Smoothbore hunting weapons: tips for choosing
The question of how to choose a smooth-bore hunting weapon interests many people who hunt. There are different types of such weapons, and therefore it is sometimes extremely difficult to choose the right one the first time. Before making your choice, you must obtain the appropriate permit, hunting license, and also familiarize yourself with the safety rules.
Firearms
Smoothbore hunting weapon
Considering all types of hunting weapons, the first place in terms of number, of course, is smooth-bore hunting weapons. The smooth barrel of this weapon does not have internal rifling and the cartridges are fed into the chamber either automatically (for self-loading shotguns), or from the gun magazine by manual reloading, or each time they are inserted into the chamber by the hunter himself before firing.
Smooth-bore hunting weapons are intended mainly for shooting buckshot or shot, which is why they are called shotguns. You can also shoot bullets from shotguns, but, compared to rifled weapons, their firing distance is much shorter (a shot charge is usually up to 50 m, a bullet charge is usually no more than 100 m).
Types of hunting weapons with a smooth barrel:
- Single-barreled, single-shot.
- Double-barreled with horizontal or vertical trunks.
- Single-barreled multi-charged (manually reloaded).
- Single-barrel, semi-automatic, multi-shot.
Single-barreled, single-shot
This is the simplest and lightest smooth-bore hunting weapon designed for hunting small animals and birds. These guns have a folding barrel and have a number of advantages: they are simple, reliable, light in weight and low in cost. Various modifications are produced with different calibers: 12, 16, 20, 28, 32 and 410.
Double-barreled with horizontal or vertical trunks
This smoothbore hunting weapon is the most popular among hunters. It is capable of firing two shots in a row without reloading with identical or differently loaded cartridges, and can also fire a double shot.
“Horizontal” is a classic smooth-bore hunting weapon, on which the barrels are installed along one horizontal axis, one next to the other. Produced in almost all arms factories in the world. The triggers are external (old classic design) or internal (modern design), the main gauges are 12 and 16.
“Vertical” is a later and, today, the most popular hunting weapon. Due to the arrangement of the barrels on the same vertical axis, it has certain advantages when shooting. For most hunters, a vertical gun is more convenient for shooting and more compact. Large selection of calibers: 12 16, 20, 32 and 410.
Single-barreled multi-shot
Multi-shot hunting rifles are the next evolutionary step in the development of smooth-bore hunting weapons. They significantly increase the rate of fire due to their multiple charges, thanks to the available box-shaped removable or special cylindrical-type under-barrel magazine (guns with this type of magazine are called pump-action due to the similarity of hand movements when operating a manual pump-action pump and when jerking the fore-end of the gun for reloading). Of particular interest are rare examples with a drum-type magazine (see below).
The significant capacity of cartridges in the magazine, convenience, simplicity and compactness (some models are made without a stock) made this shotgun extremely popular. Disadvantages of this weapon: when the bolt is jerked, the barrel of the gun goes astray from the aiming line; lack of choice of firing a cartridge with other equipment; high requirements for the quality of the cartridge (otherwise distortions may occur during reloading).
Single-barrel, semi-automatic, multi-charged (recharged automatically due to the powder gases released during firing)
Today, this weapon is the fastest-firing among smoothbore guns and is considered the most advanced. Thanks to its rate of fire, it can be used for almost any type of hunting. However, this weapon also has all the disadvantages of simple repeating shotguns.
Some tips on selecting weapons at the start of a hunting career can be found in the article “Weapons for the novice hunter.”
Rifled hunting weapon
Considering various types of hunting weapons, it should be noted that rifled hunting weapons allow you to set a firing range of up to two kilometers, unthinkable for a smooth-bore weapon. This type of hunting weapon is intended for hunting medium and large animals (boar, deer, bear), because The effective firing range of shotguns, even with bullets, is a maximum of 100 meters, and this distance is clearly not enough for this hunt.
The design of the helical rifling inside the barrel, which gives the bullet a rotational movement, gave the weapon its name - a rifle. Carbine is the name given to popular variants with a shortened barrel.
Types of hunting weapons with a rifled barrel:
- Single shot
- Multi-charged with manual reloading
- Multi-charger with automatic recharge
- Double-barreled shotguns with rifled barrels
Single shot carbines and rifles
Most hunters consider this weapon obsolete, but there are connoisseurs who consider this statement to be unfair. These are, first of all, participants in elite hunting for lions, elephants, etc. The large caliber and significant charge energy make it possible to obtain a large stopping effect of the bullet. In addition, a significant firing distance makes it possible to safely reload the weapon.
