Anyone use their smooth bore strictly as a shotgun?

[Sidney Smith]

I read a lot of posts from shooters who use their smooth bores with single projectile ammo (roundballs). Just wondering if anyone else besides me uses theirs strictly as a shotgun? When I bought my smoothbore kit, I knew going in that it would probably never get loaded with anything other than shot. I imagine it would be fun to tailor a load for a round ball to shoot out of a smoothy, for say big game, but I've got rifles that I'm perfectly satisfied with for that purpose.

 

[Comfortably_Numb]

I have had several that all I shot was shot for upland hunting and skeet.

 

[Rat]

Not sure about "strictly", but I use my Brown Best mostly, usually, most often to hunt grouse and wild turkey. But I like the challenge of shooting ball, experimenting, and getting the best accuracy and range with ball that I can.

I originally got my Bess to hunt both birds and big game, but after passing up a nice bear because it was ten or twenty yards out of range, (accurate range) I done got me a Jeager for four-legging things, and again, now use the Bess for feathered things.

So no, not strictly, but mostly.

 

[reyna2017]

I read a lot of posts from shooters who use their smooth bores with single projectile ammo (roundballs). Just wondering if anyone else besides me uses theirs strictly as a shotgun? When I bought my smoothbore kit, I knew going in that it would probably never get loaded with anything other than shot. I imagine it would be fun to tailor a load for a round ball to shoot out of a smoothy, for say big game, but I've got rifles that I'm perfectly satisfied with for that purpose.

I shoot anything that will fit in my muzzle loader smooth bores marbles, AA batteries, broken up case hardened nails, ball bearings. Maybe don't sound safe but it works! I had a foot long round bar of brass, put a 1 inch bore in it. put it on a pole, made an arquebus, fired by fuse out of it. Hand full of powder, some fine gravel, lots of newspaper wads. Prop it in the crotch of a small tree. BOOM! boy did it cut leaves out of trees! I was far in the mountains of Pulaski Co., Va. Don't recommend it but I have fun!

 

[jimbobber]

My Fusil de Chasse was built by Alexander Efremenko. Though I purchased it with the intent of shooting both patched round ball and shot, thus far, i’ve only hunted with shot, as a shotgun. Most of my forays have been solo or with one friend and for multiple days so, small game has been my quarry. So far, each time the fusil has bellowed, food has followed!

 

[Loyalist Dave]

YES, my Pedersoli 20 Gauge SxS is choked Imp and mod, so I don't shoot ball from it, and so far I've only hunted with my trade guns using shot. Hoping though to try for deer with one of them in the Fall.

LD

 

[tenngun]

Several barrel makers can choke the barrel fo you. If your looking for a ‘fowling gun,’ there are lots of historic prices to turn to, whose owners may have never put ball to bore.
There is no rule that says you need shoot ball.
Howsomever..... shooting ball in a smoothie is one of the most addictive forms of our hobby.

 

[Britsmoothy]

My pedersoli sxs of 1972 just shoots shot.
In fact, most game taken with my smoothbores is via shot.
B.

 

[Sparkitoff]

I have a 19 gauge that is only loaded with shot. It points and swings nicely for me and throws a great pattern with the right load.

 

[Le Loup]

I read a lot of posts from shooters who use their smooth bores with single projectile ammo (roundballs). Just wondering if anyone else besides me uses theirs strictly as a shotgun? When I bought my smoothbore kit, I knew going in that it would probably never get loaded with anything other than shot. I imagine it would be fun to tailor a load for a round ball to shoot out of a smoothy, for say big game, but I've got rifles that I'm perfectly satisfied with for that purpose.

I use round ball & shot depending on the game I am hunting. The versatility of this fusil is the reason I purchased it all those years ago.
Keith.

 

[leverfred]

My 16 gauge is shot only! I have rifles too.

 

[Yewbender]

I shoot shot and round balls in my .62 TVM Fowler.

Heck just this past sunday i took 2nd place at a woods walk and most of the guys shoot rifles!

 

[hinamanra]

When I load it with shot for Turkey and small game seasons, then it's strictly a shotgun. lol