Hello Ted Schefelbein & Der Ami,
Thanks for the replys
buckstix:
" ..... there are two quite different types of rifling seen on manufrance guns...the previously mentioned RAYE which is similar to the english type of rifled bore (paradox, etc.)....it is a section of rifling that is smaller than the bore diameter ("choked"), and about three inches in length from the muzzle...it was intended to swirl the shot as it leaves the muzzle, to provide a wider pattern than a cylinder bore.
the other is what you have purchased, which MF called SUPRA (hence the S in the model designation)...it is an unchoked bore with shallow rifling that is the full length of the barrel...it was built to allow both shot and solid projectiles to be used...my example (12 gauge) has about .716 diameter lands and about .727 grooves, and rotates about 1/2 to 5/8 twist in the length of the barrel...it's not easy to exactly measure these barrels. ...."
tom
Hello graybeardtmm3,
Thanks for the reply.
I see there are two different opinions above about this being a "Cape Gun". The Analytical Engineer in me brings me to this conclusion; I agree with you, I think the rifled barrel would do well with both Shot & Ball. Both Paradox Guns, and Shot & Ball Guns, typically have identical side-by-side barrels. So perhaps this gun would be best described as a "Combination Gun", or a true "Ball & Shot Gun". It would be interesting to locate an original 1930s advertisement for this Combination Gun to see how it was described to the Sporting World. But I don't think I'm off base calling it a Cape Gun.
I did a cast of 1 inch of the muzzle, and it measured .662 groove, and .652 bore, with 6 lands and grooves. Lands measure .140" wide, and grooves measure .200" wide. Rotation of the rifling appears to be slight over 1/2 rotation over the 27-1/2" length of the barrel. Seems it would be perfect for a patched ball of .662 dia.
I would guess that the lack of a rear sight would indicate the right barrel, when loaded with a ball, would be used at fairly close range. I will be testing to find out, and post the results here.
