Minimum Caliber

[user 922]

I had the opportunity to handle and measure an original "rifle" in a museum today. It had a very slender 44" octagon to round barrel (approx. .900 @ breech and .72 @ muzzle). The bore measured approx. .50 cal. I could not detect any rifling. There were front and rear sights.

I would like to build a gun based on that "prototype". Do you think .50 is too small to be effective with shot. I guess it's kinda like a .410.

 

[charcloth]

BucksCo,

My father in law built a nifty little smoothbore .410 based on an origional. The barrel is actually an origional "league" of which he bought several. It is a dandy to shoot. I have taken turkey and pheasant with it and it does a fair number on the clays. I like watching my father in law back up the big bore guys. I shoot a .28 ga.

Charcloth

 

[robinghewitt]

I have a 40 bore flint shotgun .488", unusual because shotguns rarely go below 24 gauge .579"

There was a lot of speculating about whether it was a ladies or a boys gun being so tiny overall until Mick Lund said it as a collectors gun for a gentleman student of taxidermy. A collector had to carry a lot of kit so it had to be lightweight and he didn't want to overly damage the pelt/plumage.

I shot it into a muddy river in Arkansas once to see the pattern and it was very tight, so careful aiming may be required :thumbsup:

 

Two of my buddies shoot .50 smoothbores ('smoothrifles'). they are reasonably accurate at 50 yds with a ball. they are somewhat like the modern .410 with shot and that has to be taken into account when hunting--perfectly Ok for squirrel or rabbit, probably too small for the tougher birds like turkey or ducks. If you got REAL CLOSE and head shot them, maybe, but on the wing I'd rather have a 12 gauge.

 

[akapennypincher]

28 Gauge, aka .54 Caliber is a great way to go...

 

[user 922]

Good info guys. thanks!

 

[pathfinderifh]

I wouldn't hesitate to build a gun around that size barrel as long as its a smoothbore. A .410 is approxamatly a 70 gauge[70 balls to the pound] and a .50 is about a 38 gauge[38 balls to the pound]. A lot of the originals were reamed to a smoothbore for a variaty of resons, cheaper than re-rifling,better for shot on small game,possably a cheaper option when the gun was being built. Point is many originals are smooth.

Pathfinder

 

[wwfeatherston]

The .410 ammo I buy is Fiocchi and is labeled 36 gauge.

Nothing underpowered about it, if you remember your effective range is now 20-25 yards.

The .410 is seriously underrated- it's a great close-county gun, where a hit from a 12 gauge will tear the target to pieces!.

 

The .410 ammo I buy is Fiocchi and is labeled 36 gauge.

Nothing underpowered about it, if you remember your effective range is now 20-25 yards.

The .410 is seriously underrated- it's a great close-county gun, where a hit from a 12 gauge will tear the target to pieces!.

In the hands of a good wingshot the .410 works Ok--my father-in-law used a .410 double to hunt pheasants (because of a WWII wound he couldn't handle the 12 gauge), but he was a good shot and kept his shots close. I've seen .410 shooters cleanly harvest doves that flew in close. It works great on squirrels. I keep a .410 for pest control on my rural acreage loaded with either #6 or a slug for larger varmints. I have been impressed with its ability. BUT, for an all-around gun I'd pick a 12 gauge.