Smoothbores and Smoothrifles

Claude said:

Leatherbelly said:

Why are smoothrifles glommed-in with single sighted smoothguns on this forum.

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Because neither have rifling.

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I agree with this logic :thumbsup:

Sorry Iam a little slow :idunno: What is the diffrance between the two one has a rear site the other no?
Have Fun
Phil

The smoothrifle, as used by most here, at least to my understanding, is a gun built as if it was a rifle, often to include double triggers, curved buttplates (depending on design school), etc, etc, and also has both front and rear sights like a rifle does. The main, and if I understand correctly, the only difference, is the lack of rifling in the "smooth rifle" as opposed to it being present in a true rifle. My personal is a Lyman GPR FL with a smooth bore .54 GM barrel mounted.

Stumpy,LOLOL! I can only imagine how tough it would be to swing a full octagonal barrel on the skeet or trap range.Ok for ground sluicing tho! :grin:

[quote\]Single sighted fowlers and Tradeguns are a breed of there own.Just wondering... [/quote]
I get lazy and call them fowlers. Fowling pieces is more correct.
I've shot 20bore for over 20years and now as I age, I'm finding the 20 is too punishing. Sooo, my bud is building me a 28ga with a 14 and 1/2" pull,Chambers English lock,50"O/R Getz barrel(.540)Maple stock.Should be finished mid June. Anticipation factor running wild! Just need to add a good shotgun(SXS) and a forty cal to my meager arsenal and I'll be a happier camper.
The smoothgun will be a woodswalk piece predominately. Barrel is a tad long for skeet but have a Fusil in 28 with a 41 inch pipe that I'm considering for a shotgun.(it's still a parts set that needs assembly). We'll see. Off to physio. Later! :v

Leatherbelly, Your going to post pictures of that new 28ga, Right? :thumbsup:
Robby

A smooth rifle will shoot better than a smoothbore as it has a rear sight. The rear sight on a smoothbore is a sight picture you have in your mind. A physical sight is much more efficient than an imaginary one. This is why there are two classes in the NMLRA. I have both and I am glad there is a class for both.

I think Taylor will most likely post it when complete.( on the "Other" forum.)lol
I'll post some here also.
Been shooting a God forbid rifle for the last two years. I find them boring! Get tired of hitting everything I point it at! :rotf: No turning back when you start shooting a smoothie! Ooops, preaching to the choir again!

Hey,just thought :youcrazy: of something.(yikes)Why not let the "smoothrifles" shoot with the tradeguns and fowling pieces! Only,"they" will have to shoot weak arm!(weak eye)Ha! :blah: :haha:

grzrob said:

A smooth rifle will shoot better than a smoothbore as it has a rear sight...

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Think about that. The gun will not shoot any different if it has a rear sight. Only the person using it can shoot it more accurately if it has a rear sight.

I completely agree. The added rear sight is an aid to the person shooting it, but can not affect the gun itself in any way, unless we go into the thin barrel vs heavy barrel harmonics argument so common in the CF world. Personally, at least the way I have been taught, the main thing it helps with with CFs is with barrel heating due to shooting too quickly, which I don't believe the fastest ones of us here can shoot and reload our guns fast enough to make it an issue, so at least for our purposes with our MLs, I call :bull: on that one. So unless there is something I'm missing, both guns should shoot the exact same, with the nut behind the buttplate being the main variable. :hmm:

also my smoothie cleans up a lot easyer to
and dont have any iddues with fowling in the bore either
i notice most here shooting flintlock i have few and lovce them and wanted to k now if anyone here shoot cap smoothie??
I have an 1861 springfield barrel i thinking to makeing into something its 58 cal witch i think is 20ga or 16 ga????

Buzz,
I have a caplock smoothie, but it is a SxS, and works well, but I think I still have a bit of room for improvement with my patterns. It is however reliable, and anything inside 25-30yds is mine with shot, and I get 4" groups with PRB--which I know will get better with more load work up.

I have a 12 gauge single made by the Sharon rifle co. made many years ago. Back in the late 90's, I managed to place 2nd for the year with the Wisconsin State Muzzleloading Association with a 50-4x. It is a cap gun, but I've switched over to flint too.

I guess my answer was misunderstood. My answer dealing about the forum rules was that the forum section dealt with smoothbores regardless of the sighting system used. The other part regarding the shooting competition, the comment to "if you don't want play by the rules, don't play" has nothing to do with what or how something is presented on the forum. It dealt with more about how some folks will bend, twist or just plain cheat when shooting in competition.

As you can tell it is not uncommon to have different rules at different shoots. I was once at a smoothbore match and we let a newbie shoot his half stock percussion rifle.

He learned a lot about the various types of guns that afternoon. :wink:

I shoot the NMLRA International Smoothbore match which does not allow a rear sight or set triggers. I suppose I could add a removable historically correct rear sight and shoot the Sighted Smoothbore match but at that point I would prefer to use my rifle.

Smoothies are a mindset.

"Smoothies are a mindset..."

To which I would only add:

"Zen and the Art of the Flintlock Musket...."

Eric

All the smoothbores I've had & have are of the smooth rifle design.
Needing a practical purpose before buying something, mine is hunting...and not really hunting flying game beyond an occasional overhead crow or passing shots at doves along the edge of a field, all the game I use shot loads on are pretty stationary...turkey and squirrel being the main ones.
(PRB accuracy for deer / coyotes is a nice side benefit)

Learning about & hunting with .28 & .20ga Virginias has been far more interesting and rewarding than the various rifles...rifles are SUPPOSED to do what they do.
But discovering how well smoothbores do all that they do has been great...so much so, when I consider that all my hunting basically takes place in a 50-60yd environment, I could sell every rifle I have and just use the .28 & .20ga for everything I do without giving up a thing...

"Smoothies are a mindset."

Ahh, I'm not alone! :thumbsup:

I agree, they're different, but great on their own merits. I dont see me ever giving up my rifles, but the smoothbores have a lot of potential and do well for the majority of my hunting, so they aren't much of a handicap.