For many years now, a smoothbore hunting rifle has been the most popular type of weapon used for hunting around the world. This is explained by the versatility and effectiveness of such weapons, simple operation and comparatively simple obtaining permission. When choosing a hunting rifle – whether it be a single or double-barreled shotgun, a semiautomatic device or a popovik, you need to focus on its applicability, weight, range and lethal force.
Hunting as a profession for several decades has significantly lost ground. Not so many places in nature have been preserved in the world where the shooting of wild animals and birds at the commercial level is officially permitted. But amateur hunting is again becoming popular, including in Russia.
It is not worth talking about the inhabitants of the taiga in the Russian provinces, the Far East and the Far North as hunters-lovers, since the guys from 14 to 15 years old have excellent command of hunting weapons and know the intricacies of hunting. But city dwellers who have visited such places and tried hunting, are part of the taste of this fascinating real male entertainment.
Having been on a real hunt, just for fun, at least once, 99 out of 100 people next year decide to devote their vacation to not aimless wallowing on any beach in Egyptian Hurghada or Turkish Antalya, namely on hunting, even if it’s far from comfortable conditions, but at the same time in nature and in the company of new friends who are equally obsessed with hunting passion.
If beginners at first usually use a gun borrowed by more experienced friends, then by the next season everyone is trying to get hold of their hunting weapons. And the question naturally arises before him – which gun to buy. In this case, few people use the advice of friends and acquaintances of hunters. More often they both praise the gun that they own. Sales consultants in stores selling weapons for the most part amateurs themselves who know the guns that are sold according to the instructions attached to the gun. Many of them themselves kept the hunting rifle only in the store, and how often it bears and what advantages and disadvantages it has in practice, often only a few know. Therefore, it is for people who want to buy their first gun, we offer this brief overview of smooth-bore hunting rifles, which you can purchase at hunting and sports stores.
Naturally, a beginner has a question: why is a smoothbore, and not rifled or combined, with smooth and rifled trunks? A smoothbore is a universal shotgun that can be used to shoot as a shot, from a small snipe to a buckshot, and a bullet. This makes it possible to hunt all kinds of game with this gun. Moreover, when shooting with a shot, its scatter ensures defeat even if the shot was fired not exactly “at the bull’s eye, but at the” target area “, especially at a moving target. When firing a bullet, the caliber of which is much larger than that of a rifled gun, the defeat of even a large beast, with a successful hit, is guaranteed. Moreover, many modern smoothbore hunting rifles can be used with special rifled inserts of the barrel, providing greater lethal force and accuracy. In addition, these guns can be used with optical sights.
All smoothbore hunting rifles vary in barrel diameter, i.e. in caliber. In Russia, hunting rifles of five calibers are now being produced: 12th, 16th, 20th, 28th and 32nd calibers. The smaller the number, the larger the diameter of the barrel.
The most common for amateur hunting is 16 and 12 gauge. Shotguns of this caliber have good range and lethal force. In addition, for these calibers on sale there are always various ammunition. It must be borne in mind that the larger the caliber, the greater the charge and gunpowder and shot, and as a result they have more recoil when fired.
The trunks of hunting rifles vary in magnitude of the narrowing of the barrel, which is commonly called chock narrowing. This form of the barrel allows you to increase the accuracy of the dispersion fraction. The larger the narrowing, the more closely the fraction falls. As narrowing, the trunks come in five varieties: strong choke “T” narrowing 1.25 mm, improved choke 3/4 “IM” narrowing 0.75 mm, payoff “M” narrowing 0.5 mm, a quarter of the “IC” narrowing 0.25 mm and cylinder “C” narrowing 0.0 mm.
There is still a difference in the shape, size and material of the box. The best is considered a common wooden box made of walnut. The ideal option is the manufacture of custom-made stocks for the size of the hands individually for each hunter. When buying a gun, be sure to check the applicability of the gun. This is done by throwing the gun at the ready. If the bed is suitable for size, then when throwing it, it falls to the shoulder so that you do not have to reach with your hands to the trigger or vice versa unnecessarily bend your hands. The butt should have a lateral bend that does not bend the neck for aiming. Keep in mind that for lefties shooting from the left shoulder, the lateral branch must be left. A shotgun is considered to be applied, in the case when from it in the shortest possible time, on a vskidku, it is possible to produce a well-aimed shot at a rapidly moving target. Shotguns and a pistol grip are not considered hunting at all. Not desirable, but possible to use with a butt of plastic.
Smooth-bore hunting rifles which, if licensed, you can buy stores have several types: single-barrel, double-barreled with horizontal barrels, double-barreled with vertical barrels, single-barrel multi-shot semi-automatic machines and multi-shot pump-action rifles recharged with fore-end. All these rifles have their own advantages and disadvantages, so it is better when choosing to focus on the qualified advice of people who thoroughly know different types of hunting rifles not firsthand, but in practice.
We bring to your attention several samples of guns recommended by experienced hunters for a long time using these guns when hunting different animals and birds at different times of the year and in different climatic conditions.
Single shotgun
This is the simplest of all types of hunting rifles. Usually inexpensive, but at the same time very reliable and with a good fight. The gun is quite light in weight, which is very important. Easy to disassemble for cleaning and maintenance. The main disadvantage is that in case of a miss, the hunter does not have time to make a second shot because of the need to reload the gun. However, these guns are appreciated by experienced shooters who believe that the hit should be from the first shot.
