smooth rifle??
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smooth rifle photos please,,,,,,,,,,
- Thread starter olskool
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Yup. Smooth Rifle.
That's what many call a longrifle which has an unrifled barrel.
Based on many examples of old original guns, there were guns made that look like a rifle in every way, including the shape of the stock, the sights, the butt plate, trigger guard and the patchbox, look exactly like a regular longrifle but, the barrels do not have rifling in them.
This is why people call them a "rifle" even though they don't have a rifled barrel.
Because of their shape and sights, they obviously weren't intended to be used as a fowler or shotgun for "on the wing shooting" and they usually have smaller, rifle sized bores so they do not seem to be something people would call a musket.
Some people think they started out with rifled barrels but the rifling wore out so they were re-bored but not re-rifled. Others, pointing out the fact that the bores seem to be the same size as the rifled guns think the original buyer didn't want to pay for the expense of having the bores rifled. Or, perhaps, the original owner planned on doing a lot of rabbit and squirrel hunting along with some non-flying bird hunting using shot instead of a ball.
If you visit the "Smoothbore" section of the forum you will see that a smooth bored gun can shoot a roundball with surprising accuracy out to and beyond 50 yards so for close up shooting, these smooth rifles can work very nicely.
and it will kill!!It does have a rear sight and I shoot it just like a rifle, so close. Have yet to hunt with shot as I use it for deer with prb. Not nearly as good looking as all the above but it works. Still may take him, "Ol' Loudmouf", for squirrel shooting one day. Mostly out of shot right now.
GANGGREEN
45 Cal.
Not to change the subject, but I wonder how many have fowlers of one sort or another and add a rear sight to them. I'm going to be building one soon and just feel a bit better about shooting roundball with a rear sight, like Hanshi's photo on this thread. I'll probably still use the 24 gauge for shot as well, hopefully shooting at grouse over my setter's points (note that I didn't claim that I'd be shooting grouse, just shooting at them).
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This is a 50 smoothie that I built for my son Will. He wanted something he could use for small game and deer.
Mike
Mike
hanshi
Cannon
Mike, that's one great looking gun and Will is looking as happy as a lark. You always impress!
That is a very nice rifle and the lock is on the correct side.
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Will is right handed but left eyed. Thanks for the nice comments.
Mike
Mike
I am left handed and right eyed but I didn't know it until my mid sixtys and never tried changing. Now that I have had my cataracts replaced and can see again maybe I'll try it.
Sam
Sam
a little neighbour boy is right handed left eyed and shoots left handed also, that is strange to me but hey whatever works,,,,,,,,
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My two sons drove me nuts for a while my oldest is left handed and right eyed!
hanshi
Cannon
Pretty!
I too am left eye dominint witch is great for my pistol shooting, but not possible with a long arm! so I use my poor eye. he is so blessed.
Not a great pic but this is mine. 62 caliber 46 inch barrel. This is becoming my favorite gun. Not sure who built it as I bought it used.
James little
32 Cal
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Just to add to the list of good reasons....
It seems logical that a lot of people could only afford ONE gun and just wanted the versatility of the smooth rifle. Being able to shoot ball, buckshot, buck & ball, and small game shot is as versatile as it gets in any weapon and in this respect, the smooth rifle is unmatched. Of course any smooth bore can do that, but the added rifle features make this a natural selection for anyone wanting a rear sight, cheek piece, and other desirable features a rifle has.
Kiblers offers a smoothy????
I'm pretty sure that he will build anything someone wants. As far as I know, they aren't offered in a kit form unless someone perhaps used the barrels he's using for the kits and had it bored out to smooth.
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