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Offline keith44

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anybody shooting a smoothbore?
« on: January 07, 2012, 03:59:31 PM »
I get a yen every couple years or so for a smoothbore.  I look at the early muskets, decide they are typically too long for what I'd want.  Then I look at the shotguns, and can't decide...


At any rate, the old yen has hit again.  I'm at the shotguns phase, and wondering if anyone here has a favorite.  Why did ya pick that one?  Do you load any buck n ball or single projectile loads?

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Offline ironball

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Re: anybody shooting a smoothbore?
« Reply #1 on: January 07, 2012, 05:38:44 PM »
Try a flintlock fowler. They are a little shorter than a musket, as light as a long rifle, and point like a wand. I can shoot just about any load out of my .62, and kill just about anything in North America inside of 50 yards. Good enough so if I had to live out my last days with just one gun (Thank god I don't!) this would be it.
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Offline coyotejoe

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Re: anybody shooting a smoothbore?
« Reply #2 on: January 08, 2012, 02:03:32 AM »
In terms of shotguns, over the years I've owned maybe half a dozen Pedersoli 12 gauge side by sides and think them a great gun. All I've owned were fixed choke "improved cylinder & modified" or modified & full and all have patterned up to expectation for their degree of choke. My current smoothbores are a pair of half stock flint fowlers in 20 & 28 gauges, a 12 gauge percussion single and a Bucks County .54 smoothrifle. Any of them would serve my small game needs and that's what shotguns are about. I have fired a few balls from all of them but it doesn't much interest me, I have rifles for shooting ball. I've seen many people claim their smoothbore "shoots like a rifle up to 50 yards" and some even say 75 yards. My own experience with ball from smoothbores has never been much better than 5-6" groups at 50 yards. Admittedly I've never put in a solid month of trying out every possible combination but I have tried quite a few and paper plate accuracy is the best I've personally seen. As to "buck & ball" loads, they may be fun to play around with but have no use in hunting. The old U.S. military load was a .65 caliber ball with three .30 caliber buckshot. The idea was that the more lead you spray out there the better chance that someone might get hurt. I don't hunt that way and I doubt you do either. From what I've read and seen it appears the three buckshot on top of the ball will spread wider and faster than a straight buckshot load of 9 or 12 pellets, so you would be better off with either buck or ball than with buck and ball. ;D
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Offline Rock Home Isle

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Re: anybody shooting a smoothbore?
« Reply #3 on: January 08, 2012, 02:51:16 AM »
Oh keith44...that is so awesome that you've started this thread. Smooth Bores are a hoot.
 
I got my first smoothbore (10 gauge double by Pietta) to hunt geese. It was such a fun way to hunt, and after a season or two I got very profficient at loading and shooting between flocks.
 
My next was a sweet little upland 12 gauge double made by Pedersoli. Its bore is under sized so I load it with 13 gauge wads. Doves, Pheasants, Rabbits and Squirrels have been its main quarry.
 
About 10 years ago I got the Flint Itch and got a Brown Bess Carbine Kit from Dixie Gunworks. That became my new go-to gun when it can to using a blackpowder smooth bore. It ALWAYS went off, and uts taken geese, ducks, doves, rabbits....squirrels...I'm sure that I'm missing something.
 
At the moment I have a smooth bore on order at TVM. Its a 20 gauge flint...I can't wait till it arrives.
 
I just recently acquired round ball molds for both the Bess (.75 calibre) and the TVM smooth bore (.62 calibre). So I have little to no real experience at the range or hunting with projectiles out of the smooth bore. That'll change in a year or so...
 
You get yourself a smooth bore there kieth44 and it'll be a blast...literally and figuratively.  8)
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Offline Cleburne

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Re: anybody shooting a smoothbore?
« Reply #4 on: January 08, 2012, 03:36:46 AM »
My only smoothbore experiecne thusfas is with a Pedersoli side x side in 12 gauge. It's a beautiful little gun. Used primarily to bust clays and other aerial targets, but has been used successfully for squirrel hunting. I highly recommend it. I would dearly love to try a flintlock smoothbore, but they all seem a bit too pricey for my budget.
 
Cleburne
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Offline IronBrigade

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Re: anybody shooting a smoothbore?
« Reply #5 on: January 08, 2012, 04:58:07 AM »
I also would like a TVM flintlock 62 cal smoothbore :) just gonna take a while to save that kind of money. :(
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Offline argie1891

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Re: anybody shooting a smoothbore?
« Reply #6 on: January 08, 2012, 08:34:30 PM »
i just bought but havent reiceved a british made 12 double blr. shotgun. from the pics it looks to be in pretty good condition. i know some will say that it should be hung on the wall as it has stub twist blrs. i have wanted to have a double smooth bore for a  long time. i have read many articles on smooth bore shooting in africa and our own west. i am hoping to shoot some round balls in it and see if i can get it to group. the locks are marked earnshaw and co. and on the blr it is marked stub twist. i will take it easy on the amount of powder i use but i do plan on shooting it. if it dosent work out you can call me lefty. i will report more and post pics when it gets here. is there anyone else on the forum shooting origional precussion shotguns??  i am sure i could use some imput, but i dont want a bunch of experts telling me how stupid i am for wanting to shoot an old twist blr. argie1891
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Offline keith44

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Re: anybody shooting a smoothbore?
« Reply #7 on: January 08, 2012, 08:50:49 PM »
locate a back issue of "The Double Gun Journal" there is a series of articles where they shoot modern smokeless "proof loads" in damascus barreled shotguns.


