Smoothbore shoot rules

[Runner]

This question is motivated by another discussion elsewhere. At your gatherings and shoots, what rules do you use in the smoothbore class. Here all I have ever seen is flintlock only and no rear sight allowed. Do you allow caplock smoothbores or smoothbores with rear sights in your smoothbore class? Often in discussions the difference between one area of the country and others can be confusing.

 

[Zonie]

I'm not sure what other areas or clubs do but I do know what WE do.

In the Forums Postal Shooting matches, there are no rules concerning Flintlock vs Caplock or sights vs no sights or smoothbore vs rifle.
The competition is just shooting holes in the target with whatever you want to use (providing it is not an In-Line and it is shooting patched round balls.)

When one thinks about it, this is as it should be.
There are many original smoothbore "long guns" which are of small caliber and have sights.
Some say they were once rifled and the rifleing wore out so they were rebored without rifleing but others say they were never rifled in the first place and were used to shoot a patched round ball just like a rifle.

 

[Runner]

Nice info Zonie. I fail to see where it has anything to do with what the rules of the smoothbore class are at shoots and gatherings across the country tho. Like I said, around here they are flintlock and no rear sight. Most matches have both roundball and shot targets. Anyway, thanks for the response.

 

[Deadeye]

About the only rule at the places I shoot are "no rear sights" and RB only, flint or percussion is OK.

 

[donk]

At High Plains Regional this year I believe we will have separate shoots for "Trade Gun" and "Smooth bore". The Trade gun match will be for traditional Trade Guns only. This means only flint lock with no rear sight. Smooth bore is for all other muzzle loading smooth bore guns including percusion shot guns and guns with rear sights. No Inlines Allowed!!!

 

[Runner]

First I had heard of having two different categories, but it makes sense if you have enough shooters. If nothing else, it is another event to shoot in!

 

many originals had some types of rear sight either banded , permanently fixed or made as part of the breech area .
trade gun shoots normally say flint and no rear sight . smoothbore can be cap of flint and some even allow rear sights unless specified and then will allow folks to simple tape of the rear sight

most all the shoots i have attended through the years allow smooth bore and trade gun to mix , welcoming each other as long as with the trade gun shoo the smooth bore has no rear sight and is a flint lock

 

[scott fellows]

most of what i have ran into is like the others said, trade gun match and smoothbore match. thats how it is in michigan and in wisconsin as far as i know.
pieman

 

[Runner]

Here is would seem that what you guys are calling trade gun rules is what is used for all smoothbore matches. Captchee and I started this discussion elsewhere and I figured to find out just how different things are outside this area. I will also have to fire off some more questions at the next shoot to see if any of the local shoots splits it into two classes like has been described. I have never seen anyone announce two classes in the results, so I assume they are only running the one.