Virginia smooth rifle

[tenngun]

Very good observation on eyesight.
I have been saying the same thing for years.
A smooth rifle had a lot going for it in the old days.
Another point to consider is a smoothbore does not require patching material.
There is no reason to believe rifle shooters had access to the variety of patching material that we do now.
What would they do if the bullet diameter out of their only bullet mold and bore dimension required cotton or linen patch material of .010” to .020” and the only cotton material to be found for 50 or 100 miles in any direction was .025” to .035” ?

They seem to have been picky about patching. Audobon records Boone as buying the best Irish 200 thread count Irish linen

 

[Dutch7]

I built a .54 smooth rifle several years ago in a Dickert style - it is versatile and accurate and with older eyes -
easy to sight.
From what I have read smooth rifles were common, we have all just used modern thinking in this hobby and have kept the “Longrifle” lore alive to the point it is hard to think of these guns as ever being smoothies.
To the OP - they were common and mentioned early in America, just purchase or make one and then use it.

 

[RiverRat]

My smooth rifle

 

[Clark Badgett]

They seem to have been picky about patching. Audobon records Boone as buying the best Irish 200 thread count Irish linen

Daniel Boone was a bit more affluent than most.

 

[Y2GREY]

Here’s a shot of my “iron mount” smooth rifle. .62 44 inch octagonal to round barrel.

 

[smoothshooter]

Daniel Boone was a bit more affluent than most.

And when Audubon met him he lived near several settlements and trading posts and would have had a much better and varied selection of fabrics available to choose from compared to Boone’s earlier years of living in the wilderness.

 

[smoothshooter]

thinking of purchasing a Virginia smooth rifle. I’m wondering about the historical context of these guns. By that I mean what era were they used? Mid 18th century, late 18th century, or early 19th century. Any info or help is greatly appreciated.

I like to think that if I had been around in Boone’s time and place and could afford and get whatever I wanted, it would have been an early Lancaster styled smooth rifle in .50 to .54 caliber.
Just like the custom .54 caliber one I have been shooting for 24 years.
Shoots good out to 75+ yards with or without patching.
Love it! Very practical in several ways.

 

[tenngun]

And when Audubon met him he lived near several settlements and trading posts and would have had a much better and varied selection of fabrics available to choose from compared to Boone’s earlier years of living in the wilderness.

From as far as our knowledge of his adventures when ever he went beyond the pale he was in a prepared group
A square yard has 1200 square inches. I doubt Boone went through that much at 2x2 that’s a shot a day for a year

 

[Brokennock]

The term "smoothrifle" shows up in ads pre 1800.
And there are examples, for smooth rifles, from the mid 1700s.
If they were just worn rifles bored smooth there wouldn't be reference to them in ads.
The bigger question is to define, "what is/was, a Virginia rifle."

 

[smoothshooter]

From as far as our knowledge of his adventures when ever he went beyond the pale he was in a prepared group
A square yard has 1200 square inches. I doubt Boone went through that much at 2x2 that’s a shot a day for a year

Early on, he only travelled with one or two other people; and a couple of times he was all on his own for months at a time.
Once be was gone so long that his wife finally concluded that he was dead and not coming back, and months later gave birth to a girl child fathered by Boone’s brother.

 

[tenngun]

Early on, he only travelled with one or two other people; and a couple of times he was all on his own for months at a time.
Once be was gone so long that his wife finally concluded that he was dead and not coming back, and months later gave birth to a girl child fathered by Boone’s brother.

I don’t recall a time when he went very far alone or in company of two. But not to argue that how much space does even two yards take up on a pack horse?