Custom heavy smoothbore "rifle"

[Westporter]

I am considering building, or more precisely, having built, a smooth bore percussion "rifle." I use the term "rifle" because I intend for it to have front and rear sights, as opposed to a "trade gun" or fowler style of smoothbore. At present I own a vintage (antique) smoothbore rifle in .60 caliber (22 gauge). It is rather lightly built and loads are kept at 60 gr FFG max. My thoughts on design for this project gun are to attempt to approximate a hunting gun that might have been used by some of the early European explorers/hunters in South Africa in the first half of the 19th century. Many preferred smoothbores for the ease of loading. I have been in contact with both Rice and Colerain. Colerain can produce a octagon to round smoothbore in .69 caliber (14 bore), which is the bore I am focusing on at present for this project. (Rice has a similar offering, I believe in 12 bore.) My question is loads for this project should it proceed. I want to be able to use heavy loads for large game (elk, moose, bear, and possibly African game). By heavy loads, I am looking at 100 grs. FFG on up. October Country produces such a rifle with a rifled barrel (1 1/4 to 1 1/8 tapered octagon barrel at 36") and on their website describing their offering in .69 caliber further described a load of 225 grn. of FFG producing some rather impressive ballistics ( and I imagine recoil to match). Any one have any experience working up heavy smoothbore loads in .69 or 12 bore (.72)?

 

[Rat]

My Brown Bess shoots best/accurately with a .690" ball, and 150 grans of 1f, or fg, and a denim patch, or the same ball but "chewed" with a .023" patch. Hope that helps.

Those October Country English Sporting rifles are something else, aren't they? Wow.

 

[LIMPINGJ]

I have what October Country called a light sporting rifle, 20 ga or .62 cal. 200 grains is not uncomfortable to shoot.

 

[Pukka Bundook]

Westporter,

It may be good to look at straight tapered octagonal barrels as well. The heavier barrel raises the front sight a bit, making a high sight less of a requirement.
With octagonal, you could have a nice mid 19th C style 'rifle' made up, that would throw a decent charge of black.
With a 12 bore for example, smooth or rifled, charges would be around 5 1/2 drams, or 150 grains, as mentioned above.

 

[Rat]

Update...I found a slightly more accurate heavy load than the one above, same powder charge, But with a thinner patch, and a pure wax biscuit behind the ball.