smoothbore
Definition
Adjective:
- Having a barrel without rifling: Describes a firearm whose inner barrel surface is smooth, lacking the spiral grooves (rifling) that impart spin to a projectile.
Noun:
- A firearm with a smooth barrel: A gun, such as a musket or shotgun, that has a barrel without internal rifling.
Examples
Adjective:
- The early muskets were smoothbore weapons, which were less accurate than rifled guns.
- Most shotguns are smoothbore, which is ideal for firing multiple pellets.
Noun:
- The soldier loaded his smoothbore with powder and a round ball.
- Hunters often use a smoothbore for bird hunting.
Advanced Usage
- The term is primarily technical and historical, used to contrast with "rifled" firearms. It is most commonly applied to historical weapons (e.g., flintlock muskets) and modern shotguns.
Variants and Related Words
- Smooth-bore (adjective/noun): An alternative hyphenated spelling with the same meaning.
- Rifled (adjective): The direct antonym, describing a barrel with spiral grooves.
- Musket (noun): A common type of historical smoothbore, muzzle-loaded long gun.
- Shotgun (noun): A common modern type of smoothbore firearm.
Synonyms
- Adjective: Unrifled.
- Noun: Musket (for historical types), fowling piece (an old term for a smoothbore hunting gun).
Antonyms
- Adjective: Rifled.
- Noun: Rifle.
Adjective
- of a firearm; not having rifling or internal spiral grooves inside the barrel
Noun
- a firearm that has no rifling
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