Most Popular Smoothbores?

[redwing]

The "River Bottom" guns had heaver barrels than the upland fowlers. The uplanders were not as likely to encouter the mean critters as a hunter in the thick bottom country. The barrels could handle more powder and lead.

 

[Joel/Calgary]

WOW! that is a nice gun! Have you tried PRB out of it? Is it choked at all or is it cylinder bore? Who makes a double barreled flinter?

I've heard that there are a few who make doubles, but I cannot recall names at the moment. The maker of mine retired before I got it at least third hand.

It's cylinder bored. I've only done a little work with ball because it shoots a bit wall-eyed - not enough to be a serious issue with shot but problematic with ball. Every so often, I file the muzzles a bit more to work on regulation if I'm going to be doing some range work, but mostly I just shoot it (with shot), so there's still much work with muzzles, possibly wadding, and lower charges to try to bring it in. At the present and with 2-3/4dr of FFg, the right barrel shoots to the right edge of the bead and the left is a good bead's width to the left of centre.

Regards,
Joel

 

[tg]

Is "River Bottom Gun' a period term or a modern one and if period did they always load them heavy in case of big "critters" or did they pull the load and reload heavy while running in circles around the closest tree?

The parts set that I made my FDC from had three barrel options in the same profile .58/.62 and .66 I opyed for the .58 so unknowingly I guess I made a River Bottom Fusil de Chase for the TVLLE Armoury circa 1730ish, it is a good thing as I often hunt on River bottom lands at times, but have yet to find any critters of a disposition or size that a moderate load in a .58 (70gr 3F .562/.550 ball with thumbstarted patch or wadding of tow or wasp nest or shotgun OP/OS cards) has failed to stop, so far only a few angry Squirrels, Opossums, Masked Bandits and one mid sized Nutria, but it is good to know that I am prepared for the worst should it befall me.

 

[oneeye]

. . . have yet to find any critters of a disposition or size that a moderate load in a .58 (70gr 3F .562/.550 ball with thumbstarted patch or wadding of tow or wasp nest or shotgun OP/OS cards) has failed to stop, so far only a few angry Squirrels, Opossums, Masked Bandits and one mid sized Nutria, but it is good to know that I am prepared for the worst should it befall me.

Gotta watch out for those "angry" tree rats! Their attack charges can be hard to stop.
Dan

 

[Macon Due]

I hear ya tg just teasing ya.
Macon

 

[redwing]

tg, I don't know the time line on the term except that it was an old Southern term for such firearms. It is said that they could load for hogs bears or ducks. :grin: