Been re-reading the back posts to gain some much needed knowledge. There seems to be an ongoing discussion on the use and virtues of the rifle vs smoothbore.
The British in all of their colonization of the world, also lead the world for a time in the invention and production of firearms. One of the developments was the paradox. gun. This was a smoothbore shotgun that was straight rifled in the last 2-3 inches of its bll. The design was for use on large game in thick underbrush, and also as a shotgun for game birds. Shooting heavy charges of bp, and a heavy rb, cast hard, it was the choice for following up dangerous game.
My question is that, did these firearms ever see any use in this country? In the early 18th century, our gamefields were destination spots for the royal, and the rich, and I can't believe that they would not have poccessed one of these.