It was raised above. What is a "smooth rifle." Isn't that an oxymoron? I've seen it mentioned before on this forum, but fail to understand it. Does a smooth rifle have a rear sight?
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Smooth Rifle?
- Thread starter Gene L
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Yes. A "smooth rifle" has a rear sight and a front sight to go along with it.
The rear sight is just one of the things that contributes to the description, "smooth rifle".
Some of the differences between a shotgun or musket and a smooth rifle are:
The shape of the stock looks like a rifle stock.
The barrel is usually a thick octagon for its full length rather than being the relatively thin, round barrel or octagon/round barrel found on shotguns or muskets.
Smooth rifles often have a patch box while shotguns and muskets rarely have these features.
Smooth rifles often have carvings with swirls, leaves and flowers. Shotguns and muskets rarely have features like these.
Basically, a smooth rifle looks and shoots like a rifle although of course, they aren't as accurate at long distances.
No one has found any reason these "rifles" were not actually rifled.
Some suspect the guns were originally rifled and were re-boared to repair barrel wear or corrosion.
Others have suggested the owner couldn't afford to pay the extra money to have the barrel rifled.
(This was a lengthy process which could take longer than a day to complete.)
Others suggest the owner wanted to have a gun that looked like a rifle but they intended to use the gun to shoot shot at small game to feed the family. They also wanted a gun that could shoot a patched roundball accuretly with sights to aim with.
There is probably some truth in each of these ideas but we will never know for sure.
And, YES, the term "smooth rifle" is a modern term that basically just describes a typical rifle of the era with a smooth bore.
The rear sight is just one of the things that contributes to the description, "smooth rifle".
Some of the differences between a shotgun or musket and a smooth rifle are:
The shape of the stock looks like a rifle stock.
The barrel is usually a thick octagon for its full length rather than being the relatively thin, round barrel or octagon/round barrel found on shotguns or muskets.
Smooth rifles often have a patch box while shotguns and muskets rarely have these features.
Smooth rifles often have carvings with swirls, leaves and flowers. Shotguns and muskets rarely have features like these.
Basically, a smooth rifle looks and shoots like a rifle although of course, they aren't as accurate at long distances.
No one has found any reason these "rifles" were not actually rifled.
Some suspect the guns were originally rifled and were re-boared to repair barrel wear or corrosion.
Others have suggested the owner couldn't afford to pay the extra money to have the barrel rifled.
(This was a lengthy process which could take longer than a day to complete.)
Others suggest the owner wanted to have a gun that looked like a rifle but they intended to use the gun to shoot shot at small game to feed the family. They also wanted a gun that could shoot a patched roundball accuretly with sights to aim with.
There is probably some truth in each of these ideas but we will never know for sure.
And, YES, the term "smooth rifle" is a modern term that basically just describes a typical rifle of the era with a smooth bore.
The Pennsylvania GazetteZonie said:
September 20, 1739
Had on an old striped Jacket, old linnen Shirt, new Linnen Breeches and an old Hat, no Shoes nor Stockings. Took with him a smooth Rifle Gun.
The Pennsylvania Gazette
January 26, 1769
...he took with him a smooth rifle gun, and as he has served his time, he may possibly produce his indenture.
Spence
Thanks Spence, glad you posted the references. Indeed there ARE smooth rifles mentioned throughout history and it's not just a loose term.
I'm currently building a Colonial smooth rifle. Just because something is smoothbore doesn't make it a musket or fowling piece as there is more to the equation folks.
I'm currently building a Colonial smooth rifle. Just because something is smoothbore doesn't make it a musket or fowling piece as there is more to the equation folks.
Thanks Spence :redface:
:rotf:
:rotf:
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I have a Green Mountain 62 cal drop-in barrel with sights. Don't like it with a rear sight at all for wing shooting (and in fact take it off when using shot), but it sure helps this seldom-smoothie-shooter when it comes to round balls.
TC stocks don't fit me well in the first place, and shooting round ball without the rear sight is an exercise in futility for this kid. Not so with other smoothies that actually fit me, but those darned TC stocks were built for rear sights, as far as I'm concerned.
TC stocks don't fit me well in the first place, and shooting round ball without the rear sight is an exercise in futility for this kid. Not so with other smoothies that actually fit me, but those darned TC stocks were built for rear sights, as far as I'm concerned.
"Smoothrifle" is a direct translation of the German glattbusche.
Whatever motive behind them also applied in the Old World, evidently, though I believe that the German pieces tend to show a bit more stylistic differentiation between true rifles and glattbuschen - glattbuschen have longer barrels as a rule, I think- than do American pieces.
Whatever motive behind them also applied in the Old World, evidently, though I believe that the German pieces tend to show a bit more stylistic differentiation between true rifles and glattbuschen - glattbuschen have longer barrels as a rule, I think- than do American pieces.
We also see the term rifle mounted fusil.
Personally (IMHO only) it’s all about glasses. Most people didn’t correct vision back then. And their sight wasn’t any better then then today. Everyone you see with glasses today would just be “ Joe who didn’t see real good” back then.
A man with even mild nearsightedness just might not have been served with having a rifles piece. Yet he wanted a gun that was the equal to others around him. So he had a gun that looked just like a rife but missed its most important feature.
He could shoot a brown deer shaped blob at fifty sixty or seventy yards and have meat on the table, likewise tree rats taken with a spoon full of shot tasted as good as one who lost his head to a rifle shot.
Personally (IMHO only) it’s all about glasses. Most people didn’t correct vision back then. And their sight wasn’t any better then then today. Everyone you see with glasses today would just be “ Joe who didn’t see real good” back then.
A man with even mild nearsightedness just might not have been served with having a rifles piece. Yet he wanted a gun that was the equal to others around him. So he had a gun that looked just like a rife but missed its most important feature.
He could shoot a brown deer shaped blob at fifty sixty or seventy yards and have meat on the table, likewise tree rats taken with a spoon full of shot tasted as good as one who lost his head to a rifle shot.
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tenngun said:
That's real sensible and based on a rational look at eyesight versus shooting. I knocked my glasses off the tailgate of my truck while shooting one day, and couldn't find the bloomin things in the tall grass.... Without my glasses of course. :grin:
The rifle was already loaded, so I turned and took a shot at the blob out there at 50 yards. Got curious and took 4 more shots at the blob before laying down the rifle and starting a brail search for the glasses.
Found em only a little bent from stomping and went to check the target. I guess 1 hit on a 12"x12" target ain't so bad, right? :rotf:
