All around sb for hunting?

[Troyfairweather]

I am shooting a 62 smooth rifle and a 62 fowler. You can fool around with ball sizes until you find a load that works well for "that" gun and go from there. I have a new 62 smooth rifle on the way built with and old (like at least 30 years) Getz swamped barrel in the early Virginia style on a piece of drop dead gorgeous walnut. Here is the bag I built and horn to go with the new rifle:

I became fond of smooth rifles after shooting one many, many years ago at an AMM doins in Kentucky. With the right load they are quite accurate at more distance then one might think.

nice bag, I wish I had the money for one. I make a bag a few years ago from old truck tarp, unfortunately it's synthetic and when cut rips. The shape and all came out nice, I think if I can get some leather I can just trace the pattern I made.

I have to make a powder horn to, well there's a bunch I need lol. I have a flask but just feels wrong using.

 

[Sidney Smith]

I've got a 20 gauge smooth bore. I use it strictly with shot. I don't hunt waterfowl. Mine mostly gets used in the squirrel woods and pheasant fields, with the occasional turkey hunt. It's plenty if gun for my needs.

 

[smoothshooter]

"All around"..., gotta be a 20 gauge.

In fact I'm told that up in Canada the 20 gauge hunting fusil was to them as the rifle was to us down here in "The States". Among both Natives as well as British Colonials, and French Colonials. I don't know why that would be, unless for some odd reason there was a dearth of molds, or the trading posts were smart enough to only stock pre-made ball, and one can make a seriously undersized ball work in a SB.



LD

I suspect the cold climate they have in Canada so much of the year may have something to do with it. The larger balls and components are easier to handle with cold fingers.
Another could be that much of Canada in the 1600-1800’s was not settled by “ rifle culture “ immigrants ( German, Swiss, etc. ) as compared to the English colonies. Most guns imported into Canada were either military guns from French government arsenals or variations thereof. Almost all military guns were smoothbores in those days.
A lot of American frontiersmen preferred rifles to gain an edge when fighting Indians. I am not aware of a lot of conflict between the whites and the native tribesmen in that time period.

For that and other reasons, one of the most boring jobs in the world would have to be that of a Canadian History Teacher.