Remove the barrels from the stock, hang them by a wire from underneath (ramrod thimble works fine for a muzzleloader) and hit the barrels with a hammer handle or rawhide mallet.  They should ring like a bell (or deep toned wind chime) if they do not "ring" in a clear note, it is not safe to shoot that barrel set.  Next ensure that the nipples are not shot out, and there is no rust or pitting around where they enter the barrel.  Also check that the nipples are easily removed and retightened.  If either of these checks shows something is not right do not shoot that barrel set!


 Otherwise any sane load using real blackpowder should be OK.
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Offline argie1891

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Re: anybody shooting a smoothbore?
« Reply #8 on: January 08, 2012, 09:44:27 PM »
thanks for your reply. i did find a bunch of articles on proof loads in twist blrs. many have been re=profed for smokeless powder. i reall hope it is as advertised. one thing i have noticed with antique muzzle loaders is that many have the hammers eaten away from the primer mixture used long ago. the first thing i looked at in the pics was the hammers and nipples. if they were eaten away i would think the rest of the gun would be in wall hanger status for sure. argie1891
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Offline nessmuk101

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Re: anybody shooting a smoothbore?
« Reply #9 on: January 12, 2012, 01:52:18 PM »
I have a TVM .62 cal. smoothbore with the 36" bbl. that works great on grouse and small game.  It will hold a deer size group out to about 75 yards from a rest.  They are fun to shoot and it sure impresses your fellow hunters when you get a grouse on the wing.
 
My load for small game is 60 gr. of 3F and 1 oz of shot and for deer it is 60 gr of 3F with a spit patched .60 round ball.
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Offline Rock Home Isle

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Re: anybody shooting a smoothbore?
« Reply #10 on: January 12, 2012, 03:38:51 PM »
I am so JEALOUS... ???
 
I can't wait till my TVM arrives. 8)
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“Lost?? Hmmm... been fearsome confused for a month or two, but I ain't never been lost!”
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“Ain't this somethin'? I told my pap and mam I was going to be a mountain man; acted like they was gut-shot. Mother Gue said to me; ‘Make your life go here, son. Here's where the people is. Them mountains is for Indians and wild men.’  "Mother Gue", I says "the Rocky Mountains is the marrow of the world," and by God, I was right. Keep your nose in the wind and your eye along the skyline.”
Del Gue in "Jeremiah Johnson"

Offline argie1891

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Re: anybody shooting a smoothbore?
« Reply #11 on: January 13, 2012, 05:05:49 PM »
the guy who sold me the shotgun shipped it by slow boat to china. still not here i should have asked how he was going to ship. i have always figured if it is worth shipping it is worth shipping priority mail. as he lives on the right coast and i am on the left coast it might get here in 3 or 4 weeks. what a bummer. i have never shipped anything ground saving a couple bucks just isnt worth the time lost. argie1891
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Offline keith44

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Re: anybody shooting a smoothbore?
« Reply #12 on: January 13, 2012, 07:26:31 PM »
could be held up in customs  ;)  ya know how those left coasters feel about importing anything
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Offline sidewinder319

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Re: anybody shooting a smoothbore?
« Reply #13 on: January 13, 2012, 07:32:55 PM »
I use a TVM fowler .62 flinter. This gun is only used for Black Powder Competition.  It has done very well over the years with shot and ball. The 50 Yd. paper shoots score very close to rifles. The TVM is capable of hitting deer size targets at 100 yds. with 85 grs of 2 F.  A fowler with a rear sight can be a very effective long arm.  ;D
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Offline ironball

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Re: anybody shooting a smoothbore?
« Reply #14 on: January 14, 2012, 08:13:22 PM »
Personally, I have never seen a need for a rear sight on a smooth bore. I think it works best as an instinctive, point and fire type of weapon. It also takes a lot of practice to become this type of shooter, so that usually leaves the city hunters out.  Most of them would rather try to mount a scope on one and try 200 yard shots.  :o
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Offline sidewinder319

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Re: anybody shooting a smoothbore?
« Reply #15 on: January 15, 2012, 02:33:24 AM »
A visit to the Fur Trade Museum in Chadron Neb. you can see many original Smooth guns. The Mtn. Men were City Hunters what ever that  is?  These guns have rear sights. No one is allowed to use rear sights in competition due to the lack of knowledge on smooth guns as expressed here.  ::)
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Offline fistmil

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Re: anybody shooting a smoothbore?
« Reply #16 on: January 15, 2012, 03:09:40 AM »
I have a 62cal (20 gage) trade musket. I have had it since 1980 and it has been my squirrel gun ever since.  Handles round balls well also. I have gotten 3 inch groups at 50 yards. It is my favorite firearm.
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Offline Rock Home Isle

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Re: anybody shooting a smoothbore?
« Reply #17 on: January 15, 2012, 04:20:12 AM »
Quote from: sidewinder319 on January 15, 2012, 02:33:24 AM
A visit to the Fur Trade Museum in Chadron Neb. you can see many original Smooth guns. The Mtn. Men were City Hunters what ever that  is?  These guns have rear sights. No one is allowed to use rear sights in competition due to the lack of knowledge on smooth guns as expressed here.  ::)

That is an amazing museum...I'm planning to go back this summer and see it again.  8)
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“Lost?? Hmmm... been fearsome confused for a month or two, but I ain't never been lost!”
Henry Frap the "Mountain Men"

“Ain't this somethin'? I told my pap and mam I was going to be a mountain man; acted like they was gut-shot. Mother Gue said to me; ‘Make your life go here, son. Here's where the people is. Them mountains is for Indians and wild men.’  "Mother Gue", I says "the Rocky Mountains is the marrow of the world," and by God, I was right. Keep your nose in the wind and your eye along the skyline.”
Del Gue in "Jeremiah Johnson"
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