Rifles vs SMOOTH Rifles

[roundball]

I think what threw us was your inclusion of the price of a fowler and referencing it being 1/3rd the cost of a rifle.....then introduced some math leading us to believe the calculations would be associated with the statement about the cost of a fowler.

But if I understand it now, the reference to a fowler really has no bearing on the question what-so-ever...the question simply is "what constitutes the price difference between a rifle and smooth rifle" (just forgetting the fowler all together).


In that case, I'd agree, whatever price difference there might be would seem associated with the lower labor costs by not adding the rifling.

[Dphariss]

A fowler was about one third of a rifle or $5.00.  A smooth rifle has every feature of a rifle so I wonder what the discount was for a smooth rifle as a rifle was at $15.00.  Maybe a dollar for a dayswork By the 1820's barrels were often purchased ready made.  Maybe a discount on the barrel

DP

Look at Reedy's prices in Kindigs book.

Dan

[Daryl]

Today, they're about the same price - which I don't understand.

[oneeye]

Today, they're about the same price - which I don't understand.

Amazing how that works, isn't it?? 
Dan

[rich pierce]

Not a days work to rifle a barrel anymore I guess.

[northmn]

Look at the current prices of fowler barrels vs rifled barrels.  If anything the samped oct to round fowler barrels cost more than the swamped rilfled ones.  I was just wondering if the smooth rifle originally was any cheaper than a rifle.

DP

[Dphariss]

Look at the current prices of fowler barrels vs rifled barrels.  If anything the samped oct to round fowler barrels cost more than the swamped rilfled ones.  I was just wondering if the smooth rifle originally was any cheaper than a rifle.

DP

Smooth bores are "in" right now and this might be driving the price. I would also point out that rifling a barrel today is not as labor intensive as it was in 1770s. Maybe they sell all tapered/swamped barrels based on length rather than bore.
Its impossible to judge the past by today.
An accounting of the British Gov't cost for rifles in 1781 shows that Wilson "trade rifles" sold for 50/0 to 53/6 the most expensive fowling piece in the same order  was 40/0.
It is very difficult to judge prices of American Arms of the Colonial period due to different exchange rates for the currency. A PA pound was worth less than a British pound.
This from pg 81-83 of "British Military Flintlock Rifles" by Bailey.
In 1757 a smooth rifle is costing 27/6 and a similar rifle is 41/6. This is from an inventory of Indian Goods at Rock Creek belonging to the Ohio Company. Price is first cost in London.
This on pg 76.


Dan