Caliber question.

[Kentuckyjed]

Well I didn't have a wooden dowel as stank suggested so I thought that if I took a 3/8" ramrod and carefully wrapped it with masking tape I could get it to the bore size of the barrel. So I wrapped until it was .700, a snug fit in the end and went to push it in, it was snug for about 2-3 inches and then loose all the way to the breech. I am thinking that this could possibly be a choked barrel. I have no experience with chokes other than what's on my old Ithaca 12 gauge pump (full choke) actually this is my second black powder smoothbore the other is a .62 caliber that I built. So I am up for any suggestions, I don't really need a choked barrel since it will be mainly used for plinking. My guess is the bore size past the choke is a 72 cal. but the only way I can think of is to measure down how far the choke goes and cut it off then mic the barrel and go from there, or keep the gun as is. Would rather shoot a roundball out of it and don't really know if it would be safe to do that with the choked end. Any thoughts/musings/cussings? Thanks in advance , again.
BZ

 

[flconch53]

It doesn't sound like it is choked that tight. Probably shoot a ball over a wad instead of patched. Or use it for turkey hunting

 

[Kentuckyjed]

I just don't want to shove a ball and patch down 2 1/2 inches and it rattle down the rest of the barrel to the breech. Would rather have it manageably snug all the way down preferably without a patch or minimal thickness patch .002 . I have found one of the better places to hunt turkey is in the frozen section, sans shotgun.

 

[Kentuckyjed]

Standard patch thickness that I would use on all my ML never measured thickness just used pillow ticking that I have had for 30 years.

 

[Kentuckyjed]

Spit lubed 100% of the time.

 

[Kentuckyjed]

I was planning on letting the wife shoot this gun she is used to shooting a Lyman Trade Rifle in .50 cal.

 

[Kentuckyjed]

Is there a roundball recommendation for the .702 muzzle end after said choke that will not rattle down the rest of the barrel? Possible .690? Or just have it honed out to the original bore of the barrel up to the choke.

 

[Eterry]

Is there a roundball recommendation for the .702 muzzle end after said choke that will not rattle down the rest of the barrel? Possible .690? Or just have it honed out to the original bore of the barrel up to the choke.

If you decide to remove the choke, I've seen it done using a brake cylinder hone. Be very careful or you'll have the blunderbuss effect.

Before you make drastic, unreversable methods I'd shoot it with a .690 ball with tight, at the muzzle, patching.

Until you've shot it its all speculation.

I'm sure you can find some members who would send you a few round balls of different sizes to see what works best. Then you'll know what you need.

Didn't TOTW sell a variety bag of balls for just this thing?

 

[Grenadier1758]

My notorious West St. Louis) County Trade Gun Special uses a choked 12 gauge barrel. It is 0.700 at the muzzle and opens to 0.729 beyond the choke. I use the 0.690 balls over 85 grains of 2Fg black powder. Over the powder I use a 12 gauge fiber cushion wad. It compresses to get past the choke restriction and is fairly loose in the rest of the bore. Yes, it is tight on loading, but by cutting the wad in half, it can be started on its side and turned at the muzzle then using the shotgun 12 gauge button pushed to the powder charge. I wrap the ball in tow and load that. The tow holds the ball on the wad or a 12 gauge over shot card can be used to hold the ball in place. You need to see what will hold the ball in your smoth bored gun. Mostly this smooth bored gun is used for shot.

 

[Kentuckyjed]

My notorious West St. Louis) County Trade Gun Special uses a choked 12 gauge barrel. It is 0.700 at the muzzle and opens to 0.729 beyond the choke. I use the 0.690 balls over 85 grains of 2Fg black powder. Over the powder I use a 12 gauge fiber cushion wad. It compresses to get past the choke restriction and is fairly loose in the rest of the bore. Yes, it is tight on loading, but by cutting the wad in half, it can be started on its side and turned at the muzzle then using the shotgun 12 gauge button pushed to the powder charge. I wrap the ball in tow and load that. The tow holds the ball on the wad or a 12 gauge over shot card can be used to hold the ball in place. You need to see what will hold the ball in your smoth bored gun. Mostly this smooth bored gun is used for shot.

That helps a lot but I would rather shoot round balls out of it. In a quandary now as I would like to maybe save it just for using shot and just use a different gun for round balls. Kind of wanted to keep it for both.
Thanks

 

[Kentuckyjed]

Still thinking about what Eterry said trying the hone but I need to check the wall thickness at the muzzle.

 

[Kentuckyjed]

Wall thickness at muzzle is .079 so does anyone think I could possibly take the .702 bore out to .729 with the hone and remove the fixed choke end?

 

[Notchy Bob]

I was planning on letting the wife shoot this gun she is used to shooting a Lyman Trade Rifle in .50 cal.

I don't mean to sound like a chauvinist, but that would be a lot of gun for a lady, and it would be a giant step up in ball size from her .50 caliber trade rifle.

Have you examined the barrel for any stampings or marks to indicate caliber or gauge? They may be hidden on the underside, and it may be worth dismounting the barrel to check. This may be the best way to determine actual bore size.

It does sound from the description as if you have a gun intended for shot loads, in which case the presumed choke might be a good thing. It might complicate the process of working up a ball load, though. The focus of many of the posts on this forum lately has been on shooting balls out of smoothbores. There is nothing wrong with that... I do it myself, but mine all have cylinder bores. However, blackpowder shotgunning is fun, too, and if the lady of the house already has a rifle to shoot ball, maybe consider fixing her up with this one as a dedicated fowling piece. You can tailor the shot loads to something she might enjoy shooting. If the barrel is indeed choked, somebody went to some trouble to make it that way. I would not attempt to hone it out myself. That is a precision job that should be done by someone with the proper tools and expertise.

I haven't seen an actual description or picture of the gun. If it is built as a lightweight fowling piece and you shoot balls weighing over an ounce, you're going to get some recoil. There were lots of military muskets in that caliber range, and I believe the original Brown Bess was 11 gauge. However, these military muskets were in the 10-11 pound range, and that mass helped absorb some of the recoil. They were still kickers, though. A lightweight fowling piece shooting loads like that will very likely abuse the shooter.

Just my views on the subject, respectfully submitted.

Notchy Bob

 

[Urban Coyote]

Did a search on the site but to no avail can't seem to find what I need. I picked up this trade gun/fowler in smooth, was told it was a .68 caliber, when I mic the inside of the barrel I get .770. What would be a good size for a roundball to shoot out of this? .750?
Thanks in advance.

"was told is was .68 caliber"

Is it possible whoever told you this ment it shot a .68 caliber, (.680 diameter), ball?. Sounds kind of like that's where you're ending up with this inquiry.

 

[Kentuckyjed]

Notchy and some others might be right. Maybe I can keep it as a fowling piece or trade it for a .62/20 smoothbore. I removed the barrel when I was going through everything and did not see any markings on it but my eyes arent as good as they used to be. It is a beautiful gun in quilted maple with a siler lock and a big iron triggerguard. I will post some pictures of it when I can. I was told that it was probably built in the 1970's but have no proof., the lock looks new. So keep an eye out for picks and probably a for sale/trade sign.

 

[Kentuckyjed]

Here are some pics of this gun, I might be entertaining the thought of a possible trade or might sell but limited to the shipping method, cou

ld just be local.