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Been thinking about this quite a bit lately, what would be the best caliber to use for shooting paper targets at 100 yards with a sighted smoothbore. I have a 62 caliber (20 Gauge) Smooth Rifle “Trade Gun”. However, shooting a paper target at 100 yards can be very frustrating. So, thinking about it I would think that smaller caliber’s might have less drop, but are pushed around more by the wind. The bigger calibers more drop, but handle the wind better. I’m a big fan of the 54, and have almost talked myself into that being the best caliber for the job. The biggest problem I’m guessing is the load – Powder, the patch, a wad under the patched ball – a lot of factors that I would think have a bigger effect on ball out of a smooth barrel verse a rifled barrel.
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At Friendship, the offhand guys shooting Smoothbore are in the .40-.50cal range.
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Hi, Chunker, can you also add the type(s) of targets they are poking holes in and the distance(s) at which they are shooting these smoothbores? Also, are they with or without rear sights?
Thanks!
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I'm talking about sighted (front and rear) 100 yard smoothbore at the 200 yard single bull target. Thanks for the info Colton - I've heard that 40 is maybe one of the best paper caliblers in a rifled barrel, didn't know how well it would work out of a smoothbore barrel.
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The theory behind the small caliber smoothbore theory is to make it as similar to an offhand rifle as possible. These are used in the sighted smoothbore matches at Friendship. The Marsh Brothers are some that I know are using these calibers.
Last edited by Chunker119 (2/12/2015 4:40 PM)
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Colton, Thanks - I think I'm going to give a 40 sighted smoothbore a try. I'll start looking for a barrel and see if I can get this put together in the next couple of months.
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