Smooth bore 22 rifles for indoor shoots

[71silverbullet]

Here locally there have been several indoor 22 shoots firing bird shot.
I enjoy this and so do my kids, I would like to find a very high quality best shooting smooth bore 22 rifle.. OR can a rifled 22 be bored out smooth, and what is the best rifle to bore out? If so who does this kind of work preferrable in southern indiana or louisville ky area. I would rather do this ftf but would ship out if necessary.

 

[6birds]

Why do you want the smooth bore? You can shoot #12 shot out of a rifled barrel just fine.

 

[sloughfoot]

Interesting post. I have never heard of this. What do you shoot at?

I and lots of folks turn toward the 50 foot smallbore range in the winter, but we are trying to shoot very small targets from 4 positions with 22 target rifles.

The old saying is; "the road to 1000 yards begins at 50 feet".

Regards...

 

[DeadeyeChrista'sdad]

IF you're referring to a 6mm garden gun,... GB has a few.

Warnant Garden Gun 6mm Flobert Smoothbore C&R : Curios and Relics at GunBroker.com

 

[chuckp]

Why do you want the smooth bore? You can shoot #12 shot out of a rifled barrel just fine.

I was under the impression that if you shoot shot out of a rifled barrel that it spins the shot and when it leaves the barrel it expands in to a donut pattern. It makes the pattern larger very fast compared to a smooth bore gun.

My smooth bore 22 has a nice removable "choke" that I can replace with a rifled "choke"" that allows me to shoot regular 22lr. Its great for shooting japanese beetles and wood boring bees.

Chuck

 

[1946]

Its great for shooting japanese beetles and wood boring bees.

Chuck

I'll definitely agree with this! If you want some tricky on the wing shots, try shooting the wood boring bees in flight.

 

[dice dealer]

About the best guns you can find for the indoor shoots is an old remington 510 or a 514 ....awsome smooth bore .22's
and probably what alot of the old guys are usung at the indoor shoot your going to ..

 

[451_Detonics]

Or you could find a new production Remington 572...I use this one for wing shooting Cicada Killers at my local range. Pattern much better with the cheap Winchester crimped shells than it does with the encapsulated CCI rounds.

 

[71silverbullet]

Why do you want the smooth bore? You can shoot #12 shot out of a rifled barrel just fine.

Yes rifled barrels are capable of shooting bird shot, but nothing even close to consistently. We are talking about shooting for money, winning $40 every thime you pull the trigger, and pulling the trigger 20 to 30 times in a shoot.
They shoot indoors at paper targets about 15 feet away, closest to the center wins. The shots frequently are judged with magnifing glasses, they can be very close.
You might get lucky once in a while with a rifled barrel but you aint gonna win often.

 

[451_Detonics]

Any gunsmith set up to reline 22 barrels should be able to smoothbore one for you, not too sure how the over bore would pattern. I don't know if smoothbore liner are available.

 

[Shootin'IN]

Any gunsmith set up to reline 22 barrels should be able to smoothbore one for you, not too sure how the over bore would pattern. I don't know if smoothbore liner are available.

But most of the time the rules state Stock barrels, no alterations.

 

[bstewrat3]

Winchester made the Model 67 in a smooth bore variant but they bring a premium. If you can use custom any of the barrel makers should be able to make the barrel you need by just selling it after polishing the bore and before rifling.

 

[Chance]

Marlin

Marlin Model Mark I G is a smoothbore .22 bolt action. I own one and it was very reasonable to buy, $125-150.

 

[Claddagh]

Many years ago when I was a Boy Scout we used a sort of .22 RF "Mini-Trap" system to learn and practice wingshooting skills. IIRC, it was made by Mossberg, although I also recall that most all of the major U.S. manufacturers seemed to produce at least a model or two of a "garden gun" .22 RF smoothbore.

Very challenging game as I remember, and great fun.

 

[IndianaGTI]

I was under the impression that if you shoot shot out of a rifled barrel that it spins the shot and when it leaves the barrel it expands in to a donut pattern. It makes the pattern larger very fast compared to a smooth bore gun.

My smooth bore 22 has a nice removable "choke" that I can replace with a rifled "choke"" that allows me to shoot regular 22lr. Its great for shooting japanese beetles and wood boring bees.

Chuck

That happens with shotgun shells because the shot is contained in a wadding and spins with the rifling. That causes the shot to be slung in a wide pattern quickly. I have never seen a .22 shotshell with the shot wrapped in a wadding.

Also, remember that the weapon you are describing is a shotgun. You need an 18" barrel and not a 16" as allowed for a rifle. If the barrel is less than 18" and has a smoothbore, it is a Sawed Off shotgun in Indiana!

And yes, that is my opinion!