Smoothbore Disapointment.

[Halftail]

Many of you might remmeber that I had bought a Smoothbore a few weeks ago.When I bought it the guy I bought it from said I could "Test Drive" it so to speak.I shot it 7 times the first night it took 10 days for the swelling and bruising to go away after that little outing.Does that sound like fun?No,I think not.I tried "Looking out over the barrell and pointing the thing but I soon figured that was no good.So here I sit....Smoothboreless and I was exited too! I'll have to do more research into stock shape and LOP before i jump into the smoothbore world again.

 

[Dane]

halftail,

What gauge and load were you using. Most smoothies kick rather mildly with "normal" loads.

 

[roundball]

Many of you might remmeber that I had bought a Smoothbore a few weeks ago.When I bought it the guy I bought it from said I could "Test Drive" it so to speak.I shot it 7 times the first night it took 10 days for the swelling and bruising to go away after that little outing.Does that sound like fun?No,I think not.I tried "Looking out over the barrell and pointing the thing but I soon figured that was no good.So here I sit....Smoothboreless and I was exited too! I'll have to do more research into stock shape and LOP before i jump into the smoothbore world again.

I know you're disappointed...any chance you already have a TC Hawken (or Renegade) that you could get a GM drop-in smoothbore barrel for?

They are what they are, but they do provide a quick, simple, low cost entry into the world of shooting smoothbores...totally pleased with mine.

 

[Halftail]

Dane,
It was a 62 cal. and I was shoot 60 grains of 2f.I think it wasen't the charge.I'm a pretty solid 200lb's so recoil shy I aint.The shape of the stock made me smush my face down hard on the top of the stock thus driving things into my cheeck bone every shot.The trigger length of pull was just over 13 inches and I'm a rather long armed individual.Lesson learned I guess.

 

[tg]

Sorry to hear the Fusil style did not work for you some seem to love it others hate it,A NW gun or English fowler may be a better fit.

 

[Halftail]

Many of you might remmeber that I had bought a Smoothbore a few weeks ago.When I bought it the guy I bought it from said I could "Test Drive" it so to speak.I shot it 7 times the first night it took 10 days for the swelling and bruising to go away after that little outing.Does that sound like fun?No,I think not.I tried "Looking out over the barrell and pointing the thing but I soon figured that was no good.So here I sit....Smoothboreless and I was exited too! I'll have to do more research into stock shape and LOP before i jump into the smoothbore world again.

I know you're disappointed...any chance you already have a TC Hawken (or Renegade) that you could get a GM drop-in smoothbore barrel for?

They are what they are, but they do provide a quick, simple, low cost entry into the world of shooting smoothbores...totally pleased with mine.

Dissapointed I am and so was the seller.We have been aquaintances for quite some time and I figured out I shouldn't have been dealing with a friend any deals involving money.
Back to your suggestion,I have a Rennegade that I Installed a longer 54 cal. barrell on once and that smacked me too.So I sold it.The Barrell that Is.The Rennegade is a percussion anyhow and I think a poor design for a longer barrell to fit me.Not sure what I'll be getting but it will probably be of a Traditional style,something that would have been found in the New England states not sure of what Time period yet though.I'd be open for any suggestions though.
Thanks for the reply.

 

[Halftail]

Sorry to hear the Fusil style did not work for you some seem to love it others hate it,A NW gun or English fowler may be a better fit.

Yup,
I was a bit dissapointed and really liked that particular gun but I think it was stock shape and length that done me in.I was looking at a "Jackie Brown" smoothbore that a friend had this weekend,it had a cheek piece on the rear stock and it was "Right there" whenever I shouldered it.62 CAL...Nice gun too.Anyone got any input on these guns?

 

[rabjr]

Sorry to hear Halftail, that gun looked like a beauty too. This same thing was my biggest concern when I had mine built. I really got lucky on mine as Roy is pretty much the same build as me and I told him to build the gun to fit him perfectly. The end result was a perfect fit for me and no smacking the cheek. With a butt stock pretty much the same as the one you had.

 

[Grizzled Roberts]

The only smoothbores that ever bothered me was the Northwest trade gun and the Charleyville Musket. I could drive tacks with my NW gun but after a 20 round trail walk my face looked like I had gone 13 rounds with Joe Fraiser! I liked the French Tollue fine as the stock was away from my head. Now I am back to the big bore military muskets that whomp on both ends.
What style of gun is you bucking bronk?
As you are shooting a 20 gague you might want to back off the powder some until you find a comfort zone. I have shot 60 @ 65 grains in my 60. cal smoothbores. Don't give up the boat regroup and start again!

 

[tg]

" a "Jackie Brown" smoothbore that a friend had this weekend,it had a cheek piece on the rear stock and it was "Right there" whenever I shouldered it.62 CAL...Nice gun too.Anyone got any input on these guns? '

I had a .54 JB smoothbore, this style comes to the shoulder/eye better than any other I have held, in the past this builder has had some problems filling orders but if you can find a good one or get him to get you one in a reasonable time it would probably be a good bet.

 

[MercerLake]

I have recently completed building a .62/20 bore "American Fowler" from parts supplied by "The GunWorks". I could not be happier with mine. I shoot both Prb and shot with 70grs of FFg and recoil is not a problem. Stock fit has everything to do with felt recoil, if you are getting smacked in the cheek that's no fun.I lowered the front of the comb of the pre-carved stock as I was building it to make sure that my cheek would not get hit. The stock dimensions should be such that when shouldering the gun with your eyes closed, then opening your eyes the front bead should just appear above the tang. A large wide butt (on the gun)will reduce the recoil thrust, but the stock should just slide to the rear past your cheekbone.
If you have another shotgun that doesn't smack you measure the LOP, drop at heel, then shop for stocks with those numbers in mind. Don't give up! :v

 

[shootemup]

I was looking at a "Jackie Brown" smoothbore that a friend had this weekend...Anyone got any input on these guns?

