Percussion smoothbores?

[ajbruggink]

Hey guys,

I was curious if there are any people out there making smoothbores with percussion cap firing mechanisms? I called 1 company that makes custom traditional muzzleloaders and they said they do not make smoothbores with percussion firing mechanisms because its an issue of safety. They made it sound like the barrels they use aren't strong enough or something like that, and they only offer flintlock smoothbores. I am planning to do more research on the subject, to see if percussion cap firing mechanisms need stronger gun barrels. Not that I don't want to believe them, I just want to learn more about it.

Thanks,
Aaron

[Eric Krewson]

They just didn't want to make one, millions of smooth bore percussion shotguns were made in the latter part of the 19th century both double and single barrel guns. The doubles were just about all hooked breech guns which is very strong.

[Eric Krewson]

Here is one, these are pretty rare but good solid guns if you aren't looking for period correct.

https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/threads/t-c-12-ga-new-englander.120108/

Update; this gun sold quickly.

[Eric Krewson]

Barrels come in four different weights, A, B, C and D. A D weight is going to have thicker metal at the breech than a smaller size.

I built this 12 ga flinter with a D weight barrel and a touch hole liner, I could have just as easily built the same gun with a percussion drum. The lockplate supports the drum on a percussion gun so there is no wear and tear on the drum threads from firing it. Pressures from firing the gun would be the same for the liner or drum.