Howdah Pistol

[kahnjar1]

Originally Posted by fernando

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

Hi Fernando,
Guns with one smooth and one rifled barrel, placed side by side were popularly known as "Capeguns" and are still called this in collectors circles. They saw use in the CAPE, and other parts of Africa where it was never certain what sort of game one would encounter. eg:4 legs or 2 plus wings,---or for that matter just 2 legs! Either way the correct projectile was available.
The Continentals went one better by mating a rifle barrel with 2 smoothbore barrels.
Straight rifling is a new one on me, and if it was used in place of the standard twist type, it could only have made muzzleloading easier. I personally have no idea what the benefits would be for a breechloader.
Regards Stuart