New to me smooth rifle!

[bluemule66]

I found a very nice find a a gun show this weekend. The show was over 200 miles from home, but I found out the rifle lived less than 20 miles from my farm. The man who used to own it would have had it back in the late 1800s and early 1900s. His son sold it years ago to a man who is now 86 years old. It is a .49 cal smooth bore. It has some light pitting in the first 6-8 inches but good after that. I think Britsmoothy could fall in love with it. I plan to replace the nipple and give it a try this spring. It was a good weekend.

 

[The Crisco Kid]

That is a very interesting gun. From my limited knowledge it has some interesting features combined like the back action lock with a drum and nipple, the smooth bore, and the hooked trigger guard. It supports the idea that builders in the old days took what parts they had and built a gun or rifle that suited them or a customer. Good find!

 

[dave61965]

Good looking gun, I love a small caliber smooth bore, excellent find.

 

[Gtrubicon]

man, that is nice! I don’t think I could wait very long till I had a go with that one. Congrat!

 

[Smokey Plainsman]

If deer made hunting rifles, would they have inlays of humans?

Sorry, I’ve had some whiskey tonight!

 

[Britsmoothy]

That could tell some stories!

Excellent choice sir.
Bet it shoots a ball wonderfully.

 

[Bigpete]

I found a very nice find a a gun show this weekend. The show was over 200 miles from home, but I found out the rifle lived less than 20 miles from my farm. The man who used to own it would have had it back in the late 1800s and early 1900s. His son sold it years ago to a man who is now 86 years old. It is a .49 cal smooth bore. It has some light pitting in the first 6-8 inches but good after that. I think Britsmoothy could fall in love with it. I plan to replace the nipple and give it a try this spring. It was a good weekend.

Bugger Britsmoothy, I've fallen in love with it !

 

[jimhallam]

Bugger Britsmoothy, I've fallen in love with it !

SORRY! Can't resist this!!!
"Bugger!!!!" with the exclamation marks means real annoyance.
In the UK "Bugger Britsmoothy" could be read as an instruction to take an action which Britsmoothy would not enjoy.

On a more serious note, how can a smoothbore be classed as a "rifle" ?

 

[bluemule66]

Well it sure ain't built like a fowler. Sights and butt plate like this are not found on your typical shotgun.

 

[cynthialee]

A smooth rifle is a gun built like a rifle instead of a fowler or shotgun, with front and rear sights.

They are used as a universal hunting gun, good for both shot and roundball. Today we hunt turkey....load it with shot. Next day we hunt deer....load it with a ball.

 

[bluemule66]

If it shoots as good as my TC Renegade .56 smooth rifle I will be plum tickled!

 

[bluemule66]

a little more info on the rifle. the barrel is 32in with a hook breech. the sights AND wedge are in raised dove tails. Breech end of barrel is 1.02 across the flats, and the muzzle is .81. The lock has no half cock. I haven't taken it off to look at it yet...
Ram rod is a replacement, but I can handle that.

 

[hanshi]

Excellent acquisition! It's a very nice gun and I like it.

 

[Bigpete]

SORRY! Can't resist this!!!
"Bugger!!!!" with the exclamation marks means real annoyance.
In the UK "Bugger Britsmoothy" could be read as an instruction to take an action which Britsmoothy would not enjoy.

On a more serious note, how can a smoothbore be classed as a "rifle" ?

How do you know he wouldn't ?

 

[The Crisco Kid]

If deer made hunting rifles, would they have inlays of humans?

Sorry, I’ve had some whiskey tonight!

Who knows, but they might look like this:

 

[jimhallam]

How do you know he wouldn't ?

If he lived in the USA he would probably (?) not be a Democrat -- and CERTAINLY not live in CA ;-)

 

[Brokennock]

A smooth rifle is a gun built like a rifle instead of a fowler or shotgun, with front and rear sights.

They are used as a universal hunting gun, good for both shot and roundball. Today we hunt turkey....load it with shot. Next day we hunt deer....load it with a ball.

Thank you for fielding that one.

Maybe the forum needs a "glossary of terms," at the top?
One that is placed there as an image so it doesn't need to be opened,,, it's just there.

 

[Brokennock]

I found a very nice find a a gun show this weekend. The show was over 200 miles from home, but I found out the rifle lived less than 20 miles from my farm. The man who used to own it would have had it back in the late 1800s and early 1900s. His son sold it years ago to a man who is now 86 years old. It is a .49 cal smooth bore. It has some light pitting in the first 6-8 inches but good after that. I think Britsmoothy could fall in love with it. I plan to replace the nipple and give it a try this spring. It was a good weekend.

Great find!
Now, depending on your state's game regulations, anything that dwells in field or forest and is made of meat, is now fair game. Deer, turkey, squirrel, and bunny, had best be aware.

 

[Grenadier1758]

Only the turkey may have a reprieve if the Game Laws in your hunting ranges require a minimum of 20 gauge for turkey hunting.

 

[bluemule66]

No problem there. 10ga and smaller. Used my 56 smoothie last spring. For big game it’s 45 and bigger.