Howdah Pistol

[fernando]

Originally Posted by Bill Marsh

... It was to prevent or at least postpone fouling. Has nothing to do with trajectory or bullet rotation ...

Is that (only) so ?

I know my english isn't the best, but i am certain that the writings i spotted when i browsed for straight rifling ( i knew quite well about 'normal' rifling), meant something otherwise; passages like:

The straight rifling keeps the wad from spinning which keeps the pattern consistent from shot to shot.

or:

... The imperfections cause a twisting or turning of the wad as it travels along the barrel and unequal pressure leads to an uneven dispersion of the shot as it leaves the barrel and consequently the mirrored pattern and uneven dispersion on the target.
One way which was proposed to overcome this problem was to provide a new barrel in which straight lands were provided to ensure that the wad travelled down the barrel without twisting. Such a method will prevent the turning of the shot as it leaves the barrel and consequently the mirrored pattern and uneven dispersion on the target.

or even a picture of a gun with one barrel smooth and the other straight rifled, would never make me think that the intention of such system was to prevent barrel fouling.

I guess straight rifling nowadays serves purposes different than those applied in antique weaponry.
Visibly i have been reading the wrong material .

Fernando