54 Rifled or Smooth Bore?

[Pete G]

Swapping a barrel sounds like a better idea than it really is.

 

[Timber Wolf]

Swapping a barrel sounds like a better idea than it really is.

Yep, might be alright on wedge guns but I wouldn't mess with on pinned.

 

[2 shots]

just leave the pins a little short so you can get the punch into the stock a little to tap them out and dont mix up the pins .....its no big deal.

 

[springfield art]

Or, the underbarrel lugs and pins can be replaced with an under barrel wedge lug and the pins with wedges. It's easy to remove the barrel by pulling the wedges, the tang bolt and possibly the rear lock bolt. Then exchanging barrel is easy.

My Derringer rifle and my 1803 Harper's Ferry rifle have wedges and a tang bolt.

Deringer with one "r"!

 

[Grenadier1758]

@springfield art, my Derringer is a replica, so when I write out the description, it is a Derringer. Only an original should be a Deringer.

 

[Bushfire]

When pushing pins through on a semi regular basis wouldn't it eventually loosen them?

 

[cynthialee]

When pushing pins through on a semi regular basis wouldn't it eventually loosen them?

yes

 

[Cattywompuss]

I appreciate the informative replies, gentlemen!

Purchasing a rifled barrel sounds like my best option. I'm not ordering the Kibler kit until later this month, so I still have some time to look around for a different rifle in a smooth bore.

Perhaps I'll pick up a smooth bore later, like a TC Renegade was mentioned as an option...if one can be found or something similar.

Deer rifle now, smoothy after Kibler finally... finally... does a Fusil De Chase or some such! Win/Win!

 

[Snooterpup]

Deer rifle now, smoothy after Kibler finally... finally... does a Fusil De Chase or some such! Win/Win!

There you go, down the black powder primrose path. Another addict in the making! Bravo on your choices. All really great muzzleloaders.

 

[Rock Home Isle]

Deer rifle now, smoothy after Kibler finally... finally... does a Fusil De Chase or some such! Win/Win!

So many options…so many rat holes…which one?

Welcome…you are one of us. One of us…

 

[Cattywompuss]

There you go, down the black powder primrose path. Another addict in the making! Bravo on your choices. All really great muzzleloaders.

Oh, not me! A Kibler is in my future at some point, but I already have every level of game covered with an appropriate caliber flintlock rifle, and a .60 smoove rifle for shotgunning!

 

[Cattywompuss]

So many options…so many rat holes…which one?

Welcome…you are one of us. One of us…

Mine are all covered already. Just offering advice on smoove vs grooved!

 

[Rock Home Isle]

Oh, not me! A Kibler is in my future at some point, but I already have every level of game covered with an appropriate caliber flintlock rifle, and a .60 smoove rifle for shotgunning!

I’m eyeing the .58 calibre Colonial smooth rifle

 

[The Crisco Kid]

Swapping a barrel sounds like a better idea than it really is.

The only obvious solution to the problem is to have both a rifle and a smoothbore. I do have to admit though that If I was down to my last dime I'd pick the smoothbore.

 

[Mr. Flintlock]

I'm about to build my first rifle, a Kibler Colonial kit and I've narrowed it down to a 54 caliber. I had previously considered 50 vs. 54.
Now, I'm considering the differences between a rifled bore and a smooth bore.

I'll be using this rifle for deer hunting, possible or occasional groundhogs and some "quail walk" type shoots.
I'd like to hear from those with experiences with both smooth and rifled bores.
Comparable accuracy at reasonable hunting distances are my main concerns/interests.

Sounds to me like the quail walk idea mean you need a smoothbore. I have a Wallingford smooth rifle in .54 that is a wonderful all around gun. I feel comfortable shooting at Deer out to 100 yds. I also have a Jack Hubbard smoothbore that I put a rear sight on that is very accurate as well. The thing you have to think about is, rifle barrels mostly shoot well out of the box. You may have to fool with a smoothie Barrel by bending it. Hopefully you'll luck out and get a good shooter.

 

[rusticbob]

I just picked up a unfired T/C Renegade .56 smoothbore barrel to go with my .54 Renegade. Shot it today with .535rb and a .018 patch. Very easy to load, and with 70gr fffg I am good to .50 yards anyway. Can’t wait till my shot and wads come in from Ballistic Products, so I can try some shot loads.

 

[Paul-in-PA]

Just get a extra barrel
There dun deal

The suggestion of a second barrel was what came to my mind. Profile should be the same. I was going to call Jim and ask if he could send me another barrel, so I would have the smooth and rifle option.

 

[Redlemur60]

The suggestion of a second barrel was what came to my mind. Profile should be the same. I was going to call Jim and ask if he could send me another barrel, so I would have the smooth and rifle option.

Yes ive plans to do the same!
!

 

[smoothshooter]

As others have said accuracy is the rifles advantage. A .54 rifle effectively doubles your range on deer sized and bigger game. A .54 smoothie takes Rocky and Bulwinkle with the same gun. However it cost you range. It’s a lot easier to get twenty yards from Rocky then less then fifty from Bulwinkle. And fifty is around your top range for an accurate hit with smoothie I pretty much am a smooth shooter tgese past twenty years

I am considering having my .54 smooth rifle jug choked after a 2 year search for someone who has the tooling to do a jug choke in something that small. Might even have it straight rifled also by Bobby Hoyt after the choke work is done as an experiment.
Might be interesting.

 

[smoothshooter]

The suggestion of a second barrel was what came to my mind. Profile should be the same. I was going to call Jim and ask if he could send me another barrel, so I would have the smooth and rifle option.

That may not work out so well.
The breech plug and tang are normally hand fitted to the inletting in the stock, meaning no two are theoretically exactly alike. A barrel with a hooked breech may work okay, but if your gun is of an earlier style ( pre—1830 or so ) the builder will need to have the whole gun back in his shop to do the two barrel setup you want for breech tang work and locating the barrel pin underlugs.
Others more knowledgeable than me usually say switching barrels and tangs on earlier styled guns is a bad idea for several reasons. One of which is that earlier guns have pinned in barrels that should not be removed because over time the pins will loosen in the wood and you will eventually split a splinter out of the fore-end reinstalling one or more of them.