Smooth bore suggestions and recommendations

[g2608671@verizon.net]

You can hardly go wrong with a Chambers kit. Jim is a true gentleman, and will bend over backwards to make sure you get quality wood, and parts.
 With a musket, fit is everything. Tradeguns almost never have enough drop to keep them from hammering your cheek. Since most tradeguns, and fowlers, are quite light, the bigger gauges can be real face busters too.
 I believe that if you shoot a lot of shot, rather than round balls, you may want a larger gauge. This depend a lot on what you're shooting at. Clays, and upland game, can all be taken nicely with a twenty gauge. Water fowl are bigger, and harder to kill cleanly, and usually require a bigger gun to do the job.

     Hungry Horse

Not planning on going over 20 ga (62 cal?) and the only hunting I will be doing will be rabbits, pheasants, woodchucks (close quarters stuff) and coyotes. Maybe deer if I get an itch in that spot. I once saw an abbreviated trap squad of 4 guys with muzzle loaders and although they only fired 2 shots on each station it was a thing of beauty to see all that motion of hands, elbows, ramrods and smoke from people who knew how to handle their firearms. Can't recall if they shot much of anything because just watching them work the guns was worth the price of admission. 

[Mike Brooks]

If you're mainly going to shoot RB I'd go with a 28 bore. If you're going to shoot shot and a little RB I'd go with a 16 bore. I have had 20 bores and enjoyed them but they don't shoot either shot or RB as well as what I'd like. Sort of a compromise for both. best thing to do would be to build two guns, a 28 bore for RB and a 10 bore for shot. Who doesn't like two guns?

[thimble rig]

Take a look at dunlaps 1/2 stock fowler kit.It comes in 10 and 12 bore.Its a beauty.That would be a little better in close up situations.And running shots on rabbits.

[g2608671@verizon.net]

If you're mainly going to shoot RB I'd go with a 28 bore. If you're going to shoot shot and a little RB I'd go with a 16 bore. I have had 20 bores and enjoyed them but they don't shoot either shot or RB as well as what I'd like. Sort of a compromise for both. best thing to do would be to build two guns, a 28 bore for RB and a 10 bore for shot. Who doesn't like two guns?

Thanks Mike; good information.  Build two guns.... hummm. Well that certainly presents a very attractive option to a bore size accuracy dynamic that I was not aware of until now. Two guns - I like it!  I appreciate all the advise I am getting and it's more interesting with every comment. It is now clearer than before that I should hold off until I see, and shoulder, these pieces at Dixon's next month.  I may just take a drive there next week to check what is in the rack for a "trial fit" - so to speak. 

[g2608671@verizon.net]

Take a look at dunlaps 1/2 stock fowler kit.It comes in 10 and 12 bore.Its a beauty.That would be a little better in close up situations.And running shots on rabbits.

Thanks tr.  I looked up the site and it appears as if all they offer are Isaac Haines style rifles. Maybe there is another resource for what they have in fowlers but I can not find it. I am not a fan of half stocks and am set on a gun that can be mapped to the F&IW era in general.  Not sure if the Dunap fowler is in that time frame.  But, I did find a post on this site from 2014 and it sure is a fine looking piece.

[Bigmon]

I think Wayne Dunlap offers a smooth bore kit.  If so, he is hard to beat.

Also, I am now starting a Clay Smith kit I bought a couple years ago but just getting to.  It seems ok but I have now found a few things I wish I would have called him about after I recieved it.  But it is too late now.
Yet all in all the parts and work seem pretty good.

I have a 58 cal Oct / Rd smooth barrel I picked up from Ed Rayle that I really wanna get into.  I think that might make a nice smooth bore.

Or, what about a first model Bess kit like TOW has, if ya want something challenging.  Gotta build yer own lock!!

[satwel]

Last year, I built the Chambers English fowler/officer's fusil kit. I'm very happy with how it turned out plus it shoots great. If you are interested in the F&IW, as am I, it's a great choice. It's 20 ga, btw.

[Hungry Horse]

Hey Polecat, while your thinking about what has been suggested, about a 12 gauge, or 10 gauge fowlers,  pick up that big orange dead blow hammer on the bench, and smack yourself firmly on the cheek, just to see if you up to it.

  Hungry Horse

[g2608671@verizon.net]

Hey Polecat, while your thinking about what has been suggested, about a 12 gauge, or 10 gauge fowlers,  pick up that big orange dead blow hammer on the bench, and smack yourself firmly on the cheek, just to see if you up to it.

  Hungry Horse

  How about if I just surprise my former wife with a visit from me and the new girl friend and see if I can handle her reaction?  She has one wicked left hook that I was never able to see coming or quite build up a resistance to.
Going to stick with a 20 gage. 

[bob in the woods]

Like " Satwel "  , I too built the Chamber's Officer's Fusil and it is a wonderful gun. I built it mainly for upland game, and it handles like a dream.  My main gun is the N.E. Fowling gun { Chambers }  in 10 bore.  It is my hunting gun for everything but partridge.

[Mike Brooks]

Hey Polecat, while your thinking about what has been suggested, about a 12 gauge, or 10 gauge fowlers,  pick up that big orange dead blow hammer on the bench, and smack yourself firmly on the cheek, just to see if you up to it.

  Hungry Horse

A correctly built gun won't do that.

[Hungry Horse]

Oh, I forgot that wicked gun building skills negate the laws of physics. My bad.

  Hungry Horse

[Buffaload]

You wont overcome the laws of classical physics my man but you can certainly work with them to your advantage.  Mike is spot on.
Ed

[B.Habermehl]

Having had a 12 bore gun. And didn't find it to my liking as far as my shooting purposes. I since built a 28 bore gun that suits my purposes better. I use mine with shot for bunnies and squirrels and ball for deer. My gun is a type G trade gun with a 46 in Rayl barrel. BJH

[Mike Brooks]

Oh, I forgot that wicked gun building skills negate the laws of physics. My bad.

  Hungry Horse

!@*%&@ straight.

[g2608671@verizon.net]

Oh, I forgot that wicked gun building skills negate the laws of physics. My bad.

  Hungry Horse

!@*%&@ straight.

But doesn't the geometry of the piece itself along with the caliber / bore + load of ball / powder charge and the manner in which the shooter holds the firearm have anything to do with felt recoil?  I mean, do those thing in any way map to the relative skills of the builder in terms of eliminating or reducing / increasing an unwelcome belt in the kisser?  Not trying to start anything here guys; just a newby trying to get edjukated.     E=mc2 

[jerrywh]

   For the record, A gun can be constructed so that a big bore recoil will not be felt in full force by the shooter. I have had guns that almost killed me to shoot them.  I made adjustments to the stock by bending them and reduced the felt recoil by about 50%. You can't take it all out but you sure can reduce it by a lot. There is a huge difference between a well built English 10 gauge and a run of the mill gun.  I'm doing some tweaking on my trade gun as well. At 80 I don't feel like getting beat up anymore.

[bob in the woods]

I have shot 20 bore guns that were much less comfortable than my 10 bore. Stock design is everything.  BTW, the Chambers Officers Fusil in 20 bore is one of the best guns I've ever shot. It handles , and shoots superbly.

[wattlebuster]

When Joe Schell built my 12 ga smooth rifle for me this spring he must have used some of those "Wicked gun building skills" that HH is talking about cause it feels like it has less recoil when shooting a 690 patched ball with 100 gns of Fg than my 54 does with a 80 gn charge. Im just a dumb redneck an know little about stock design but it must have something to do with it being its very obvious recoil wise when I shoot them. Chalk one up for wicked gun building skills