20 Ga vs. 16 Ga smooth rifle

[Paddlefoot]

OK. I'm totally inexperienced in shooting BP smoothbores. In TN we have to use shotguns to hunt wild turkey. Im thinking about building a smooth rifle, probably with an octagon to round barrel. Is their any advantage to building a 20 ga. vs. a 16 ga. gun. I'm discounting a 12 ga. just because the breech dimensions are bigger than I want to use to build a slim, graceful gun.

[Old Ford2]

Hi,
Barrel availability is greater in 20 gauge. And probably cost of barrel may be cheaper.
A 16 ga. would beat out a 20 ga. comparing shot payload.
I just completed a  Lehigh 20 ga. fowler. It's feel and balance are amazing, considering the barrel is 44"
Shooting a single round ball at whitetail deer would make little difference.
So the main consideration would be breech thickness, and barrel weight.
Good luck!
Fred

[Collector]

16 ga. smooth-rifles ROCK!

Here's a 16 ga., by Allen Martin, that was specifically built for deer and turkey hunting.  This posting and the comments attaching to same, can be found for the period of 06 December, 2012.

I had .625RB and .630 RB moulds for this smooth-rifle and with today's standardized bore dimensions, in the 16 ga., a .648 RB seems to be popular.

http://contemporarymakers.blogspot.com/2012/12/allen-martin.html

http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=24450.0

I wouldn't worry about a 16 ga. being light and lively handling enough.  Invest in a good octagon to round, swamped profiled barrel (like the one in this subject longrifle) and it will more than address your concerns.

Good luck!!

[Dphariss]

OK. I'm totally inexperienced in shooting BP smoothbores. In TN we have to use shotguns to hunt wild turkey. Im thinking about building a smooth rifle, probably with an octagon to round barrel. Is their any advantage to building a 20 ga. vs. a 16 ga. gun. I'm discounting a 12 ga. just because the breech dimensions are bigger than I want to use to build a slim, graceful gun.

If stocked as a rifle the stock design has to be carefully chosen.
Many Kentucky rifle stock designs have poor recoil characteristics when used with large calibers.
Dan

[Dennis Glazener]

16 ga. smooth-rifles ROCK!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I wouldn't worry about a 16 ga. being light and lively handling enough.  Invest in a good octagon to round, swamped profiled barrel (like the one in this subject longrifle) and it will more than address your concerns.

I agree 100% I have owned both 20 and 16 ga fowlers and there is no way I would go back to a 20 after owning a 16. The 16 will handle lighter 20 ga loads and also most 12 ga loads. Some say the 20 will as well but I never could get the heavy loads to pattern well in my 20 and in the particular 20 I owned the recoil was far worse than in the 16 with the same load. Of course this may have been due to the stock architecture of the 20 instead of the bore size.
Dennis


Dennis

[Paddlefoot]

Thoughts on just a open cylinder bore vs. something choked?  Am I correct that if you get the choked barrel it is no longer suitable for patched ball? I think that's what Coleraine says about their choked 20 ga. bbl.   I was thinking of something JP Beckish for the design. Wide butt and pre revolution styling. I know he built a number of smooth rifles.  I do have rifles for PRB so this would probably be more specifically for Turkey and maybe other small game.

[Paddlefoot]

Also, what is the proper method to load the thing. Do you now have to measure in drams or something or is a weight related volume of powder and shot what you would use.

[Dan'l 1946]

Just a thought. If you are hoping to do much wingshooting, a true fowling piece might be a better way to  go.  It will still do everything the smooth-rifle will do, but a fowling gun is lighter and livelier. Definitely the 16 bore!
                                             Dan

[smallpatch]

Paddle foot,
If you want to add choke, have the barrel jug choked. Will make a significant difference in pattern, ad will not effect round all accuracy.

[Paddlefoot]

Well I have some good info and a nice example to proceed with. Thanks to all.