Smoothbore newbie silly question

[Otter Trapper 100]

OK guys I have only had experience with rifled muzzleloader's but have been bitten by the smoothbore bug. Maybe a silly question but can I get a smoothbore in a .62 cal that has a fully octagon barrel instead of the round or octagon to round barrel that I see on all of them?

 

[Coot]

Octagon smooth bore barrelIs can be found on smooth rifles (guns that look like a rifle but are actually a smooth bore). But these are low demand barrels and you might have to have it custom made. If none are available I am sure that you could have an octagon barrel bored out. The problem (other than the cost of having the work done) is that it would be heavier than a round or octagon to round and would make the gun more unwieldy on flying birds, especially in larger bore sizes. For a .62 & up, I would go with a tapered round or octagon to round barrel.

 

[Silky921]

I have one on a smoothrifle that was made by Rice. It is indeed heavy, but I use more for ball than shot.

 

[sb 54 cal.]

Also have one from Rice and use it for ball and shot on Turkey.

 

[Micah Clark]

I like the look of a full octagon better, and that may be your feeling too . . . but the Oct to Round I have from Rice is growing on me with my PA fowler.

 

[JeffG]

I agree with the full octagon barrels. It's hard to find them above 54, much less in 62. The weight savings in the half octagon to round is noticeable, and worthwhile.

If you want a kit, here is one worth looking at: http://sittingfoxmuzzleloaders.com/w-26/

 

[hanshi]

Many original "smooth rifles" had oct to rnd barrels. I have a rear sight on my smoothbore with octagon to round barrel; It's light and I like it a lot.

 

[Black Hand]

Maybe a silly question but can I get a smoothbore in a .62 cal that has a fully octagon barrel instead of the round or octagon to round barrel that I see on all of them?

The beauty of smoothbores is that they are light and can be swung like a shotgun. Why ever would you want one with a nose-heavy, blocky, clunky, full-octagon barrel....?

 

[Otter Trapper 100]

I just like the look of a full octagon soooooo much better.

 

[George]

Why ever would you want one with a nose-heavy, blocky, clunky, full-octagon barrel....?

That's a good description of what's available today, but not for original guns, IMHO. I have an original 28 gauge smoothbore with a 49.5", swamped, full octagon barrel which is a delight to handle, well balanced, overall weight less than 7 pounds. Not a gun you would choose for jump-shooting anything, because of the long barrel, but a real joy at any other job.

I think the same thing is true today for round, smooth barrels for fowling pieces. In today's market, you can't buy one like the originals, and what's offered as a "replica" is nothing of the sort.

Spence

 

[wattlebuster]

Give Charles Burton a call an he will make you any barrel style you want :thumbsup:

 

[Loyalist Dave]

Well let's talk about what's "out there", OK?

Colerain makes a .58 caliber 36" straight side, octagon barrel for $185 and the same thing in 42" for $200 from Track of the Wolf. Send it to Mr. Hoyt to have it converted to .62 and you're talking $260-$285 plus shipping both ways.

Colerain also makes their "Edward Marshall" rifle barrel in .58, swamped, octagon, and it might be thick enough to be converted to a smooth .62. It runs $215 from Track of The Wolf.

That's a lot higher in price than simply accepting an octagon to round smoothbore barrel, and it might be the only way to get a gun that fits a certain area and time period.

So that leaves either a pricey, custom option, OR you search for a 1" wide, .54 caliber used rifle, say something from TC in a Hawken, and see if Bob Hoyt can bore that out for you. Not super authentic, but short, probably light, and a .62 smooth rifle for not a whole lot of money.

LD

 

[cynthialee]

I got a smooth bore octagon .56 for my TC Renegade for when I want a smoothbore. But I just shoot roundball from it because it is a little anemic as a shotgun for turkey.