smoothbore caliber and barrel length

[tat]

I am in the middle of building a ML rifle and everytime I get on this smoothbore page it makes me want to build a smoothbore for my next project.

I am interested in the the small caliber smoothbores. On the home page under pictures someone mentions a .25 but it does not say if it is a smoothbore or rifle.What is the smallest caliber smoothbore out there?

I have searched smoothbore barrel length and not located if short or long is better for accuracy.

Thanks

 

[Wes/Tex]

Have heard of .45 smoothbores, think Track has or had one on their site. Haven't seen guns-to-build advertised with bores under 28-bore which is a .54 smoothbore. May be others out there but haven't seen any guns or kits advertised. Sorry.

 

[musketman]

On the home page under pictures someone mentions a .25 but it does not say if it is a smoothbore or rifle.

That is a rifle that Blahman is making for member Olie...

 

[CoyoteJoe]

Looking over books on Ky. rifles I see quite a few smoothbores in the .40-.50 caliber range but most are .50 or larger. I wouldn't expect bores smaller than .40 would throw enough shot to be worthwile and even 3/4 oz. in a .40 makes a pretty long shot column which leads to pellet deformation. That's why a modern .410 can't pattern like a 20 or 28 gage.
Over & under type guns often have one barrel smooth and one rifled of the same caliber, most commonly they are in the .40-.45 range but that may be to keep the OD of the barrels slim and weight of the gun within reason. :grin:

 

[Mike Brooks]

In my experience the longer the barrel the better it shoots, both RB groups and shot patterns.