments. As for what it’s for, well the best way I can answer that is that not everything has a purely logical reason to exist. In this case the client that commissioned the build didn’t give me a stated purpose for the project(i.e. hunting or collecting, etc.), he’s told me he does intend to shoot it. So it’s not just a safe queen.
I wish I had a better more logical answer for you, but it is what it is.
Whilst I applaud the design and engineering of such a rifle and though I agree that Mr. Stolzer has done an excellent job of creating such a fine piece of work, the question remains -
What’s it for?