Thoughts on short barrel smoothbore

[tenngun]

My thought on short barrel smoothbores is they just don't look right. I think they start looking right when fitted with a 46" barrel & the longer the better.

I don’t have a gun right now over 42 but yes I agree. In 2013 I built Tracks NWG, with a 36 , it shot great, it looked good, and I was never happy with it, and I think the short barrel the cause.

 

[TreeMan]

My thought on short barrel smoothbores is they just don't look right. I think they start looking right when fitted with a 46" barrel & the longer the better.

Well I have a Bess and a Pedersoli trade gun. I got this gun cheap and getting the barrel done is fairly cheap. It’ll be ugly, looking nothing like a Fowler. It’s just a way to get my son in law a cheap shotgun. I’ve already got him to catch the blackpowder fever by giving him a percussion Great Plains. This little ugly shotgun won’t look impressive but he will love it when he takes his first squirrel.

 

[Dave Orchard]

My short "canoe gun" is a bit awkward to load standing up.
I "poacher-stocked" it (see old illustrations or book THE PACKINGHAM GUN COLLECTION) to correct it being butt-heavy.
I use 3 fg in the short 24 ga./.58 barrel.
Coned the muzzle for easier loading with patched ball and added a low open rear sight.
Gun is as accurate as I can hold to 30 or 35 yds., reasonably accurate to 75 yds.
I load 1/2 to 7/8 oz of shot.
In small ga guns you don't have the pellet count to load the #5 shot I prefer so I load #6 shot or #7.
Short barrel seems to do better with 3f than 2 f, and I can prime with it.

one modification that I REALLY like is the steel loading rod I made from aircraft tubing. (Lighter than solid steel)
Soldered a jag head on one end and threaded the other for worm, breech scraper, etc.
Browned it.
(I can broil meat on it or blow thru it to help a weak start to a fire.)

I prefer circle Fly wads since there is less fire danger than paper wadding.

Most versatile gun I have owned (Am mid-70s..Been shooting ML off & on since age 14.)

Davo

 

[Dave Orchard]

I use 3 fg in my short 24 ga. (burns more completely & fouls less.)

Usual load for RB or shot is 60 gr..
I use the same measure for powder & shot and "cheat" it for a bit more volume of shot than powder.

Short guns are FINE, as long as they are not butt heavy which makes for a "whippy" barrel that doesn't hold well for RB and doesn't track well on sustainted lead with shot.

"Square loads" refers to shot column being same height as bore dia. & wadding being at least bore dia. height as well, if I recall what I read long ago.
I try to stick to not over 3/4 oz in 24 ga. for that reason.

If you use over-shot cards, nick the edges or drop them on the carpet & pick them up by stabbing them with an awl or ice-pick so they don't seal so well as to "piston" wad and rod back up off the shot charge ;-)

Davo

 

[rodwha]

My short "canoe gun" is a bit awkward to load standing up.
I "poacher-stocked" it (see old illustrations or book THE PACKINGHAM GUN COLLECTION) to correct it being butt-heavy.
I use 3 fg in the short 24 ga./.58 barrel.
Coned the muzzle for easier loading with patched ball and added a low open rear sight.
Gun is as accurate as I can hold to 30 or 35 yds., reasonably accurate to 75 yds.
I load 1/2 to 7/8 oz of shot.
In small ga guns you don't have the pellet count to load the #5 shot I prefer so I load #6 shot or #7.
Short barrel seems to do better with 3f than 2 f, and I can prime with it.

one modification that I REALLY like is the steel loading rod I made from aircraft tubing. (Lighter than solid steel)
Soldered a jag head on one end and threaded the other for worm, breech scraper, etc.
Browned it.
(I can broil meat on it or blow thru it to help a weak start to a fire.)

I prefer circle Fly wads since there is less fire danger than paper wadding.

Most versatile gun I have owned (Am mid-70s..Been shooting ML off & on since age 14.)

