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Mountain Man · Member

Could someone please help me understand the purpose/uses for smooth bore airguns?I know rifling makes greater accuracy.From my understanding,smooth bores are very inaccurate.Im just having a hard time understanding why arent all air rifles rifled.There must be a purpose in this world for smooth bores for companys to keep making them.Guess Im just not smart enough to figure it out.Shooting BBs maybe?Thanks in advance to all that reply Shocked

Legendpilot · Member

I don't own a smoothbore(sb), however it seems that the sb's I've come across doubled as an 'air shotgun' as well. I would imagine an sb would be necessary for a shotgun style application as rifling would serve no purpose, sans slug shot, and probably suffer some type of wear.

Even the inexpensive Crosman and Daisy's that serve up both pellets and bb's posess rifled barrels. Typically pellets are designed to stabilize naturally, but I can't fathom a sb being equal to or better than the accuracy obtained with a rifled barrel.

fritz · Silver Status Member

I know that some BB guns are SB because the BB can't grab the rifling or something of that nature. Roundballs don't really need to be spun by anything, so that also falls into the BB category.

IIRC the Beaumont Odin (big bore) is a SB, because it's a muzzle loader. I don't see why it would be though, since my civil war era blackpowder rifle is a muzzle loader, and has a rifled barrel.

My take on it- If it works who cares if it has a smooth or rifled barrel?

Mountain Man · Member

Thanks for the info.I asked because I was looking at the new Crosman Recruit,wich appears to be an upgraded 66 Powermaster.Just figured they had a specific reason for not adding a rifled barell to the new one.I dont think these are the shotgun type.Oh well,thanks for your time and input Rolling Eyes

Slavia · Moderator

Airgun barrels are milder steel than their powder-burning counterparts, since they don't have near the pressure or heat. The rifling is also much shallower.

Most of the smoothbore guns available (aside from shotguns) are "dual ammunition" - steel BB's or lead pellets. Steel BB's would mess up rifling in no time, so why waste the effort? Sure, there are lead BB's available, but steel is by far more common.

That's my sense of it, anyway.

fritz · Silver Status Member

You should likely save your money instead of buying that. If you want to go for a pumper, get a 1377 (if you like .22 then maybe a 1322 is for you). A refurbished 1377 is only like $30 if you plan to upgrade it and such (save $15 from a new one).

The recruit won't get you far, and won't give you much potential. The 1377 will give you atleast the same amount of power using pellets, it will also be more accurate and after you spend the money (I know you will) to put a steel breech kit, stock, and scope on it.

Mountain Man · Member

Thanks to all Laughing

that was very valuable information from all.Although I am a rookie,I wont be for long if I listen to you guys Mr. Green

fritz · Silver Status Member

Slavia, that reminds me:

When I was a youngster I had some gamo round balls and a red ryder... you can imagine what I did.

The lead balls shot much more accurately than the steel BB's, although they didn't go very far because of their weight.

Slavia · Moderator

fritz · Silver Status Member

I fed them normally, and it worked fine.

kanyon · Silver Status Member

Reduces the MAGNUS EFECT with a round projectal.
A spinning sphere traveling at speed will turn in fight
due to diffrent pressures on each side so redue the spin
and reduce the Magnus efect
Just ask a tennis player/Golfer/ Baseball pitcher/
Soccer player and the list goes on.

HOP UP BB guns use this efect to make the BB rise to increase its range.

Mountain Man · Member

Rogerflat · Silver Status Member

I've only encountered two smooth bore airguns in my life. One was a bb gun, and the other was my Gamo airshotgun. Surprisingly, both shoot normal pellets too. The bb gun was very accurate, but the shotgun not so much.

RedFeather · Member

Usually encountered in cheaper guns. Mine was intended for lead bb's, not steel. Rifling costs money and, as pointed out, shooting steel (copper coated) bb's will wipe the rifling out in short order. If you get one of those Haenel bb trainers, do not use regular bb's in it. The barrel steel is too mild.