Repeating rifles with manual reloading
This weapon is, of course, more convenient. In case of a miss, the hunter can quickly reload the rifle and fire again. The most famous among these weapons in our country, I think, is the Mosin rifle of the 1891 model (the famous “three-line”). Until now, this famous rifle faithfully serves hunters throughout our vast Motherland.
The need to manually reload a rifle sometimes deprives the hunter of those precious seconds that would allow him to fire a control shot. This is shown in the following video.
Repeating rifles are produced all over the world, have a lot of varieties and modifications, are widespread and deservedly in demand.
Multi-shot carbines with automatic reloading
In this weapon, reloading occurs due to the removal of powder gases. The rate of fire increases sharply, which becomes an undeniable advantage during driven hunting. In addition, in the event of a sudden meeting in the taiga, for example, with a bear, this weapon gives the hunter much greater chances of emerging victorious.
One of the main disadvantages of this weapon is the increased consumption of ammunition. In the excitement of the hunt, the hunter, often due to the quality of his aim, shoots up the entire magazine, surprised that it was empty so quickly. This happens to both beginners and experienced hunters.
Double-barreled shotguns with rifled barrels
This is a rather rare type of hunting weapon, but it also has its adherents - lovers of hunting fashion who value the simplicity and convenience of a double-barreled shotgun. Main advantages: the ability to fire two shots without reloading with no risk of the cartridge jamming, simplicity, reliability and a fairly low price.
Combined hunting weapon
This is a group of guns whose design attempts to combine shotgun and slug weapons into one. This is an actively developing area of hunting weapons production throughout the world.
Double-barreled (with one smooth and one rifled barrel), three-barreled (with two smooth and one rifled or vice versa) and even four-barreled (with two smooth and two rifled) guns are produced.
Three- and four-barreled guns have not become widespread, because... the excess weight is compensated by shortened barrels (which affects the external ballistic characteristics of the guns), and the significant complication of the trigger mechanisms leads to a significant increase in the price of the weapon.
Double-barreled shotguns are widespread all over the world and their production is only growing from year to year, new modifications with various combinations of barrels are appearing, and models with magazine-fed cartridges are appearing.
Drilling trunks
The drilling that a smooth-bore weapon has is one of the key points, you should definitely pay attention to it.
- a cylinder is a smooth trunk that has no narrowings;
- payday - towards the end of the trunk its diameter narrows;
- choke - the diameter of the barrel narrows more strongly.
The cylinder is the best type of barrel for shooting slugs. When using shot, it gives the greatest spread, while choke, on the contrary, provides maximum accuracy. Pay, accordingly, is an intermediate option.
There is no clear answer to the question of which gun is better - the choice of drilling barrels depends on the preparation of the hunter. Good shooters can use shotguns with any barrel. If you are a novice hunter, a double-barreled shotgun with a cylinder in the lower (right) barrel and a trigger in the upper (left) is more suitable for you. When using a choke by an inexperienced shooter, the hit rate will most likely be too low.
Hunting air gun
In the world, especially in the USA, this type of weapon is very popular and its popularity is growing from year to year. They hunt bison, wild boars and other large animals with it, while the caliber reaches 12.7 mm and the muzzle energy is 1000 J.
In our country, according to existing legislation, the upper limit of the muzzle energy of pneumatic hunting weapons is only 25 J, which allows hunting only game birds and small animals. This significantly reduces the spread of this type of weapon in our country and its popularity among hunters is extremely low.
Caliber
For hunting, smoothbore shotguns of caliber from 410 to 4 are used - the higher the number, the smaller the charge size. The most popular include:
- 28 gauge - suitable for hunting martens and squirrels;
- 22 caliber weapon - can be used for fishing in the mountains, for hunting gophers, martens, hare and wolves;
- 16 gauge - will perform well when hunting partridges, pheasants and woodcocks;
- With a 12 gauge shotgun you can kill ducks, geese and other game of similar sizes.
When using small-caliber smoothbore guns, you can significantly save on gunpowder and shot. At the same time, it is more difficult to shoot game with such weapons. Therefore, it makes sense for beginners to use hunting rifles of larger calibers. Small-caliber smooth-bore guns are best suited for those who shoot at stationary game and for whom it is important to preserve its skin.
