I have a question for the Smoothbore crowd

[uno676]

I just bought a smoothbore 28G and let me tell you it will take practice mine doesn't have the rear sight and I was happy to get my shoots on target at the end of the day lol.

 

[Rock Home Isle]

I love the 28 gauge…you lucky dawg.

 

[uno676]

I love the 28 gauge…you lucky dawg.

I bought it at the trade blanket in Fort Collins. It’s a Caywood also came with a .58 rifle barrel.

 

[Rock Home Isle]

I have not been to that gathering yet. I missed it this year…will be there next year.

 

[R Ellis]

I wanted a smoothbore so I send Bobby Hoyt a 54 cal barrel from a Cabelas rifle and had it made into a 58 cal smooth bore and it has the original fiber optic sights I like it a lot the only way it could be better is if it were a flintlock

 

[64Springer]

Hey Fellas. I used the search function for what it's for and found this thread. Good info.

Question: My antique 20ga measures .609 at the bore. When I drop a .600 cast ball down the bore it stops about 12 inches in. A light tap with the rod gets it all the way down. The chamber end is a bigger diameter than the muzzle end.

Should I at least open that tight spot up so a bare ball has no resistance? Hone it to .609 too? I'm seeing a tool called a Flex Hone online. 5/8th inch. 240 grit. Good? Bad?

As always. Thanks.

 

[victor#0]

I shoot a 62 smoothbore with a 42" barrel. When I started shooting it I loaded it like a rifle with powder, patch, and ball and the accuracy was so so at 50 yards. I decided to try and load it like I do for shot with powder, over powder card, pre lubed wad, .10 patch and .600 ball. Now I can put them in a 5" circle at 75 yards off the bench. You might have to experiment a little and you could also consider a rear sight too. I like having one gun I can hunt both big game and small game with, I used to have a 50 too but I got rid of it because I always grabbed the smoothbore.

 

[CapPopper]

Hey Fellas. I used the search function for what it's for and found this thread. Good info.

Question: My antique 20ga measures .609 at the bore. When I drop a .600 cast ball down the bore it stops about 12 inches in. A light tap with the rod gets it all the way down. The chamber end is a bigger diameter than the muzzle end.

Should I at least open that tight spot up so a bare ball has no resistance? Hone it to .609 too? I'm seeing a tool called a Flex Hone online. 5/8th inch. 240 grit. Good? Bad?

As always. Thanks.

Have to shoot it. If it shoots good I wouldn't mess with it at all. Also that sounds awfully coarse to take a couple thousandths out of a Slightly tight spot.

 

[OldSmoky1967]

Hey Fellas. I used the search function for what it's for and found this thread. Good info.

Question: My antique 20ga measures .609 at the bore. When I drop a .600 cast ball down the bore it stops about 12 inches in. A light tap with the rod gets it all the way down. The chamber end is a bigger diameter than the muzzle end.

Should I at least open that tight spot up so a bare ball has no resistance? Hone it to .609 too? I'm seeing a tool called a Flex Hone online. 5/8th inch. 240 grit. Good? Bad?

As always. Thanks.

I may be wrong, but since it is a 20 gauge - I think it was designed for shot and that is the way they made it to control the pattern at around 40 yards.

 

[Grenadier1758]

Is there an under barrel lug at the tight spot? Sometimes, when the lug is soldered on at too high heat, the barrel gets a little out of round because of the thin barrel at that location. Generally, not a problem as there is still 12 inches of barrel to bring the shot column back to circular.

 

[Brokennock]

Is there an under barrel lug at the tight spot? Sometimes, when the lug is soldered on at too high heat, the barrel gets a little out of round because of the thin barrel at that location. Generally, not a problem as there is still 12 inches of barrel to bring the shot column back to circular.

Or worse, did someone try to dovetail a lug in place.
I have a TVM smoothrifle that they tried to dovetail a front sight in place at the muzzle of an octagon to round barrel. Even though the barrel wall os a little thicker than most of us might want for a smoothbore, it deformed the inside creating a tight spot. They replaced the barrel.

 

[64Springer]

Is there an under barrel lug at the tight spot? Sometimes, when the lug is soldered on at too high heat, the barrel gets a little out of round because of the thin barrel at that location. Generally, not a problem as there is still 12 inches of barrel to bring the shot column back to circular.

This is why you, Sir, are a god and why us mere mortals bow at your feet.

There is a soldered tenon 10-7/8" from the bore. The 12 inches was an eyeball measurement.

I never would have put two and two together.

Thank you.

 

[64Springer]

Or worse, did someone try to dovetail a lug in place.
I have a TVM smoothrifle that they tried to dovetail a front sight in place at the muzzle of an octagon to round barrel. Even though the barrel wall os a little thicker than most of us might want for a smoothbore, it deformed the inside creating a tight spot. They replaced the barrel.

There are very old remnants of just that. But closer to the muzzle end. A very shallow dovetail where the wall is maybe .100 thick.

If that old barrel hadn't rung like a bell when I thumped her, I never would have gone down this road.

It was an amazing feeling yesterday when I heard that 200 year old barrel sound off again.

 

[bud in pa]

Hey Fellas. I used the search function for what it's for and found this thread. Good info.

Question: My antique 20ga measures .609 at the bore. When I drop a .600 cast ball down the bore it stops about 12 inches in. A light tap with the rod gets it all the way down.

Years ago I read about using a wheel cylinder hone to put a jug choke in a barrel. I required an inside caliper from Brownell's . I would imagine that you could find finer grade stones to replace the 240 grit that it come with. I dont know if the calipers would be long enough for what you want to do.

 

[Brokennock]

There are very old remnants of just that. But closer to the muzzle end. A very shallow dovetail where the wall is maybe .100 thick.

