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Smoothbores are fun

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BeachBob

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Featuring a .62 smoothie (20ga) of the kind most prevalent in the 18th century.  Fowlers offered both shot and ball, for sustenance, defense, and warfare.   Rifles were definitely around, but not the norm, lots slower to reload and thus much slower rate of fire, and they were more costly.  In fact, for the very most part, rifles weren't allowed in armies, both Colonial and British.  Smoothbores were just more functional for the Colonial farmer, and that was clearly the kind of long gun that shaped our American nation. 

 

A smoothie that had lots of issues required me to do some serious smithing on, and finally the ol' gal came together and offered excellent performance.  Mando soundtrack courtesy of yers truly, background banter courtesy of the New Yawk boyz.  :)

 

 

Edited by BeachBob

The only government I trust is the .45-70

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I sold mine (the one in the video) to a friend, so I need to find another.  For the most part, there are no cheap offshore (Lyman, DGW, Traditions, etc) smoothies and if there were they'd be either not-so-good or all wrong with respects to the build.  I might do a builder's kit from TVM.  I wish Kibler offered a .62 smoothie but his kits only go to .54 or .58 in bore.  It's kinda funny that everyone talks rifles for the 18th century when in reality smoothbores ruled the roost.  They're darned accurate, too!

The only government I trust is the .45-70

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Have a few smoothbores I've hunted with over the past 30yrs.....haven't loaded a ball with a patch in'em  probably since I shot with Charlie Callas back in the mid 90's.....he made me rasp balls for a day then we developed the right powder / ball and that was it......never reloaded faster during a hunt.....try it.

"Law enforcement’ is not something sovereign citizens seize from police officers. It is a societal function that citizens delegate to civil police.

In so doing, we do not abdicate our own sovereignty, nor our duties as citizens. Ultimate responsibility is still ours. When those we hire as our “Protectors” are either unwilling or unable to perform that function at the critical moment, there is no law, nor standard, that says we cannot perform it for ourselves"........ John Farnam.

 

"Gird Your Loins"

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been there and done that with rasped balls, i personally never saw an accuracy benefit.  i cheat with cotton patching saturated with rendered bear oil (my bud kills the bears), but to be "period correct" i'll use flax or paper.  i don't like loading neked balls, leading occurs.

The only government I trust is the .45-70

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Nah, never had a problem with leading, keep'em clean......and the reload rate is rediculous, just ask the deer.....shoot .62cal, .72cal and .75cal......love'em all. my 20ga. loves 70grs, of 2f and a .600 rasped ball.....

Edited by Mr. Bigdeal

"Law enforcement’ is not something sovereign citizens seize from police officers. It is a societal function that citizens delegate to civil police.

In so doing, we do not abdicate our own sovereignty, nor our duties as citizens. Ultimate responsibility is still ours. When those we hire as our “Protectors” are either unwilling or unable to perform that function at the critical moment, there is no law, nor standard, that says we cannot perform it for ourselves"........ John Farnam.

 

"Gird Your Loins"

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Yup.....those balls go bouncin' down the Bbl.....got to love it.

"Law enforcement’ is not something sovereign citizens seize from police officers. It is a societal function that citizens delegate to civil police.

In so doing, we do not abdicate our own sovereignty, nor our duties as citizens. Ultimate responsibility is still ours. When those we hire as our “Protectors” are either unwilling or unable to perform that function at the critical moment, there is no law, nor standard, that says we cannot perform it for ourselves"........ John Farnam.

 

"Gird Your Loins"

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.... and that's how it was also done back in the day - loose balls = fast loads.  speed mattered when lives were on the line and therein was a forte of the smoothie.  spit balls, too - how many could ya mouth at once?  :)

 

getting the smoothie itch.  i might make a trade gun over the winter, haven't done one up in decades.  maple stock, 20ga rice bbl that's OTR, chambers large colonial lock, brass dragon side plate.  neat.

The only government I trust is the .45-70

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Nice.....Chambers offers some nice locks...locks on my 20 and 72 are L&R ...Bbls. are Octo to round / wedding rings....all are custom guns, including my rifles....Bob Roller Locks and Walter Cain triggers....Bill Large Bbls.

Edited by Mr. Bigdeal

"Law enforcement’ is not something sovereign citizens seize from police officers. It is a societal function that citizens delegate to civil police.

In so doing, we do not abdicate our own sovereignty, nor our duties as citizens. Ultimate responsibility is still ours. When those we hire as our “Protectors” are either unwilling or unable to perform that function at the critical moment, there is no law, nor standard, that says we cannot perform it for ourselves"........ John Farnam.

 

"Gird Your Loins"

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jim kibler is making locks now, too.   s'posed to be excellent.  if they're anything like his guns, they'll be top shelf for sure.  L&R makes fine locks as well, i've used more than a few.  their RPL line can make an offshore so-so rifle into a shooter.

 

that's pretty much the thing about trad MLs - either you make one from scratch or some form of a kit, or get one custom made, or buy used ... all American, not offshore for the very most part.

 

i built my kibler colonial .54 with a chambers virginia lock and swamped rice bbl, nicely figured maple stock.  best rifle i ever had, and i've had *many* over the decades.

 

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The only government I trust is the .45-70

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Wow... that's a nice gun....nice job on the patch box and butt plate......also have one .54cal wooden patchbox swamped Bbl..all hand done / engraved by Bill Shipman from Md. ....wish I had pics to send, just a beautiful rifle.

"Law enforcement’ is not something sovereign citizens seize from police officers. It is a societal function that citizens delegate to civil police.

In so doing, we do not abdicate our own sovereignty, nor our duties as citizens. Ultimate responsibility is still ours. When those we hire as our “Protectors” are either unwilling or unable to perform that function at the critical moment, there is no law, nor standard, that says we cannot perform it for ourselves"........ John Farnam.

 

"Gird Your Loins"

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38 mins ago, BeachBob said:

 

i built my kibler colonial .54 with a chambers virginia lock and swamped rice bbl, nicely figured maple stock.  best rifle i ever had, and i've had *many* over the decades.

 

 

 

3bWwLhe.jpg

 

aU9MDeK.jpg

That is one gorgeous rifle, you did great work. I'd be worried to take it out in the field for fear of dinging it up.

 

 "I started out with nothing and I still have most of it"

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It's what gives'em character........

"Law enforcement’ is not something sovereign citizens seize from police officers. It is a societal function that citizens delegate to civil police.

In so doing, we do not abdicate our own sovereignty, nor our duties as citizens. Ultimate responsibility is still ours. When those we hire as our “Protectors” are either unwilling or unable to perform that function at the critical moment, there is no law, nor standard, that says we cannot perform it for ourselves"........ John Farnam.

 

"Gird Your Loins"

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Very nice!

The village, which had stood for maybe 1,000 years, didn't know we were coming that day. If they had, they would have run. boB was at the eye of our rage. And through him, our Captain Ahab. He would set things right again. That day, we loved him.

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