Smooth bore barrel options.

[Pat_Cameron]

Smooth bore barrel options.
I looked at a few of the common barrel suppliers pages.
Is it possible to get a 45 or 50 cal smooth bore barrel?
Either completely round or oct to round.. about 38 inches?
The goal is to keep weight down.

Deer at close range (under 50 yards) with a round ball.
and squirrels with shot the rest of the time.

I had thought about approaching colerain barrels to see if they
would be interested in a squirrel choke version of their turkey choke.

[Collector]

So, deer and squirrel, but no turkey hunting? 

If shooting RB and shot, you may want to consider a larger bore.  A .45 or .50 smoothbore won't handle much in the way of a decent shot column.  Minimum .550 (28 ga.) and that's open to debate.

I'd recommend a 16 ga.   It will get the job done, handsomely. 

You won't be disappointed...   

[Lucky R A]

      Turkey choke is not an option if you are intending to shoot round ball.  There are a lot of individual barrel makers who will build you a smooth bore pretty much to your liking.  Like the others have said you need something larger than a 50 cal. to get an adequate amount of shot.  Remember you will be shooting cylinder bore, so ranges will be short w/ shot. 

[Mike Brooks]

Well, I'll go against popular wisdom on this one. A smooth .50 will throw and excellent shot pattern for squirrels. The small bores throw a "string" of shot as apposed to a "ball" of shot. I had a 28 bore that shot an incredible tight pattern, I used to win pattern counts with 1 once of shot all the time with it. These small bores make excellent shot guns for things sitting still. !@*%&@ hard to hit skeet with.
 Now, you can shoot RB through a jug choke, but not a modern choke. You will not need a choke for a .50 or .54, they shoot just fine as a cylinder bore.
 You're going to have to have a custom barrel man make the barrel you have in mind, they are not a standard run type of thing. I'd also go long, really helps the pattern of small bores. I'd go at least 48". With the right barrel profile you can go 5 1/2 to 6 lbs for a finished gun with a 48" or more barrel. Go with something like a 15/16" to an 1" breech, rapid taper for the first 9" or so, and a barrel wall at the muzzle of no more than 1/16" , possibly a little less. You're barrel should weigh around 3 to 3 1/4 lbs or so.

[bob in the woods]

I had Riley Smith [ Longhammock  Barrels ] make me a 28 bore barrel some 20 years ago.
It shot well beyond what it's smaller bore size seemed capable of. It was an absolute hammer on partridge
[flying...not perched on a limb ]   I'd never try and talk anyone out of getting a 28 . They're terrific.

[T*O*F]

Turkey choke is not an option if you are intending to shoot round ball.

Not exactly true, but they must be loaded with a fiber wad and overshot card.  The ball must be choke sized and loaded bare.  On firing, the wad obturates and centers the ball in the barrel.

If Bob Spencer's Notebook site still exists, check it for the smoothbore we built him using one of Colerain's first turkey choked barrels.

[Hungry Horse]

Unless you are a water fowler, big gauges are more trouble than they are worth. I have slowly decreased the size of my smooth bores over the years, and have found that the longer the shot column, the tighter the pattern. There is a point of diminished returns in this equation but you will have to experiment some to find it. I have a little smoothbore made from a .410 cartridge barrel 28" long that is the squirrel bomb for sure.

   Hungry Horse

[gunmaker]

I've made a number of .50 cal. smoothie's, and they do throw a nice pattern at 25 yd.  I shoot 50 gr. 3f & 60 gr. #7 or 8 shot. PRB deadly at 0 to 50 yd.   Greg Christian (member here) will make you a nice bbl. in 50.    ghchristian2001@yahoo.com     Tom

[jerrywh]

 I have been contemplating a smooth bore for some time now and have decided not to go any smaller than a 20 gauge. So I think a trade gun is about perfect or a smooth rifle 20 gauge.
  You don't always have to put a full load in them if you want to shoot squirrels.

[wattlebuster]

Pat you can get a barrel made to any specs you want from Charles Burton. I have 4 of his barrels and all are first rate

[Pennsylvania Dutchman]

My Dad has a percussion fowler with a .50 bore that I hunted rabbits with when I was a kid. It weighs about 4lbs loaded and was devastating on rabbits if I did my part.
Mark

[Acer Saccharum]

Mr. Brooks, thank you for that info about small bore smoothies. Good for still targets.

[Mike Brooks]

Mr. Brooks, thank you for that info about small bore smoothies. Good for still targets.

You're welcome. Experience of 30 years of fooling around with no rifling. But, somebody is sure to come along and tell me I'm full of crapola....

[Acer Saccharum]

 I tell you that every so often, but always in jest. I respect and appreciate your experience in this matter. I have a .54 smoothie on the drawing board, and this info says I've got a good bore size and configuration for squirrel. Hose the little buggers!

[Mike Brooks]

I tell you that every so often, but always in jest. I respect and appreciate your experience in this matter. I have a .54 smoothie on the drawing board, and this info says I've got a good bore size and configuration for squirrel. Hose the little buggers!

I  don't know much, just enough to get me in trouble.

[Pat_Cameron]

Thanks for the input.
I appreciate the information.

Pat

[Pat_Cameron]

I have a .54 smoothie on the drawing board, and this info says I've got a good bore size and configuration for squirrel. Hose the little buggers!

I have a 54 smoothbore that I had built for my wife to use when we go on hikes.
It works for deer and squirrels well. I will try it for turkey this week.
It is too heavy for her. I think a 50 will also work for both deer and squirrel.

We can share my colerain 20 gauge turkey choke when needed.

[Pat_Cameron]

If anyone else might be interested in this type of gun.

Rice Barrels.
38 inch Transitional.
Chambers "Issac Haines Light Barrel."
50 caliber…..3.11 pounds
Sent an email to Jason last night.
Got a reply EARLY this morning. (06:45 AM)
He can do a smoothbore 50 cal in this configuration.

ON ORDER.