.69 cal. smoothbore musket for shotgun use

trebor2880

trebor2880

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I've only come across 1 BP shotgun repro, and it was over a grand.
Any reason why one could not use a .69 cal. smoothbore musket, for shotgun use?
Not for serious hunting. I just got a hankerin' to feel like Dan'l Boone.:)
Anyone know who sells BP shotguns?
 
I twas thinking of something similar, however i was going to have a rifled barrel reamed out. I was told this is not a good idea it makes the barrel too thin. Also the stock may not be well designed for use as a shotgun. But give it a shot, use cardboard wads a little bigger than the bore, if you have shot great. If not, hammer a round ball flat and cut it into about equal strips about as wide as it is thick, then cut the strips into squares and voila, authentic civil war squirrel-squirrel shot. Remember to start with a light load, and about as much powder as shot. Also, use a cardboard wad on top of the powder, and place it firmly against the load, as you would with a ball, and the load the shot, then the over-shot wad. Have fun, be careful and let me know how it goes.
 
skokie said:
I twas thinking of something similar, however i was going to have a rifled barrel reamed out. I was told this is not a good idea it makes the barrel too thin. Also the stock may not be well designed for use as a shotgun. But give it a shot, use cardboard wads a little bigger than the bore, if you have shot great. If not, hammer a round ball flat and cut it into about equal strips about as wide as it is thick, then cut the strips into squares and voila, authentic civil war squirrel-squirrel shot. Remember to start with a light load, and about as much powder as shot. Also, use a cardboard wad on top of the powder, and place it firmly against the load, as you would with a ball, and the load the shot, then the over-shot wad. Have fun, be careful and let me know how it goes.
Click to expand...

Thank-you.
Great info.
 
Or you could buy one of these for $400.Smooth bore 65 cal enfield copy,with swivel ramrod.Or you could try and find a TC New Englander 12ga shotgun,though they can be hard to come by I found one last week.

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A 12 gauge is actually .729" and a 16 is .662". What you're looking at with a .69 musket is a 14, which is theoretically .693". Three thou doesn't even matter.

Ounce and an eighth of lead shot and an equal volume of powder, gas-wad between them and a top wad to keep things from dribbling out..... and you're ready to go.

It'll work.

Just be sure to have fun.
.
 
trebor2880 said:
I've only come across 1 BP shotgun repro, and it was over a grand.
Any reason why one could not use a .69 cal. smoothbore musket, for shotgun use?
Anyone know who sells BP shotguns?
Click to expand...

There are modern replica percussion double barreled shotguns on the EE from time to time and usually run around $6-700. In this area you can buy original single and double barreled shotguns for $300 - $600 at gun shows. Finally there are modern replica flintlock trade guns and fowlers in 20 guage for $700 - 900 second hand and around $900 - 1000 new. Also Bess copies in roughly that price range
If you are buying a flintlock gun, do not buy a cheap one; they usually have cheap locks and are nothing but frustration.

cheers mooncoon
 
A wise man once told me "it is all about the lock, don't go cheap".
mooncoon said:
There are modern replica percussion double barreled shotguns on the EE from time to time and usually run around $6-700. In this area you can buy original single and double barreled shotguns for $300 - $600 at gun shows. Finally there are modern replica flintlock trade guns and fowlers in 20 guage for $700 - 900 second hand and around $900 - 1000 new. Also Bess copies in roughly that price range
If you are buying a flintlock gun, do not buy a cheap one; they usually have cheap locks and are nothing but frustration.

cheers mooncoon
Click to expand...
 
trebor2880 said:
I've only come across 1 BP shotgun repro, and it was over a grand.
Any reason why one could not use a .69 cal. smoothbore musket, for shotgun use?
Not for serious hunting. I just got a hankerin' to feel like Dan'l Boone.:)
Anyone know who sells BP shotguns?
Click to expand...

The dual use that you are thinking of is the whole reason that smoothbores lasted right up to the cartridge era.

One gun and as many different loads as you want to dream up for every possible use from the duck pond to knocking a bear off the hen house to the battlefield. Throw down a ball then a handful of shot and you are ready for any critter that you come across.

I know a few guys that can shoot trap pretty effectively with the same musket that can ring a lot of gongs on the trail walk.
 
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