Nice gun if you can ever get one built. I have heard that Jackie doesn't really enjoy building guns anymore, which could explain my experience with him. Not that he did me wrong or anything, he just never got around to building my gun. Sent me the parts so I could build it myself...

The Carolina Smoothbore (if that's what you're talking about) uses the same stock as the TVM Virginia rifle according to Toni Avance. They even come from the same place (Jack Garner). Therefore, you could get the same gun from TVM...

Now, please don't misunderstand me, folks. I'm not knocking Jackie, believe he's as nice a guy as you'll ever meet and a very capable gun builder. I sure do like those Carolina Smoothbores.

Spot

 

[paulvallandigham]

What is the drop at comb and at heel? And what was the pitch on the gun? Its sounds like the drop at comb is not enough for you since you say you had to press your face hard into the comb, so that in recoil it bruised your cheekbone, NO? If you have a wide face, you may also benefit from having some cast off or cast on, if you are left handed, done to the stock.

If you have a barrel chest, then you probably need more down pitch( mine is 4 inches on a 30 inch barrel, and I am 6'1" and 280 lbs. ) My stock is 13 3/4 " LOP, with a 4 inch Drop at heel. I don't have any cast on, although we considered it. My gunmaker thought with the extra Drop that I would be able to center my eye down the barrel without the cast on. ( I am LHed).

Get someone who knows something about stock fitting to measure you, and then send your measurements to someone to do a new stock for that gun. It would be a shame to not shoot it, when all you need is a stock that fits you. Remember, that without a rear sight, your eye becomes the rear sight on a smoothbore, and it has to marry to the stock in the same place each time for you to get any kind of consistent pattern with shot, or tight group shooting PRB.

 

[redneck]

i have been shooting smoothbores for 12 years. i ahve had 28,20 and current 28 ga. i have shot heavy loads in them as i hunt hogs. the only one i regret having built was a 10 ga. 75 cal mount. rifle. wiyh a load of 100gr 2f and round ball my shoulder was non functional. all other guns gave no problems

 

[TANSTAAFL]

Bummer on that session.

Were you shooting from a bench? If so, was the rest low and were you leaning down and into the recoil?

Just MO, but too many times I see people shooting from a bench rest, they do as above, and absorb the full recoil from the discharge.

If so, raise gun rest up where you are more erect so the body can move with the recoil and act more as a shock absorber, rather than the gun being a battering ram against a fixed object. (your body)


Every normal man must be tempted at times to spit upon his hands, hoist the black flag, and begin slitting throats.
H.L. Mencken

 

[akapennypincher]

I'll have to do more research into stock shape and LOP before i jump into the smoothbore world again.

Stock Shape does good or bad thing for absorbing RECOIL... I take a Wde butted stock eveyday over one of them skinny Sexy Tennessee butts with a Thin Half moon shaped Buut Plate everyday to save my shoulder... :blah: :blah: :blah: :blah:

 

[ffffg]

I didnt wade thru all the posts, but ill answer this any way. sorry if its a repeat. What usally causes this is one of two things.. One, not holding the gun against the shoulder, but i dont think this is it from reading your post and looking at the photo at the side. The other is the stock comb slanting DOWN in relation to the barrel angle.. As the gun moves back it slams into the face.. If you shot it more you would have probably found that to shoot at point of impact your face would have to be well above the stock..., in that case, if when your holding the gun with a normal holding pressure the gun should not come near the face.. I would have to look at it to see.. Vary rarely do you ever sight down the barrel with they eye level to the back of the barrel to be on at impact.. To do this (becouse bullets simply drop) the barrel would have to be bent up.. which could be the case.. I guess another scenario could be that the pitch of the butt plate angle could be such that the toe is shorter to the trigger than the top of the butt causing the gun to jump up at the combe upon fireing. So several things could be wrong, weird stock maybe but it could very well be opperator error.. But im not there so i cant see what is going on.. As you move forward, buy and sell different guns, gain experience, you will eventually get one that is phenominal, that is, for you and what you need.. Sometimes they didnt suit the former owner at all.. dave

 

[kayja]

Many of you might remmeber that I had bought a Smoothbore a few weeks ago.When I bought it the guy I bought it from said I could "Test Drive" it so to speak.I shot it 7 times the first night it took 10 days for the swelling and bruising to go away after that little outing.Does that sound like fun?No,I think not.I tried "Looking out over the barrell and pointing the thing but I soon figured that was no good.So here I sit....Smoothboreless and I was exited too! I'll have to do more research into stock shape and LOP before i jump into the smoothbore world again.


something is really wrong with the way you're holding the gun or with the loads in it. you should be able to pound out 25 shots and not even know you've shot..try 90 grs powder, your problem sound like the gun was loaded like a 3 inch magnum and about an inch from your shoulder when the trigger was pulled

 

[mazo kid]

Any of you guys remember Curly Gostomski? He was the original owner of North Star Gun Co from Dayton, Ohio. Anyway, he was a man of small stature and his personal Trade Gun, the one he used for hunting, etc., had the comb hollowed out a LOT so he wouldn't get his cheek battered while shooting. Seemed to work for him. Emery

 

[rich pierce]

Sounds like you do not have enough drop and the stock is too short.