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Smoothbore accuracy

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Any comment on NW trade gun accuracy, the kind mountain men might have carried? I'm looking into obtaining a .58 caliber (24 gauge?) gun because I have a .58 caliber rifle too.
There have been a number of threads that deal with this subject. The very best, from rest, that I have read about is 4" at @ 100 yds for smoothbore. Most report @ 3-4" at 50 - 65 yds.
 
Here are some images of 25 yd. target shot with a patched RB from my 20 ga. Green River Forge NW trade gun replica:
 

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These are my best groups from my .62 smoothbore Fusil De Chasse. 70gr FFG, .600" ball, .018" patch made from old cotton shorts, lubed with Obenaufs Leather Preservative. I didn't do a lot of experimenting, got lucky and found this that worked pretty quick.

5 shots @ 50 yards. I shot another 2 sets of 5 shot groups, and they weren't mostly touching like these, but overall group size was the same.
IMG_20190204_175527.jpg
 
These are my best groups from my .62 smoothbore Fusil De Chasse. 70gr FFG, .600" ball, .018" patch made from old cotton shorts, lubed with Obenaufs Leather Preservative. I didn't do a lot of experimenting, got lucky and found this that worked pretty quick.

5 shots @ 50 yards. I shot another 2 sets of 5 shot groups, and they weren't mostly touching like these, but overall group size was the same.
View attachment 4183

I'm impressed!
 
I'm pretty impressed too! This group was the exception, the others weren't clustered as tight, but still fit within that box. I'm grateful I got lucky on finding a good load early on. Thanks to the info you guys posted here. I appreciate it.
 
Looks good. Have .600 ball mould on order. Hope it gets here in time for next shoot. Shipping estimated at 2-21days. TOTW.
 
Track usually ships quickly, if it’s in stock.

Good looking target ! I’ve got to get my smoothbore out a start working up a load for it with my new .648 Roundballs.

Here’s the smoothbore target I use for inspiration!

View attachment 4248

Yep!!! I would just hang that over my gun bench as inspiration too. In fact I may just print it off here for my own inspiration. That is seriously inspiring.
 
Smoothest lock and trigger on any gun I’ve ever handled.

I don’t recall all the details on the gun , I was so shocked at how smooth it functioned.
 
What's the difference between a musket and a shotgun?

Most shotguns are much shorter, and gauged accordingly.

Muskets share similar characteristics in gauge / caliber however are designed primarily as military weapons. The longer armed barrel with a constant tapper reducing to the muzzle to accept a bayonet.
 
It's probably more of what the gun was intended for, than anything else, that separates a shotgun, or more accurately, a fowler from a musket. "Shotgun" is a relatively modern term, I believe, which came after the use of smooth bore military arms. The main attribute that separated the fowlers from muskets, way back in the day, was a fowler had wood all the way to the muzzle, was intended for hunting and self defense, a musket, intended for military use, had some muzzle sticking out beyond the fore-stock so as to attach a bayonet. I guess you could also say that a "shotgun" was made to shoot....wait for it...shot, whereas a musket was made (or intended) to shoot a ball. Fowlers were intended to shoot both, but obviously, more intended to shoot...wait for it again...fowl. Ducks, geese, turkeys and grouse. And wabbits. Obviously, a musket can do the same, and just as well, but that's not the intent.

So my answer is.........intent!
 
I've also wondered the same thing.
I believe the old Brown Bess used a .57 caliber projectile. Correct if that's not right, What gauge would that be?
My Dad had one of the better Browning Shot guns for both Duck or pheasant hunting. All my childhood rifles were 22, Larger calibers were considered to be dangerous and were to be avoided.

Dutch

Most shotguns are much shorter, and gauged accordingly.

Muskets share similar characteristics in gauge / caliber however are designed primarily as military weapons. The longer armed barrel with a constant tapper reducing to the muzzle to accept a bayonet.
 
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