40 Smooth Gun

[Dr. Tim-Boone]

Seems to me that I have seen a number of .40 or so smoothbore guns among the antiques I have seen... especially among the PA surrounds....... I was always surprised when what looked like a rifle turned out to be smoothbore.

[roundball]

Seems to me that I have seen a number of .40 or so smoothbore guns among the antiques I have seen... especially among the PA surrounds....... I was always surprised when what looked like a rifle turned out to be smoothbore.

Is it known if smooth .40s were commonly "built"...or if rifled .32s/.36s were pretty common, might there have been a practice when a barrel was lost, it got bored out to a .40 smoothbore?

[Dr. Tim-Boone]

I suppose that happened.... not sure anyone other than maybe Gary Brumfield  could tell us. Some of the ones I have held seemed to have been made smoothbore....thin barrel walls but I sure cant say for sure.

[Bentflint]

Thanks Roundball, this gun was made with the plan of feeding ones self on 3 or 4 day treks. The rifle guns with bigger bores just didn't work out that well. You are right, for bunny and squirrel it works just fine.

[roundball]

I didn't see an A-weight .40 smooth on Rices barrel list...did they make it up special?
Should be a little lighter for your treks than the bigger bores too

[Bentflint]

I just call and have him grab em off the rack before they get rifled.

[Daryl]

.380" or .375" ball?

[pathfinder]

I have a .40  smoothbore with a 40-1/2" barrel. I was told by the seller that it was one of the last barrels Bill Large worked on and the seller was there "helping". It has a tapered bore and a small choke,If I remember correctly,it was @ .418 till @ 6" from the muzzle,.400 for 2"then opens to .410. 65grs 3f,spit patch pillow tick and a .400 ball. Off the bench at 50yds,1-1/2 groups. For shot I use 65grs 3f,three .44 cal wonder wad's,two measures of shot,then one more wonder wad. Dead squirrels out to @40yds. Havent had the balls to try trap or skeet with "Ole Wormy" I get laughed at enough!!!

[Daryl]

Sounds similar to a Russian Tule choke. I think that's the spelling - choked/constricted the expanded again, however their's is for skeet shooting, said to spread the pattern evenly for close 'birds'.

Your shot load sounds interesting - was that 2, 65gr. powder measures of shot?  If so, that would be about 1 7/8oz shot. Isn't that a bit heavy for a .40? 
 
That's good accuracy.

These are merely observations. Nice looking rifle-gun, too.

[roundball]

I just call and have him grab em off the rack before they get rifled.

( I should have thought of that myself )