rifled or smoothbore flintlock pistol for general shooting

[The German]

I am quite new to muzzleloaders and building muzzleloaders. For my first built I would like to do a Kentucky style flintlock pistol. Would you recommend a smoothbore or rifled barrel?

 

[Dphar]

I am quite new to muzzleloaders and building muzzleloaders. For my first built I would like to do a Kentucky style flintlock pistol. Would you recommend a smoothbore or rifled barrel?

Smoothbores are only an advantage if shooting small shot.
A good rifled pistol is more useful if shooting solid shot. In larger bores 50 or over, I would rather have rifle twist since I feel the 22" twist found in many pistol barrels to be too fast for general use. A 54 caliber pistol with 8-9" barrel is an effective hunting arm for deer to 40-50 yards with a 66" twist.

I have never made a smooth pistol the 9 or 10 I have made were all rifled.

Dan

 

[nkbj]

I am quite new to muzzleloaders and building muzzleloaders. For my first built I would like to do a Kentucky style flintlock pistol. Would you recommend a smoothbore or rifled barrel?

Woke up in the middle of the night thinking about doctoring an animal so I'll have to think about that one.
target shooting - rifled
large game - rifled
small game - smoothbore
snakes - either
feral yard pests - either
second shot (coup de gras) - either
self defense (sow gnawing on my leg) - either

When I was in the boonies by myself a smoothbore loaded with shot would have provided more favor in the pot.

 

[Zoar]

I assume you want it primarily for target shooting. In which case go rifled. I know you said "general shooting" and usually that means target first and foremost. And maybe resale. In which case again rifled barrel would be preferred by most people looking for a Kentucky. Smoothie really is ONLY if you plan on shooting SHOT with it and know that accuracy with the round ball load will be poor at best.

 

[Dave Rosenthal]

Any chance that you could shoot both (a friend's perhaps?) prior to building one. Then you'll know for sure!

If I had to guess, I'd say except for the 20 ga. Howdah, I've never had a smoothie pistol in my hands.

Dave

 

[oldarmy]

I would go with a 50 or 54 cal smooth bore.
Reasons.
1. Can be used with both ball and shot
2. Much easier to load. Seating a tight patched RB in a rifled pistol is a PITA.. In my IMHO. They are hard to hold and take allot more time.
Plus, at The ranges you are taking about and With the primitive sights.I can't see where the rifling is going to help
I don't own any more rifled pistols, both are smoothies.. one is a 50 and the other a 62.

 

[Many Klatch]

I have a couple of .60 smoothbores a .36 rifled and a .44 rifled.

The smoothbores are fun to shoot if you don't care about hitting the target more than 20 feet away. I load them with buck and ball and can generally hit a large target somewhere with them.

The rifled pistols are more likely to hit a smaller target and are more likely to place in a competition.

The smoothbores are easier to load and can swallow about any kind of load that you want to stick down them. The rifled pistols are a lot more fussy.

It's your choice, they are both fun.

Many Klatch

 

[The German]

Sounds like I need a interchangeable pistol with a smoothbore and a rifled barrel...

 

[Many Klatch]

Just get one of each. It's more fun.

Many Klatch

 

[oldarmy]

I agree,
Once you build one. You will want another, and another,,it goes on and on :hmm:
My .50 cal french dragoon is pretty accurate with a .480 rb and a .010 patch. I put about 25/30 grains of 3fff with a powder wad over that, then the Patched ball.
It will group at 25. It would be better with a rear sight, but I just can't install one.

 

[Zoar]

German---You will end up "needing" TWO pistols.... so pick one and plan to build THAT as your first build and expect you will build a second not long after because the first you learned a lot and it was FUN... Interchangeable barrels is asking for a bit much because you will need IDENTICAL barrels and "furniture" placement to make this flintlock work in your one stock. When gun makers sell, let's say, interchangeable barrels for shotguns it is a tall order. You will need to order two barrels: one in smooth and one in rifled and I do not know anyone who would guarantee you the barrels are absolutely identical/interchangeable. PLUS and even more importantly----then YOU will need to drill the vent holes identically, and put the underlugs for the pins in the identical places... That may sound a lot easier than it is. Trust me. It is far easier just to PICK ONE barrel type for YOUR FIRST BUILD. Just ask yourself WHAT do you want: Accuracy or the ability to shoot round ball OR shot with lower accuracy? This is your FIRST BUILD. Even many very experienced gun builders would not take on INTERCHANGABE barrels in a Kentucky Flintlock with pinned underlugs

 

[Zoar]

German---Moreover, if you look up most KITS like on Track Of The wolf-- http://www.trackofthewolf.com/Cate...leId=300&partNum=KIT-KENTUCKY-PISTOL-15-FLINT

or this--
http://www.trackofthewolf.com/Cate...0&partNum=KENTUCKY-PISTOL-FLINT-LR-PARTS-LIST

You see that they only offer a RIFLED barrel which means a custom ordered barrel from another source for a SMOOTHIE.

Notice the parts on this build. You need to solder thus lugs on and drill and tap that vent hole liner. Also, you will need to install that breech plug and bend the tang to fit in your stock. I suggest for your FIRST BUILD to have them install your breech plug for you. For safety reasons it is a wise thing to do. A breech plug if not installed perfecly can lead to problems.

 

[Steve Boyleston]

Here is a deep thought on my behalf if I must say so myself. In the last 40 years I have made a bunch of pistols some flint and some percussion, I would say 75% were rifled- early on all were smooth bore as that was all I could afford- a smoothe bore Douglas was $8.00 and they were polished. I thought they shot well. i find that up to 35 yards there is no difference. To know for sure I shoot from a rest because not many can hold one still enough. Today I am making 1 more with a smoothe bore that I have had since 1971- Douglas 50 cal- I have sold all the others but will keep this one- TGP

 

[M Kuhn]

I have been battling with this myself.
I can't seem to decide between a 32 flint pistol for small game or a smoothbore that I can use shot in for small game.
The smoothbore I am looking at is a bigger bore and would probably take more powder but I am curious how accurate a 32 flint pistol can be.
Decisions, decisions. a smoothbore would basically just be a short shotgun and I don't know what kind of range I could expect with bird shot.
I would think I wouldn't need much more than 20 yards given the thick stuff I hunt in.
I'm having the same mental debate you are.
The bigger bore smoothie could also be a last ditch second shot for bear if needed but I honestly doubt I would ever use it for that sticking mostly to shot for a smoothbore.