Your opinion

[Nordnecker]

So would a .470 smoothbore be too small to be practical for shot? I ask because I'm thinking about having a custom barrel made to match an original. The original WAS loaded with shot- maybe 10 pellets of #6 or so.

[Hungry Horse]

Back when many of the components used to build inexpensive trade guns came from Dixie’s famous surplus parts department, Turner sold old surplus barrels in that bore size. There were a couple of young ladies, that shot at some of the events I attended, that could really give you a run for your money, with these little smoothbores. The guns weighed about 3&1/2 lbs.

  Hungry Horse

[Mike Brooks]

So would a .470 smoothbore be too small to be practical for shot? I ask because I'm thinking about having a custom barrel made to match an original. The original WAS loaded with shot- maybe 10 pellets of #6 or so.

Those small bores tend to shoot really tight patterns, hard to hit flying targets but good for squirrels and stuff.

[Standing Bear]

Well, it’s a larger bore than a .410.

[Hungry Horse]

I think Dixie used to call them garden gun barrels. They work pretty well for small varmints in the garden. Being in town presents a problem if you need to shoot a skunk, opossum, or raccoon out of you tomatoes. But these little rascals loaded light, with flint ignition don’t even sound like a gunshot. Works for me, I have one made out of an old .410 barrel.

  Hungry Horse

[oldtravler61]

  Mike all depends on how well you can shoot. My son shoots skeet with a 20 gauge with a turkey choke...It's being young an with good eye's an quick reflexes.....

[bob in the woods]

I believe that there were a fair number of smoothbores in the .50 range , so you're not far off.  I once owned a .54 smoothbore and it was one of the best patterning guns I ever had. It worked beautifully on partridge, being light and quick .   

[deepcreekdale]

I once made a copy of a Christian Beck double. The right barrel was .36 with a rifled bore, the left barrel was .45 smooth bore as per the original. So they did make them back in the day. Would be perfect for squirrel etc although a bit heavier to carry than I prefer.

[Daryl]

So would a .470 smoothbore be too small to be practical for shot? I ask because I'm thinking about having a custom barrel made to match an original. The original WAS loaded with shot- maybe 10 pellets of #6 or so.

I guess you missed it, another thread,  where I noted having a .440 smoothbore. I used a hard 1/10" to 1/8" card (old monopoly board) on the powder, 40 or 45gr. 3F, I think it was, with a .410 wad filled with 1/2 oz. of 7 1/2's to 8 1/2's, then thin overshot card. This barrel, 36" long, had about .005" jug choke lapped in, some 1 1/2" long.  I broke 10 straight from 16 yards with it at a rendezvous trap shoot. It also was great on bunny heads to 50yards with patched round ball and 45gr. 3F.

[Nordnecker]

OK....Im getting fired up about this.
Here's what the load looked like in the old gun.

[Dave Patterson]

Apparently, somebody seems to think these small smooth-bores are a good idea:  enough to warrant Colerain's attentions anyway.

http://www.muzzleloaderbuilderssupply.com/mbs3cart/agora.cgi?cart_id=8312581.41708&p_id=BLSW45B44S&xm=on

[Avlrc]

OK....Im getting fired up about this.
Here's what the load looked like in the old gun.

We would like to see more pictures of this Virginia Fowler. thanks,

[homerifle]

[/quote]
We would like to see more pictures of this Virginia Fowler. thanks,


[/quote]Yes, more pictures would be nice! The wire work on the wrist looks interesting! Thanks!

[BJH]

I have a .45 caliber smooth bore mini trade gun I built as our family's youth gun. Useing cork wads that I got off a trade blanket. And #5 shot. It kills squirrels just like a modern .410. In flint of course! BJH