Short barrelled smooth bores

[KHickam]

I am curious to get feedback on short barreled smoothbores - how well they handle, how accurate they are - and what are the advantages and disadvantages of them in your opinion.

The second part of the question is - I currently have a 62 cal fowler and I have thought of having the barrel and stock cut back about 8 inches to around 36" and having sights installed to make this fowler a sighted round ball gun. Mostly because I will be doing more horse back stuff than I have in the past?

Opinions appreciated.

 

[rabjr]

I have the Colerain 32" .12ga barrel on this smoothie. Took me a few range sessions to find the right combo but I finally did and it is quite accurate at 50 yards with ball. I do have a rear sight on this gun. :thumbsup:

 

[Rifleman1776]

It comes down to what you want.
I have a fowler being built right now with a 36" barrel. I wanted shorter because of shoulder problems. I can no longer hold a heavy long gun so am just trying to save weight. I'll let everyone know later how it works out.

 

[rich pierce]

I have an original 20 ga double in percussion, 32" barrels, very handy. Of course they made doubles with shorter barrels to save weight.

 

[wattlebuster]

I have a Caywood 12 ga english game gun with 30 inch barrel an am very happy with it. Handles very well in turkey woods. I have not shot much roundball in it yet but will in the next couple of weekends an will post how it does :thumbsup:

 

[Grizzled Roberts]

I had a Curley north west gun many moons ago that had a 36 in barrel, it shot well.

 

[hounddog]

Fellas, I currently dont own any thing that short in single bbl guns ( 3 doubles at 28 and 30 inches). When you think on it a modern shotgun reciver is at minimum 5 to 6 inches long and then you have the bbl. Any fowler is like double bbls in that the bbl is at least 5 to 6 inches futher back. In my opnion a fowler with a 36 inch bbl would handle like a 30 inch modern gun. Thats not long is a good smooth handling gun a 39 inch bbl fowler would compare to a 24 slug bbl in modern guns. very quick and moble. My self I prefer the longer bbl guns, but would think a 36 bbl fowler just right, the 30 inch bbl well you have a riot gun muzzleloader for close in shooting. If that is what a person wants to do I see now problem with it other than period correctness. And depending upon the intended use of the gun, would not be a factor anyway, Just my thoughts on the matter yours hounddog

 

[pkarr]

I've got a Caywood NW gun with a 36" barrel and rear sight,28 guage.I've only had it a couple of months, I bought it to hunt mostly big game and a grouse thrown in from time to time. It shoots really good with round ball, I'm not the best shot but I've got total confidents in this gun out to around 65 yards.

 

[Congress Own Regiment]

would it not be best to sell the long fowler to someone how is looking for just that a longer then today's market musket?
Then order or make one to suit your new interest and style.
:idunno: just a thought i know it is not easy to get a long barreled fowler unless you are willing to wait a long time on a list for a special order custom made

 

[Stumpkiller]

I have a 28" barreled New Englander 12 bore cap gun that is a delight for bunnies. Not a good representation of anything; perhaps an 1850 English Sporter (wishfull thinking) but it is handy and effective. I had CoyoteJoe put a Skeet#2 jug choke on her and that was a great improvement over the cylinder bore she came with (one of the early kit ones from T/C).

I haven't played much with round balls, but here is a sample on the backside of a piece of cereal box cardboard (9" x 12" +/-). Three shots; two at 40 yards and the last at 50. Showing I know when to quit! This is post-jug choke just to see if it still threw balls - did not seem to effect that at all. (Note the pattern on the cardboard was #5 shot also at 40 yards and is good at that distance)

I'm not likely to split edge-on playing cards, but it would whomp a whitetail in 40 yard distances common hereabouts.

 

[BrownBear]

I have several short barreled smoothies, none true fowlers. I'm seriously contemplating a fowler, but for use more as a shotgun than RB chucker.

With me it's mostly a question of mount and balance for launching shot at fast moving small game, whether ptarmigan or snowshoe hare. If the balance is good for that, barrel length doesn't matter. But mostly you have to go shorter to get the center of gravity back between your hands rather than out toward the muzzle, the ideal for shooting RB.

 

[Supercracker]

I have a 28" barreled New Englander 12 bore cap gun that is a delight for bunnies. Not a good representation of anything; perhaps an 1850 English Sporter (wishfull thinking)

No, I think it may be representative of just that. I have a copy of "English Sporting Guns and Rifles" and in his discussion of the patent breech he also mentions how the new breech caused a shortening of fowling barrels down into the 30" range because builders thought they needed less barrel to burn the powder. Regardless of whether or not that's the reasoning behind it, he does reference short barreled smoothbore weapons, so they certainly existed.

