Smooth rifle question

[Caddo]

Ok guys a friend of mine has what he calls a smooth rifle for sale. Good looking gun, brass mouinted 62 cal with a cheek piece, nose cap, some carving. Nice looking gun also has a Chambers early Virgina lock. He said the builder says it is 1760's time frame. The question I have is this. The barrel is a colarian oct to rouund but it looks like a fowler barrel to me. Would this type of barrel be on a smooth rifle? When I think of a smooth rifle I think of the barrel being thicker on the end by the front sight, more like a octagon barrel that has been bored out. I know they used oct to round barrels but this looks like a shot gun barrel on a rifle. The gun looks like a rifle in every way but I'm not sure about the barrel.

[Kermit]

"Would this type of barrel be on a smooth rifle?"

Short answer: yes.

I have three "OTR" barrels. One is a .62 cal (20 ga) x 44" (Getz) fowling piece--no rear sight. Next is a .50 cal x 46" (Longhammock) smooth rifle--has rifle-type sights. Then there's the .54 cal x 42" (RIFLED Longhammock) obviously with rifle sights. The first has architecture that screams "fowling piece," and both of the other two definitely holler "rifle."

OTR doesn't have to mean smoothbore or a lack of rear sight. The one you are looking at is smooth with sights, right? How's the architecture (other than the barrel)? Look like a rifle? Sometimes hard to tell for some folks, especially early and plain guns. Sounds like there's some carving and other decoration on this gun. I think it qualifies as a "sighted smoothbore" as the NMLRA calls them. Like it? Buy it.

[Caddo]

Yes this gun looks like a rifle in every way, it also has a wooden patchbox I forgot to mention. Incise carving and some relief carving on the butt stock and around the tang. Being an early gun its thicker in the wrist and butt area like a some of the Virgina rifles we see built today. I may be able to talk with the builder and ask him a few questions.  I just wasnt sure about the barrel.

[pathfinder]

What a lot of folk's today are forgetting is the early barrel's were wrought iron,and inheriently soft. When they were "shot out",it would cost @ .50 cent's to ream smooth,or $1.50 to re-rifle. At the ranges we shoot,80-90yd's max,it wasn't worth the extra dough to rifle  the barrel!

 I have a couple of "Smooth Rifles" both built in the Southern Mountain style. 1 is .50 cal,and the other is .40 cal. I'll shoot against anyone with either of these gun's on a wood's walk. Paper target's,not so much. They are VERY good at killin' dinner!(shot OR round ball)!

[Kermit]

I had a goal of getting a .50 cal smoothrifle with a 50" barrel by my 50th birthday. I missed, but got a .50 smoothie with a 46" barrel by the time I was 60. Close enough.

It's my favorite gun for Upper Left Corner grouse. I used to hunt 'em with a .22, but this is more fun.

When I got the .54 rifle with an OTR barrel, I was flat amazed at how it handles. If you know the difference between a straight and a swamped barrel, going to OTR is even better than swamped! It makes my 42" .54 handle about like a 36" barrel. Part of it may be the stump-cut walnut stock. I think that shaves a little weight from what a maple stock would weigh. Ounces count when  you haul 'em around all day.

Caddo, if you buy that .62, I'm betting you are going to love hunting with it.

[Caddo]

I had a chance to shoulder it a few weeks ago and it really handles nice. My friend is bringing it with him for a hunting trip we are going on this weekend. If it shoots as good as it looks I plan to add it to my gun rack. It has a 44 inch barrel. All my other rifles are 42 inch barrels, couldn't believe how balanced it was.

[Kermit]

Show us some photos when you have a chance. We like that.

[Uncle Russ]

Show us some photos when you have a chance. We like that.

Yep, can't wait!

Those who have never owned or shot a smooth rifle are missing something, as far as I'm concerned.
They are a bit different, but it's a very pleasant difference, not awkward, as one might imagine.
Anyway, Caddo, I'm excited for you.

Uncle Russ...

[Caddo]

[attachment=0:3fngp0b5][/attachment]als gun 007.JPG[/attachment:3fngp0b5][attachment=0:3fngp0b5][/attachment]als gun 007.JPG[/attachment:3fngp0b5][attachment=1:3fngp0b5][/attachment]als gun 006.JPG[/attachment:3fngp0b5][attachment=2:3fngp0b5][/attachment]als gun 001.JPG[/attachment:3fngp0b5]OK it took me awhile but here is a pic or two. I have not bought it yet but I do have it at my house  It is stained with aquafortis really dark, plain maple and the barrel and lock in the white, brass mounted. The builder didn't inlay the trigger guard and you dont see that much on a rifle. I did find one picture of a trigger guard done that way on a rifle from the late 1700's

[Caddo]

[attachment=0:1j8qqdp2][/attachment]als gun 010.JPG[/attachment:1j8qqdp2][attachment=1:1j8qqdp2][/attachment]als gun 004.JPG[/attachment:1j8qqdp2]Here's a couple more

[Kermit]

Now THERE'S an hunting fusil! And I wouldn't worry about that TG. Looks like it was screwed on too, but that won't affect anything but how it looks. If it IS screwed on, it can likely be altered and inlet and pinned. What say you, gunbuilders?

[duca]

Nice! Go for it...

[TinStar]

On another forum I was talking by private message with another member about a smooth rifle he had. It was a Dubbs style w/oct to round tapered barrel in 20 ga. that would shoot 2 3/4 inch groups at fifty yards offhand. Good luck with that nice piece!!

TinStar

[Captchee]

i wouldnt worry about the screwed on TG .
 i have had folks specificly ask for  them to be screwed on vs pinned .

a smooth rifle doesnt just mean a rear sight . i have said it before and ill say it again . many , Many smoothbore had rear sights  or show the signs of once carrying one .
 what makes a smooth rifle also isnt just the barrel . there are original rifles with O to R rifled barrels .
 what makes a smooth rifle is a smoothbore barrel on a rifle stock with rifle hardware .
 it should also be noted that having a cheek piece does not a rifle make . again there are many  original as well as modern smoothbores with  cheek  pieces .
 ask Uncle Russ , he has  such a SXS from the 1930's . or look back at french  smoothbore  hunting guns , many also have cheek pieces or cheek padding

[Kermit]

Good reminders, Cap. One I wish I hadn't sold was a Spanish SxS 16ga. Had a cheekpiece and sling swivels. Can't remember what possessed me to sell it.