Most hunters prefer to use 12 gauge - it allows you to successfully solve most problems and is considered the most versatile.
Hunting throwing weapon
The history of human development is inextricably linked with the production and improvement of throwing weapons. These were the simplest stones and sticks, later knives, darts and spears, boomerangs, slings, bows and crossbows appeared. When considering the types of hunting weapons, this topic cannot be ignored.
As you know, throwing weapons are divided into two large groups:
1) a weapon that is a projectile and hits a target through the use of human muscular power;
2) a weapon in the form of a special device that hits a target with a projectile, while the weapon itself remains in place.
In this section we are interested in the second group, which is still quite actively (although considered exotic) used for hunting purposes. These are crossbows and bows. Let's take a brief look at these types of hunting weapons.
Crossbow
Modern crossbows have a reliable and simple design, and the use of new materials significantly reduces weight and increases their strength. Crossbows for hunting are divided into two types according to their power: classic (have s-shaped shoulders) and block crossbows.
Classic crossbows
Crossbows of this type are the most popular because... They are light in weight, highly durable, easy to operate, and have high accuracy. Well suited for hunting small and medium-sized animals - from marmot and hare to roe deer and gilt.
Compound crossbows
This is a weapon for a large animal. The great force of the shot knocks down both the elk and the cleaver. The main disadvantage is the heavy weight (3.5 - 4 kg). During walking hunting, this is felt very quickly, so block crossbows are used, mainly when hunting from ambush, where the weight of the weapon does not matter.
Onion
This is the oldest weapon of a hunter and, considering various types of hunting weapons, it should be placed in first place, as the ancestor of all hunting weapons.
The bow is almost silent and has very high destructive power. The bow has always been the weapon of strong men, but modern technologies and materials now allow women to handle these weapons just as well as men. To date, this is the least productive weapon, but this is where its charm lies.
There are three types of bows:
1) simple;
2) compound (complex);
3) block.
Simple bow
It is very simple in nature, but extremely difficult to operate. It is made as tall or slightly smaller. Basically, such bows are made independently. Due to its large size, it is inconvenient for hunting and transportation.
Compound bow
This bow is much more effective than the previous one. It is prefabricated and consists of three parts: the central part (kibit), to which arcs with curved ends are attached, significantly increasing the power of the shot. This bow is highly effective in hunting.
Compound Bow
This is the most effective and powerful bow with a very high firing speed. It does not require much physical effort when pulling the bowstring, has an increased combat range, but has one significant drawback - its high price.
So, in this article we have examined almost all currently popular types of hunting weapons. In future articles we will look at each of them in more detail.
Some tips on selecting weapons at the start of a hunting career can be found in the article “Weapons for the novice hunter.”
Reloading methods
Depending on the loading method, there are four types of smoothbore shotguns:
- turning points;
- semi-automatic;
- automatic.
Which smoothbore weapon should you choose for hunting? The most popular are fracture models. They are simple, reliable, durable and, if you have a certain skill, very easy to use. Even if a weapon breaks, you can quite easily repair it yourself, which cannot be said about automatic and semi-automatic weapons.
The semi-automatic shotgun is equipped with a magazine that can hold several rounds. After firing, it is necessary to jerk the bolt in order to send the next cartridge into the chamber.
Automatic shotguns also have a multi-round magazine. When fired, the next charge is sent into the chamber due to the energy of the powder gases, and no special actions are required from the shooter.
This is quite convenient, but one must keep in mind that using part of the powder gases to deliver the cartridge makes the weapon’s fire weaker.
A repeating rifle for hunting may seem like a great option, especially for beginners. However, in reality this is not entirely true. For an inexperienced hunter, the ability to fire several shots at once is unlikely to help, while for an experienced hunter, one or two charges are almost always enough.
Recommendations
In order for a tool to serve for a long time and reliably, it must be properly used and stored. Unlike rifled counterparts, smooth-bore models require regular cleaning. Before long-term storage, the implement must be lubricated with special oil and stored in a dry place. Compliance with the rules of operation and maintenance guarantees successful hunting, preservation of prey in marketable condition, and the safety of the shooter.
