Smooth bore accuracy question

[Mike M.]

In MLAIC competition, a good smoothbore flint pistol is expected to shoot about a 2 to 2.5 inch group at 25 meters. A competitive rifled pistol will halve that.

 

[M. De Land]

No competitive shooters I have ever seen or heard of will shoot a smooth bore pistol in a rifled pistol match. Some of these guys shoot clean at 25 yards fairly often and in the 90s at fifty regularly. They can take advantage of the increase in accuracy provided by ball spin. Mike D.

 

[zimmerstutzen]

MLAIC competition would hardly permit a 32 cal smooth bore pistol with a single set trigger.

Yes most competitive shooters will seek absolutely every advantage possible. Even is it amounts to a mm smaller group over 50 shots. How many competitive shooters have ever tried to build a smooth bore for competition. Venture a guess of none?

We have smooth bore long gun shooters around here that can beat rifle shooters offhand at 50 yd paper. There is no reason why a smoothbore pistol built up with the same care as a rifled pistol, and a load developed with the same care, could not give a rifled target pistol a run for the money at 25 yards.