Smoothbore Matches

[Johnny Too-Tall]

I know some of ya could care less about competitive shooting but it's one of my things I love. The smoothbore matches have pretty much become non-existent at events I attend. There used to be a separate class for it altogether. Now, it's you compete against rifles which is fine to I suppose but you're handicapping yourself some. My hope is with the Kibler kit and them starting to ship out the kits now it creates a spark and the events come back. Not just the trap portion but the woods walk too. Heck, I'd love to see all the events grow and come back to what they were when I was a young lad 40 years ago.

 

[DillyJamba]

Gemmer in Missouri shoots smoothbore matches , funny you mention it I order a Fowler with intentions to join the small group that still does.

If there’s a need maybe ask the organization you shoot with to start a match that runs concurrent or after the rifled matches.

 

[Kansas Kid]

If you are in a club sponsor one yourself. Our club will have four this year. Sometimes a woods walk and sometimes not. Next weekend will be a novelty shoot put on by me.

 

[RiverRat]

My club in NE PA tried to have a smoothbore match and sadly there was no interest in it. I feel that smoothbores were the common man’s guns and your 18th century persona would be more believable with one.

 

[Grenadier1758]

As @DillyJamba says, we shoot a smoothbore match. Not many participate, but it is fun and a good excuse to use our smooth bored guns on a regular basis. We also have smooth bore shooting as part of a rendezvous match we recently started. The club match is for any smooth bored gun, no rear sight. Yes, we are well aware that there were many historically used smooth bored guns with rear sights. John Gemmer's shotguns were generally double barreled and no rear sight.

At the April Trade Faire at Fort de Chartres, there are two events for smooth bored shooters. One is an "X" shoot at a board at some distance, about 30 to 40 yards, and the other is closest to the hidden X at a painted target. At the Fort de Chartres November Winter Encampment, the Woods Walk can be shot with rifles or with smoothbores. No apparent disadvantage there if shooting a smooth bored gun against the rifle shooters.

 

[Mossback]

Here at my uncle's range in Penrose CO, Cactus Flats, there is a group of ol' timers that shoot smooth bore skeet but I don't know if they have any local competitions. I have heard that one of them is a multi year national champion so he probably travels a lot.

https://cactusflats.weebly.com/index.html

 

[Powderfirst]

What do the typical smoothbore competitions consist of? Targets? Yardages? I know it can be tailored any way you want but what are some that you have seen?

 

[Johnny Too-Tall]

Most smoothbore woods walks i've shot in targets are from 10-50 yards. round ball only. Some are mixed where u shot round ball (at steel targets)and shot (usually at clay pigeons). Others is simple paper targets usually large ones on a static range from 10-50 yards. Nothing has ever been over 50 yards.

 

[Mossback]

What do the typical smoothbore competitions consist of? Targets? Yardages? I know it can be tailored any way you want but what are some that you have seen?

Skeet.