Spiral-grooved or straight-grooved

[hawkeye1755]

I have just read in "The Hunters of Kentucky":
' Spiral-grooved barrels were the norm, but a few hunters commissioned rifles bored "straight-cut."
"Straight-rifles"offered versatility with a compromise:They were more accurate than smoothbores;they were almost accurate as spiral-grooved rifles but easier to load;and they handled roundball,shot,or buck-and ball loads.
When i read this, then i'm a little surprised that there are not more rifles with a "straight-cut".
Almost accurate as a spiral-grooved rifle and you can shot anything a hunter needed.
That's an advantage IMO.

Is there a barrel-marker today who makes "straight-cut" barrels? :hmm:
:hatsoff:

 

[Harddog]

I have just read in "The Hunters of Kentucky":
' Spiral-grooved barrels were the norm, but a few hunters commissioned rifles bored "straight-cut."
"Straight-rifles"offered versatility with a compromise:They were more accurate than smoothbores;they were almost accurate as spiral-grooved rifles but easier to load;and they handled roundball,shot,or buck-and ball loads.
When i read this, then i'm a little surprised that there are not more rifles with a "straight-cut".
Almost accurate as a spiral-grooved rifle and you can shot anything a hunter needed.
That's an advantage IMO.

Is there a barrel-marker today who makes "straight-cut" barrels? :hmm:
:hatsoff:

Undertaker,

Never heard of "The Hunters Of Kentucky". Who wrote it and what might be his credentials? Is the book a novel or a factual book about muzzleloading shooting?

"They were more accurate than smoothbores;they were almost accurate as spiral-grooved rifles but easier to load;and they handled roundball,shot,or buck-and ball loads."

If you take off the "They were more accurate than smoothbores" at the beginning of this quote the author has described the attributes of a smoothbore.

I think that you will find that the author is wrong when he says that a straight rifled bore will satisfactorily shoot shot loads. However, you can probably find someone to make you a straight rifled barrel and then when it doesn't perform as the author stated you can always send it off and have it bored out to a smoothbore.

Randy Hedden

 

[hawkeye1755]

The book:The Hunters of Kentucky
from Ted Franklin Belue.
Eight Interlude: The Kentucky Rifle.
He quote Mr.Henry Kauffman:The Pennslvania-Kentucky Rifle
De Witt Bailley:Rifle,Rifleman
Joe Kinding Jr:Thoughts on the Kentucky Rifle in its Golden Age
Robert Lageman and Albert Manucy:The Long Rifle
:hatsoff:

 

[Bountyhunter]

http://www.murraystate.edu/chfa/history/belue.htm
Bio on the author.[url] http://www.americansc.org[/url].uk/Reviews/Belue.htm
Book Review

I have not seen it on the shelf, but I will look closer for it.

 

[Stophel]

I have plans to build myself a straight-rifled gun. Haven't gotten around to finding somebody to make me the barrel yet, though.

Actually, those few I know of that do shoot straight rifled barrels report outstanding performance with shot (balls as well). In fact, straight rifling has been rediscovered by modern shotgunners, and you can buy new straight rifled barrels for your favorite pump or automatic shotgun. The straight rifling holds the shot cup/wad steady as it goes down the bore, providing for better patterns.

I have NO practical experience with straight rifled guns...yet.

 

[Bookie]

Undertaker, I cut one barrel with 4 straight grooves back in 1991. I found little difference with the barrel out to about 50 yards. After that, it seemed that the sprial twist barrels came into their own. A straight groove rifling bench is very easy and quick to build. I shoot mostly sprial grooved guns, but do harken to the old addage: "Beware of the man who shoots only one gun". If that one gun just happens to be a smooth bore, you'd probably have to be Billy Dixon or Matthew Quigley to get past him. :grin: Cheers, Bookie

 

[Mike Brooks]

Getz makes straight rifled barrels.
They shoot shot and ball well. I used to own a Durrs Egg fowler that was a 14 bore with straight groove rifling.

 

[Wehrmacht]

Give me a few weeks and I'll give you a range report on straight cut lands/furrows.

Just this past week-end at the CLA Show in Lexington I picked up my new piece made by David Dodds. It is straight cut, 60cal. Ray Rapine should be sending me a mould anytime now. I have cataract surgery scheduled at the Mayo Clinic in two days,so it'll be a little while before I get a chance to try it out :winking:.

If you have a copy of Neumann's "Battle Weapons of the American Revolution" this piece is shown on page 224. David made the barrel himself when he worked at Getz Barrel Co. I'm fully intending to declare war on the local hog population as soon as possible :grin:.

 

[Harddog]

The book:The Hunters of Kentucky
from Ted Franklin Belue.
Eight Interlude: The Kentucky Rifle.
He quote Mr.Henry Kauffman:The Pennslvania-Kentucky Rifle
De Witt Bailley:Rifle,Rifleman
Joe Kinding Jr:Thoughts on the Kentucky Rifle in its Golden Age
Robert Lageman and Albert Manucy:The Long Rifle
:hatsoff:

You mean they all made the same quote? I take it it is a modern novel then?

Randy Hedden

 

[Harddog]

Getz makes straight rifled barrels.
They shoot shot and ball well. I used to own a Durrs Egg fowler that was a 14 bore with straight groove rifling.

I have known two or three guys who had straight rifled guns and they didn't seem to have the same results that you did, but I will defer to you because you are a fowler shooter extrodinaire.

Your friend,

Randy Hedden

 

[hawkeye1755]

You mean they all made the same quote?

Yip!

 

[Mike Brooks]

Give me a few weeks and I'll give you a range report on straight cut lands/furrows.

OH NO!!!!! NOT LANDS AND FURROWS !!!!!You've been GUSLER-IZED!!!!!! :haha:

 

[Zonie]

Ya gotta love it!

I kinda wish they were still called lands and furrows. It is very descriptive.

zonie