Davo

Interesting. I figured one would likely not only need to move up to 3F but probably also need to up the size of the shot 1 to make up for the velocity loss of the short, assuming by short we’re talking pistol barrel length like the Pedersoli Howdah and Baker’s Cavalry shotgun and others roughly a foot or so, less than maybe 16”.

 

[rodwha]

"Square loads" refers to shot column being same height as bore dia. & wadding being at least bore dia. height as well, if I recall what I read long ago.
I try to stick to not over 3/4 oz in 24 ga. for that reason.
Davo

There are several people here on this forum whom I’ve chatted with as I’m wanting a smoothbore for my 15/16” stock that I was hoping to be able to take turkey to at least 25 yds. I figured I’d certainly need a screw-in choke. These guys have shown that they’re using the British military (square load?) charges for 20 ga in a 28 ga and without the need for a choke. Figured I’d just add a choke if it didn’t perform well enough to bring home a turkey 99% of the time to 25 yds at least.

 

[Dale Allen Raby]

I have a modified T/C New Englander/Grey Hawk (Frankenstein gun made from three other guns) with a 12 gauge 12" barrel, no choke, no bead. Patterns reasonably well with a half ounce of shot and a 30 grain charge of 3f. I more often shoot it with buckshot, ball & buck and a patched round ball.

It's a close-range weapon, and while I would expect it to perform reasonably well on upland game like ruffed grouse, woodcock and maybe rabbits, I'm not quite certain it would be legal for those purposes, so it mostly slays empty milk cartons and such around the house... though I have used it on pests like starlings and such.

Ball & buck loads are interesting, but in my experience, not especially useful. You'd be better off using either a PRB or just a straight buckshot load with 9 - 12 pellets.

I made it as a sort of proof of concept gun for a character in my books. While it worked well enough for the imaginary bookverse, where my genetically engineered protagonist can reload very quickly, I think something like a Baker shotgun in 20 gauge would be more versatile in the real world just because it can shoot twice without reloading. Real-world humans don't have the advantages of genetic engineering.

 

[Pete453]

This started life as a renegade barrel, 26 inch 20ga, and it shoots as well as I let it. Have fun with your project, it's a great size for a hunting gun

 

[barracudadave67]

I have been thinking of my next build from a Pedersoli kit. Was thinking of another Trade Musket kit in 20gage/.62cal, and shorten the BBL to 26 1/2 inches from 36. Would be a cool, lightweight woods gun.
What say ye,??.

Dave

 

[BillinOregon]

I like a 60-inch barrel on a fowler, and have a step stool to load ...
kidding!

 

[rusticbob]

My thought on short barrel smoothbores is they just don't look right. I think they start looking right when fitted with a 46" barrel & the longer the better.

Look right! Wow, that’s a new one, I was more concerned how my guns shoot!

 

[Rob M.]

The Shorty's sure are fun and handy , esp. for deer and bunny's , and great in the brush ....just gotta remember they are very limited with their range in shot loads . Some times you can really make the Shorty's for a lot less money . 35-40 for a barrel , 150-200 for a lock , make all the other parts .... Inexpensive game getters !

 

[user 53846]

My 24", 12 gauge smoothbore. Works well in thick cover, and from horse back.

 

[bud in pa]

I like my 36 inch barrel on my smoothie. At my age and physical condition I have to consider the weight and balance.

 

[Rob M.]

.58 / 24 ga. 26" barrel ...

 

[nkbj]

I like a 60-inch barrel on a fowler, and have a step stool to load ...
kidding!

Isn't that what tree stands are for?

 

[Smokey Plainsman]

I’ve often imagined one of those 4 bore bunderblusses would make a wicked close range stopper charged with a handfull of buckshot.

 

[Sun City]

When I shoot ducks I use a Rem 870!

 

[Pete453]

I have been thinking of my next build from a Pedersoli kit. Was thinking of another Trade Musket kit in 20gage/.62cal, and shorten the BBL to 26 1/2 inches from 36. Would be a cool, lightweight woods gun.
What say ye,??.

Dave

Yes.

 

[Rob M.]

Yes.

My short N.W. guns , 26" .58/24 ga. barrels go for $1400 ...