What GAUGE Smoothebore would you CHOOSE.

[Mike Brooks]

Well, you didn't say it had to be economical to shoot as well. :haha:

 

[Deadeye]

Definately a .62/20.

 

[Toomuch_36]

What GAUGE Smoothebore would you CHOOSE if you could only have One Smoothebore. .28/.54 Caliber, or 20/.62 Caliber.

WHY :thumbsup:

This is personal preference only (as it must be), but I prefer an 18 bore/67cal.

Toomuch
..........
Shoot Flint

 

[Toomuch_36]

16ga/.66 cal

16/.66 ??
The 16 bores I have encountered will shoot a .678 patched ball, or a .690 bare ball quite nicely.
My own 18 bore/.67cal. will handle a .648 patched ball, or a .662 bare ball with near one hole consistancy from the bench at 50yd.

Toomuch
...........
Shoot Flint

 

[Mike Brooks]

My 18 bore measures .640

 

[Rebel]

Isn't a 16 ga .66 cal. and a 14 ga .69 cal?

 

[whitetaildg]

I want to buy a smoothbore like 12 gage that will smoke turkeys and group a round ball at 50 yards!

Any help is well appreciated!!

 

[whitetaildg]

I think a 12 gage is .69 caliber

 

[Rebel]

A .12 ga is either .72 or .73 cal.

 

[whitetaildg]

Thanks Rebel, I'll check on that! Got any suggestions on guns to do the job?

 

[Rebel]

Are you looking for a single shot or a double barrel? Caplock or flinter? If it doesn't matter, and you want it want it for big, and maybe dangerous game, i would go with a good double barrel .12 ga. Mine will shoot 4 shot groups(2 from each barrel) of just over 1" at 25 yds. Haven't been able to try it out at longer ranges yet. That is with 100 grs of Pyrodex RS, an over powder wad and fiber cushion wad glued together before lubing, and then ticking patched .690 rd balls.

 

[musketman]

Isn't a 16 ga .66 cal. and a 14 ga .69 cal?

Bore (gauge)____Caliber

1______________1.669
2______________1.325
3______________1.157
4______________1.052
5______________.955
6______________.919
7______________.873
8______________.835
9______________.803
10_____________.775
11_____________.751
12_____________.729
13_____________.710
14_____________.693
15_____________.677
16_____________.662
17_____________.649
18_____________.637
19_____________.629
20_____________.615
21_____________.605
22_____________.596
23_____________.587
24_____________.579
25_____________.571
26_____________.563
27_____________.556
28_____________.550
29_____________.543
30_____________.537
31_____________.531
32_____________.526
33_____________.520
34_____________.515
35_____________.510
36_____________.506
37_____________.501
38_____________.497
39_____________.492
40_____________.488
41_____________.484
42_____________.480
43_____________.476
44_____________.473
45_____________.469
46_____________.466
47_____________.463
48_____________.459
49_____________.456
50_____________.453
51_____________.450
52_____________.447
53_____________.444
54_____________.442
55_____________.439
56_____________.436
57_____________.434
58_____________.431
59_____________.429
60_____________.426
61_____________.424
62_____________.422
63_____________.419
64_____________.417
65_____________.415
66_____________.413
67_____________.411
68_____________.409
69_____________.407
70_____________.405
71_____________.403
72_____________.401
73_____________.399
74_____________.398
75_____________.396
76_____________.394
77_____________.392
78_____________.391
79_____________.389
80_____________.387
81_____________.386
82_____________.384
83_____________.383
84_____________.381
85_____________.379
86_____________.378
87_____________.377
88_____________.375
89_____________.374
90_____________.372
91_____________.371
92_____________.370
93_____________.368
94_____________.367
95_____________.366
96_____________.364
97_____________.363
98_____________.362
99_____________.361
100____________.360
101____________.358
102____________.357
103____________.356
104____________.355
105____________.354
106____________.353
107____________.352
108____________.350
109____________.349
110____________.348
111____________.347
112____________.346
113____________.345
114____________.344
115____________.343
116____________.342
117____________.341
118____________.340
119____________.339
120____________.338
121____________.337
122____________.3365
123____________.336
124____________.335
125____________.334
126____________.333
127____________.332
128____________.331
129____________.330
130____________.3295
131____________.329
132____________.328
133____________.327
134____________.3265
135____________.326
136____________.325
137____________.324
138____________.323
139____________.322
140____________.3215
141____________.321
142____________.320
143____________.319
144____________.3185
145____________.318
146____________.317
147____________.316
148____________.3155
149____________.315
150____________.314

This information was obtained from Martin Pegler's
book "Powder and Ball Small Arms".

 

[whitetaildg]

Thanks Rebel, I am looking to get a caplock smoothbore in a standard caliber to shoot round balls and big enough to dust them thar Tom Turkeys. Around 12-16 gauge and something that will group a patched standard sized ball at 50 yards!

 

[whitetaildg]

Thanks Musketman for the caliber-gauge table, no more guessing! Anythoughts on a smoothbore??

 

[whitetaildg]

Musketman & Rebel, I only want a single barrel and a caliber that I can readily buy round balls and patches for . Thanks

 

[Rebel]

If you don't care about it being PC you could get a T/C New Englander. Then you could also pick up a .50 or .54 or both, rifle barrel for it. They come up on auctions quite a bit. I think there are a couple now on auction arms and E-bay.

 

[musketman]

Musketman & Rebel, I only want a single barrel and a caliber that I can readily buy round balls and patches for . Thanks

I would say that would be the .62 caliber (20 guage) or the .75 caliber (~12 guage)...

Even the .58 caliber smoothbore would be easy to get roundballs for...

 

[whitetaildg]

Thanks Rebel, I'll check into it, I just think 58 caliber might be a little small for them thar TOMS!

 

[whitetaildg]

Thanks Musketman, I think I am leaning toward the 75 caliber, are patches and balls and wads,cards,etc. readily available??

 

[Rebel]

The New Englander shotgun barrel is .12 ga. That should work fine for Toms. And you can shoot .690 rd balls out of it to. Then buy the extra rifle barrel or barrels later if you want.