In my mind a short, cheap smooth bore flinter would be just what a landowner might supply to his resident gamekeeper to get small game for the table, kill predators and deal with poachers.

I have several short barreled smoothies, none true fowlers. I'm seriously contemplating a fowler, but for use more as a shotgun than RB chucker.

With me it's mostly a question of mount and balance for launching shot at fast moving small game, whether ptarmigan or snowshoe hare.

That's what I was thinking too. But I'm picturing quail and jump shooting ducks. I accidentally just came into 2 30" 14ga barrels that are gonna get used just for that.

 

[Stumpkiller]

I'm on a waiting list for a "real" fowler. 16 bore, 42" barrel flinter that will come in under 7 pounds. For years I lugged a Bess; having the wish for a multi-purpose muzzleloader. The Bess was good with a round ball out to 60 yards and threw effective patterns . . . but on moving upland game I was hopeless with it. I never did hit a grouse for hours and hours of trying over 15 seasons.

The little N.Englander at least has connected with the occasional grouse. Still not on the level of my Ithaca/SKS 20 ga SxS, but good enough for who it's for. Anything with a hammer is going to be handicapped for our local skittery grouse in thickets. Great on cottontails, that have one less dimension to jink in and fewer trees to put between you. I also had the advantage of building that NE from a kit, so I got the stock to fit me and it comes up on target.

Truth is, if I was deer hunting with punkin' balls and starving I'd take that NE over my prior Bess. Not because of ignition type or barrel length but because it is a better hunting tool. It is light and fits me well. I'm hoping my new fowler will be the same. I also have a 27" .50 cal. rifle barrel for it and I prefer it over my 12 ga (centerfire) slug gun for deer.

 

[BrownBear]

You have me thinking. I have a New Englander 54 cal sitting in the corner doing nothing. Picked it up as boot in a trade a couple of years ago, and I've never even fired it. I know the 12 gauge barrels are scarce as hens teeth, but it's starting to sound like a perfect match. I'd probably treat it as a "kit" and modify the stock to suit myself.

I agree on the Bess. I have one with a shorter barrel and have done fine with it on hares, but would never think of lugging it up a mountain for ptarmigan.

Keep us posted on that fowler kit. I talked to a gun builder about the balance question and he strongly recommended shaping the butt last so you start out with "extra" wood back there, then slowly remove it to adjust balance the way you want. Makes sense to me, because I'd rather do that than hack a barrel.

 

[Capt. Jas.]

http://www.claysmithguns.com/Short-fowler.htm

 

[paulvallandigham]

About Balance: I once had the privilege of examining an Original English DBL 12 Gauge shotgun, made by the Tower Armory in London, dated 1776. It had Brown Bess sized Flintlocks, of course, and there was a drilled hole in the front of the trigger guard for a military style sling swivel. The gun had 36" barrels, and balanced perfectly on the forehand. LOP was ONLY 12.5 inches, but the Drop was more than I had on any gun I owned. I didn't write down what the Drop at Comb, and Drop at heel, nor did I record the pitch measurements( DARN!) So, I can't give you those numbers.

BUT, I can tell you that the Brass Butt Plate on this shotgun was thick, and almost 3" wide at its widest part. Altho I did not DARE try to remove the butt plate from the gun, I am sure that it was cast, nor forged, and I suspected that there may have been additional weight in front of the plate to help achieve that balance with those two barrels. I stand a little over 6' Tall- closer to 6'1", and that gun came up to my shoulder and eye like it had been made for me- not someone over 235 years ago.

You won't want a shotgun with a "too-long" LOP- as it will catch on your armpit as you mount the gun, and the gun will be stretched out even further from you so that balance will be of no use to you. IMHO, I would recommend staying with your normal LOP, and adjusting both DROP, and pitch, to make it fit you. Don't forget Cast-off, as that always helps a shotgun point targets faster. Then, if you have need of more weight, cut a hole in the stock under the butt plate, and add lead shot, or weld a chunk of brass to the inside of the butt plate, to give you the needed weight.

Because you live on, and hunt Kodiak Island,(Alaska) where large bears are always a concern, I think you know exactly what caliber a barrel should be for your kind of hunting. :thumbsup: :thumbsup: