Fowler or Smooth Rifle

[Pee Wee]

I am finding out there is a lot to learn about smoothbores. I was reading somewhere that fowler barrels were thinner than rifle barrels and etc. I want a .62 Cal smoothbore but don't know now if it should be a fowler or smooth rifle. I would like front and rear sights but the sights can be on either rifle or fowler. I am looking at a 13" length of pull with no more than 2 1/2" drop. Would like a very good figured cheery stock. I want to be able to shoot ball, shoot, and buck and ball. Must be flint. I do like long barrels. What would your recommendation be with what little I have given? Fowler or Rifle.

 

[nchawkeye]

Smooth rifles were typically for a patched ball, go with a fowler if you want to shoot shot..

 

[Splitear]

You're not joking, I'm getting a crash course, and it seems like I find another rabbit hole daily:

Smoothbore
Shotgun
Smooth Rifle
Shotgun with Straight Rifling

Who would have thought that centuries of history would leave a feller with so much information to process

 

[Grenadier1758]

A smooth rifle would often be of smaller caliber so the octagon barrel would be lighter for ease of handling. Since @Pee Wee wants a 62 caliber bore, I think an octagon to round barrel in a fowling gun architecture would be a great choice. Nothing wrong with a simple rear sight.

 

[The Crisco Kid]

Pee Wee,

Today I ordered the parts for a 58 cal smooth rifle from Pecatonica. The fellow there was very helpful since what I want doesn't come in a kit form. It's another one of my inspirations and he helped me get what I think I want. They have a lot of parts and I recommend giving them a call and ordering a catalog. Flipping through a real paper catalog will help you out a lot. This is assuming you're going to build it yourself.

 

[Brokennock]

Smooth rifles were typically for a patched ball, go with a fowler if you want to shoot shot..

Not really

 

[Brokennock]

I am finding out there is a lot to learn about smoothbores. I was reading somewhere that fowler barrels were thinner than rifle barrels and etc. I want a .62 Cal smoothbore but don't know now if it should be a fowler or smooth rifle. I would like front and rear sights but the sights can be on either rifle or fowler. I am looking at a 13" length of pull with no more than 2 1/2" drop. Would like a very good figured cheery stock. I want to be able to shoot ball, shoot, and buck and ball. Must be flint. I do like long barrels. What would your recommendation be with what little I have given? Fowler or Rifle.

This will depend more on the type of shooting you want to do and how you hunt. A smoothrifle will generally be heavier than a fowling piece or trade gun, so if weight is a concern it might not be the best bet. Also, don't forget that the Type-G, or Carolina Gun, trade gun is a good compromise, it has front and rear sights and is more like a fowler or trade gun than a smoothrifle.

Roundball can be shot from either (unless you buy a fowling piece with a constriction choked barrel) so I will leave that aside.

If your needs for shooting shot are more stationary type targets than flying, such as turkeys and squirrels, or stationary rabbits, a smoothrifle will be just the ticket.
As soon as you bring wingshooting into the mix things can start to change. Gun fit becomes more important and gun weight and balance a bigger factor.

I have both. I have shot stationary game with both. I have shot pheasants on the wing with both. I was able to ignore the read sight on the smoothrifle when wing shooting, but it was slower into action and a bit more cumbersome to wingshoot with than my Fusil des Chase. I have put a rear sight on my Fusil des Chase and positioned it so it is even easier to ignore when the need arises. Although it is not a true fowling piece it is closer than my Early Virginia smoothrifle. It is lighter and faster handling. It does have more recoil with heavy roundball or turkey loads, but not horrible.
The smoothrifle might have an edge in shooting tighter roundball groups over the FdC, but not significantly.

Examine your needs and goals and work from there.

 

[Bushfire]

Brockennock has covered it better than I could.

 

[Rob M.]

Smooth bore trade gun , a Carolina Gun / Type G . 42" barrel and it weighs 5 1/2 pds.

 

[Brokennock]

Smooth bore trade gun , a Carolina Gun / Type G . 42" barrel and it weighs 5 1/2 pds.

Very nice. I really do think one of these with the correct rear sight, in the correct position, is the best compromise between smoothrifle and fowling piece.


Someday.......

 

[Rob M.]

They are great guns . Fun as all get out and fill the pot ! Squirrel , turkey , rabbit or deer !

Very nice. I really do think one of these with the correct rear sight, in the correct position, is the best compromise between smoothrifle and fowling piece.


Someday.......

 

[rich pierce]

Your barrel is going to determine the weight of your gun. Many barrel makers use one external profile for their octagon to round barrels, so the 20 gauge is the heaviest, then 16 gauge is lighter. What some call a fowler barrel is best suited for a buck and ball gun. The barrel is everything. If building from scratch you can make a smooth rifle style and a fowler style weigh close to the same and mount and point the same if both use the same barrel and drop. If you want a light gun around 7 pounds you must make sure the barrel is under 4 pounds. And if you want a 6 pound gun you must get a very light barrel indeed. 3 pounds or less.

Depending on what a supplier of a kit or parts set can give is limiting in many cases. Ask them the real weight (weigh the darn gun). Not some off the cuff hopeful estimate.