Historical facts
The first versions of military and hunting rifles were smoothbore. During the shot, the charge was ejected using powder gases from the barrel channel. The quality and accuracy left much to be desired. This is largely due to the lack of appropriate manufacturing technologies that could ensure the production of charges and barrels of the same size.
Firing was not accurate, and the range of the bullet was not at the highest level. The first muskets, arquebuses and arquebuses were inferior in basic parameters to crossbows and bows, especially in terms of rate of fire and range of hitting the target.
It is believed that the first examples of rifled weapons appeared back in 1498 in Leipzig or Vienna. The ammunition had to be loaded using a hammer. Such versions did not gain much popularity. The most successful model at that time with a threaded barrel was created in the 30s of the 19th century by Berner. In Russia, similar weapons appeared at the end of the 17th century, and in 1856 the modification was given the name “rifle.”
Options with rifled barrels began to be actively used during the American Civil War (60s of the 19th century). For a long time, the leading position was occupied by smooth-bore modifications. Over the years, the charging system and barrel configuration have been improved, and accuracy and ballistics have increased. And all this is in the sphere of army units. The use of hunting smoothbore rifles for their intended purpose remained unrivaled.
Rifled self-loading samples
Self-loading smooth-bore analogues have become direct competitors to rifled hunting rifles. To recharge, they use energy from exhaust gases or recoil. Similar modifications include Saiga-12 and Remington 11-87. Unlike pump-action analogues, self-loading shotguns have less recoil, which has a positive effect on aiming accuracy. Another advantage is a good rate of fire, which increases the effectiveness of fire at a short distance.
But self-loading versions are not widely used among hunters. This is due to the complexity of operation and unreliable design. Such a system was better suited to army needs. It was also not possible to successfully combine both designs. Such modifications were heavy and expensive. Models are used in limited quantities for sport shooting and home self-defense.
Pump modifications
The pump-action rifle configuration features a handguard that must be moved forward/backward to reload. Winchesters have become popular not only among hunters, but also in police units. High lethal and tactical performance made the shotgun almost the most popular option among smooth-bore civilian weapons used in the United States.
Hunting rifles of this type have a convenient loading unit and have significant firepower. The first breakthrough in their category was made by hard drives of the 1897 model. They specifically pushed aside their double-barreled counterparts. This became possible thanks to the high performance parameters of the new samples.
The shotgun appeared in almost the same form in combat. For example, the Winchester M1897 modification was adopted by the US Army during the First World War. This model served as the prototype for many smoothbore hunting rifles.
Disadvantages and advantages
Compared to rifled weapons, smooth-bore weapons:
- shorter sighting range (up to 70 m for shot and buckshot, up to 150 m for a bullet);
- the weight of the weapon itself and the dimensions of the cartridges are greater;
- less magazine capacity and, accordingly, less portable ammunition.
Smooth-bore weapons can boast of:
360
rounds per minute - rate of fire of a gun
- rate of fire (automatic shotguns can fire 360 rounds per minute!);
- abundance of equipment: for example, hunting pistols, in addition to ordinary shot and buckshot, use rubber bullets, gas grenades, “knock-out” cartridges for doors and windows, signal (also known as lighting) and even electric shock cartridges;
- ease of obtaining a license and purchasing.
general information
Today, the types of weapons under consideration are among the most common in the field of social and civilian use. This category includes single-barreled and double-barreled hunting rifles, pistols, and pneumatic analogues.
Similar weapons are used by police and special paramilitary units, but their main purpose is hunting. Unlike older modifications, such models are not charged through the barrel, but are equipped with an ignition device and are characterized by high levels of practicality and efficiency.
Gun weight
When choosing, you need to pay attention to the weight. A lightweight hunting rifle will be comfortable to carry over a long day. It’s good if the weapon weighs no more than 3-3.5 kg. It is generally accepted among professional athletes that the weight of a weapon should be 22 times less than the shooter’s body weight.
However, at the same time, one must keep in mind that heavy weapons are much better suited for powerful charges. In addition, when using light-weight reinforced charges in a smooth-bore shotgun, recoil increases and the gun wears out faster.
Varieties
All hunting rifles (photos can be seen above) today are divided into classes according to the following parameters:
- absence or presence of a removable magazine (single-shot, automatic, self-loading type);
- type of clip (tubular, under-barrel, box-shaped);
- reloading method (barrel fracture, longitudinally sliding device, self-loading mechanism, revolving method).