If that old barrel hadn't rung like a bell when I thumped her, I never would have gone down this road.

It was an amazing feeling yesterday when I heard that 200 year old barrel sound off again.

A shallow dovetail in the octagon section shouldn't be an issue.

How does it shoot? If it shoots okay, maybe don't worry about it.
Unless,,,,
Does it seem like cleaning jags and such might get hung up?
If you load with a flaired tip rod, or one with a brass tulip style end or a jag,,, is there a risk of this hanging up in the tight spot?

Of none of the above issues exist. I wouldn't worry too much about it.
Get some .595 balls and .010 patching, and/or some thin cards and felt wads, some lube, and start playing with load combinations.
My 20 gauges measure a bit over .610 and the other .615 and both shoot .595 balls pretty well. They shoot .610 balls with wads better, but .595 and a patch will work, so that size ball should slip past your constriction and shoot fine.

 

[donk56]

Every one seems to forget the Thompson 56 cal smoothbore. Back in the day Massachusetts was smooth only BP hunting season. A lot of those were used successfully.

 

[Ballshooter]

My .58 cal smoothbore Colonial shoots okay this is 85 grains of 2 1/2 F my homemade black brew. .008 muslin patch and .562 RB @ 45 yards. I have no problem hitting a 8x8 steel gong at 65 yards. I just really started load development but it is shooting way better that I expected!

 

[Rob M.]

You will get a lot of opinions on this topic. My recommendation is a. 62/20ga Northwest Trade gun or an English fowler.

I have a trade gun that was built for me years ago by Jackie Brown. It's, hands down, my favorite gun. I chose to go with a 36in barrel, Queen Anne lock and iron furniture. It has killed everything from chipmunks to Whitetail. I have tried military muskers but I find them too heavy and difficult to shoot well.

The trade gun is also a simpler gun so it might be less expensive.

With round ball the key is load development and consistency. There are several different ways to load a ball in a smoothy. Range time is definitely required to find the right load. This is a subject for a whole nuther thread.

Constantly locating your face on the stock is the other factor. Since there is no rear sight cheek weld becomes extra important. If you do it all right then 50 yard deer should not be a problem.

There are a number of guys making smoothbores. One l like is Sitting Fox.
https://www.sittingfoxmuzzleloaders.com/
If you are handy you can save money by buying a kit or a unfinished "in the white" gun.

Good luck on your adventure
IronHand

Well said .....

 

[Rob M.]

Just my two cents . Trade gun , 20 ga. You can kill anything on the continent , I'd want back up for a grizzly ! LOL ! Balanced perfectly if built right and light , 6 pds or less depending on barrel length , and fast ignition , fast as a caplock. More than adequate for kills at 50 + yards and with a rear sight 80-100 yrds. You certainly want to shoot groups at extended ranges to confirm accuracy though . each barrel is different ....

Hey everyone, as of late I have been looking to buy my first muzzleloader. I wanted it to be a flintlock rifle but I am having trouble finding one. At the same time I want a fowler for Turkey and other bird/small game. So i figured hell why not go with a smoothbore and cover all my bases. My question is, how "accurate" can a smoothbore be when hunting Deer. I know without rifling you wont be 100% on the money but how far can you stretch a smoothbore. I was talking to some fellas in Chestertown who are American reenactors for the War of 1812 and say they've taken their Springfield 1795 Muskets to the range and can strike a target every shot at no more than 50 yards at most with the standard cartridge load. Is this because it is a Military arm and not one for taking game ? Or is it due to the military load ? Ive seen a lot of posts on here about smoothbore hunting and a lot against it citing rifles as a more obvious choice. Does anyone have a smoothbore they reccomend and what size bore and load ? I've been watching videos all damn week of people hunting with smoothbores and they either do a whole lot of missing or a whole lot of nothing and they blame the smoothbore in these videos. I kind of want one gun for everything as my budget is now very tight sadly (maybe about $1,200 for a nice flintlock at most). I would kind of like to get a nice smoothbore and get it right the first time. Like I said if anyone has some decent ideas or reccomendations for style of gun, barrel length and bore size it would be greatly appreciated. Sorry for the very long post.

 

[Rob M.]

Just my two cents . Trade gun , 20 ga. You can kill anything on the continent , I'd want back up for a grizzly ! LOL ! Balanced perfectly if built right and light , 6 pds or less depending on barrel length , and fast ignition , fast as a caplock

Hey everyone, as of late I have been looking to buy my first muzzleloader. I wanted it to be a flintlock rifle but I am having trouble finding one. At the same time I want a fowler for Turkey and other bird/small game. So i figured hell why not go with a smoothbore and cover all my bases. My question is, how "accurate" can a smoothbore be when hunting Deer. I know without rifling you wont be 100% on the money but how far can you stretch a smoothbore. I was talking to some fellas in Chestertown who are American reenactors for the War of 1812 and say they've taken their Springfield 1795 Muskets to the range and can strike a target every shot at no more than 50 yards at most with the standard cartridge load. Is this because it is a Military arm and not one for taking game ? Or is it due to the military load ? Ive seen a lot of posts on here about smoothbore hunting and a lot against it citing rifles as a more obvious choice. Does anyone have a smoothbore they reccomend and what size bore and load ? I've been watching videos all damn week of people hunting with smoothbores and they either do a whole lot of missing or a whole lot of nothing and they blame the smoothbore in these videos. I kind of want one gun for everything as my budget is now very tight sadly (maybe about $1,200 for a nice flintlock at most). I would kind of like to get a nice smoothbore and get it right the first time. Like I said if anyone has some decent ideas or reccomendations for style of gun, barrel length and bore size it would be greatly appreciated. Sorry for the very long post.