Which Smoothbore do I get?
 

I'm wanting to get either a 1766 Charlottesville Musket or a Northwest Trade Gun this next year, but I don't know what one to get. Which ever one I get will be used for hunting and rendezvous.

Charlottesville Musket I like the barrel bands for ease of removing the barrel for cleaning.

NWTG I like for it's blued/browned barrle and lock.

I've always liked the looks of the trade guns and I think they would be better suited for hunting than a military musket. I would go with a .62 caliber which is pretty close to 20 gauge. Just my $.02

BPS

I was reading on smoothbores at Tennessee Valley Muzzleloading. They make an actual shotgun (for hunting, target shooting, etc) barrel in I believe it was 20 gauge. It id listed as a 20 gauge FOWLER. I was actually researching a .62 caliber RIFLE not a smoothbore. In the description they bragged about how well the shotgun barrel grouped. with both ball and shot and it only comes in 20 gauge.

I had smoothbores before and could never make them shoot ball real well unless you were talking short range. 40 steps was the best I could do with the GMB smoothbore. I have a 12 gauge T/C New Englander that shoots bird shot real well. And it is a blast to hunt with.

As for cleaning, even the pinned rifles are not that bad. Plug the touch hole with a tooth pick. Pour some dish water in it. Let that sit for a while down in the chamber bore. Then I add a little more and start to tip the rifle back and fourth to run that dish water through the bore. Pour that out and then swab the bore clean. After that, oil the bore.

I never said the Trade Gun was a rifle. They are offered by different manufacturers and one of the most common is 20 gauge as they will accommodate a .62 caliber ball. I believe they're all open-choked smoothbores able to use ball or shot.


http://www.northstarwest.com/product...west-trade-gun


BPS

Thanks everyone for the replies. Keep'em coming.

Let's back up, you want to reenact, who are you??? Where did you come from??? Do you know a trade??? Are you married??? Are you in transition or moving to a new area of this new country??? Establish your persona first, then go from there...

Now, for the most authentic flintlocks from the Colonial Period you need to go to Jim Chamber's website... www.flintlocks.com

No need to remove the barrel to clean a flinter, you risk damaging the stock or tang by doing so, better to clean while in the stock... ;)

What say ye?... I remove the barrel every time I clean one of my T/C flinters! :lolabove:

BPS

Hooked breech - remove the barrel for cleaning.

Pinned barrel - as a general rule do not remove the barrel routine cleaning. Maybe take it out every year or two to check for rust. A good heavy coat of wax on the underside of the barrel will usually prevent any problems.

I know Bud, I know... just bein' a wizeazz!! :biggrin:

BPS