Just read a 1954 article that asserted that Lucile W. Chambliss used a .22 auto with a smooth bore up to the muzzle brake, then about one inch of rifling to the muzzle. She shot Bullseye pistol.

Never heard of such a devise.

Has anyone??

Regards,

Tam 3

That's a new one on me. I would think the long freebore then slamming into the rifling would not be an assert to accuracy.

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H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244

Wouldn't it make more sense to rifle the end closest to the chamber and then counterbore the rest of the barrel?
Must have to do with some kind of theory of how the gas escaping may affect accuracy or something...I figure.
Far beyond my pay grade to make any kind of assertion or comment in this area. A very different idea to be certain!!!!

Just don't wind up with a total smooth bore...unless you have already applied and got the tax stamp.

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Lost it all in a boat accident

Sounds like a version of a choked bore (IIRC, that was what they were called). Essentially the bore tapered to a smaller diameter from the breech to the muzzle.

The Super Comanche is a smooth bore until you get to the screw on choke that is rifled. I can attest to the fact that with .45 Colt you are not getting any accuracy uptick with the smooth bore transition to the last bit that is rifled. It was a stinker. Nothing target gun about that one though.

The conversions are rare, Berdon only did a handful of them. A complete new bbl with comp cuts in place behind the rifled section.

Here's one in the NRA museum:
The National Firearms Museum: Colt Woodsman Semi Automatic Pistol

The barrels in the Super Comanche are rifled. The screw on choke is for use with 410g shot shells to counter act the rifleing

A.E. Berdon was a pistolsmith in Lakeland, FL and is the one that Ms. Chambliss had smooth up hers, circa 1954. The bore treatment is, to me counter-intuitive. Her achievements with it are, however, unquestionable.

Regards,

Tam 3

Hamilton Bowen built a paradox (ball and shot) revolver for a friend of mine. It is chambered in .45 Colt but will also take shot loads made up in .460 cases. This .45 Colt has a .44 barrel on it that is smooth bore except for the last inch at the muzzle. Which also is still .429. It shoots shot loads well enough to kill game and is also very accurate with cast bullet loads inspite of the fact that the .452 bullets are squeezed down to .429. Odd as that sounds.

A gunsmith in South Bend, Indiana built a few of them. About 1960, I saw one on a small frame Colt in 38 special. The theory is that with the gas escaping from the holes just behind the rifling, the bullet sorta coasts into the rifling, and is less deformed. We're talking about 2.8 grs of Bullseye here, and a soft cast wadcutter. I never got to shoot the Colt but the owner told me it was more accurate that he could hold. I don't know who originated the idea.

Thank you for your responses. Much appreciated.

Regards,

Tam 3

I am 90 percent confident this is Lucy's Match Target Woodsman referenced in the American Rifleman article. uction date 1952. Article in American Rifleman was published in 1954. The barrel goes from Smoothbore to comp to rifled end. The NRA ad references 3 total produced. One is at NRA museum, one is a private collection (target not match target) and this would be the third one. If anyone has any other info about Berdon's woodsman's or any info on Lucy's woodsman I would love to hear it. I am waiting on a letter from the colt archives to see if there is any further info to gleam.

The pistol shoots like a dream. I haven't had a chance to put it on paper, but after the holidays I will have some time open up. Who would have thought such a barrel combination would even work let along take several championships.

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In Bill Calfee's book "The Art of Rimfire Accuracy" he dwells endlessly on the theme that 22's shoot best when the muzzle is the tightest part of the bore. This pistol seems to carry that logic to an extreme but it might well work. Calfee built .22 bench rest rifles, so I puta lot of faith in what he has to say.

The book is an extremely informative but hellishly difficult read, by the way.

Ed

I have a target smoothbore.
https://www.google.pt/url?sa=t&sourc...P9AfyfMAqZ3gie

I think this is what you are talking about. The Routledge Bore in an invention by Fred Routledge which consisted of the last 12"-17" or the barrel of a .22 bored to about 3/8" or .375". this allows the .22 payload to stop spinning from the rifling or in a fully smooth bore .22 to open smoothly in a sort of jug choke effect. Maybe same effect for a pistol?

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