Smooth Bore rifles ? Any thoughts

Zxthinger · 01-02-2021 02:03PM #1

Has anyone information on this subject as regards the rules and the possibility of having a smooth bore firearm.
I have often heard of smooth bore air rifles but what about a 22lr.

I suppose that I was just toying with the idea of rat shot for shed based pests and the idea struck me a possibility..

Any thoughts

Regards Zxthinger

Cass · 01-02-2021 03:36PM

There should be no issue getting one as you'd license it like any other gun, but other than rat shot, which can be used in a rifled rifle, i fail to see the need for a smooth bore rifle as it'd be useless after a very short distance.

Feisar · 01-02-2021 03:37PM

I thought you could and googled it there to confirm, you can run them shot shells through a rifled barrel. Now having said that I wouldn't fire them from anything too upmarket.

Edit - beaten to the punch

clivej · 01-02-2021 03:49PM

Ratshot I used was only good at a max of 10y, about 11 pellets on an A4 size of paper. Shot with a CZ 452.

Zxthinger · 01-02-2021 10:35PM

The rifling spins them out of the barrel, also the brass omes that we get here, open they crimped heads out grab the throat in the chamber.. and need help being extracted..

In older smaller out houses which have have slate roofs.. That where I use them.
I have a 22lr with a switch barrel and thought about securing a smooth bore configuration with no chamber to speak of..
In theory a 17 cal barrel or 20cal barrel could de-rifled and made to suit.

I don't think that there are too many making smooth bore 22lr barrels..

Anyway, as usual it's fun to talk about it..

meathstevie · 01-02-2021 10:53PM

If it’s a low powered rim fire smoothbore you’re after the old 9mm Flobert garden shotguns were the job for indoors pest shooting. Don’t expect to be very effective on the likes of a rat over a distance of more than a few meters.

Zxthinger · 02-02-2021 12:06AM

9mm.. even I'm a flobert configuration they'd be restricted..

JP22 · 02-02-2021 01:05AM

Zxthinger wrote: »

9mm.. even I'm a flobert configuration they'd be restricted..

Yes indeed, Flobert actions and rook rifles were extremely popular across the EU in days gone by, now most EU countries require a license for them.

As Dillon said, the times they are a changing, not for the better I should add.

meathstevie · 02-02-2021 04:50AM

Zxthinger wrote: »

9mm.. even I'm a flobert configuration they'd be restricted..

It’s a smoothbore, most often a single shot bolt action small shotgun.

If you would take case diameter as a caliber designation (.410 shotguns I know do exactly that ) for shotguns a 12g would be around a .70 or 18mm.

Restrictions applicable to rifles wouldn’t apply as it’s not a rifle. What would be restricted for them would be the little slugs. They look like a 00 buckshot pellet crimped on a nail gun case.

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Smooth Bore rifles ? Any thoughts

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