Big Bore Smoothbore Pistols

I only said .62 caliber thinking that 20 gauge would be more common and easy to find or get than the .69 caliber that the Tower pistols were. I'd really rather have a .69 caliber.
 
Are you sure you have the tools to PROPERLY ream and polish the bore to .620"?
Reaming/boring to size wouldn't be a problem, but the polishing would be. I don't know what tools or diamond compounds would be required to turn the bore into a near mirror finish.
 
BTW, if you want to polish a bore, get those honing stones from Brownells. The only bores I've polished outside of school were the barrels of the smoothbores at Francisco's Fort (La Veta, CO).
 
http://www.middlesexvillagetrading.com/index.shtml

Reviews are all over the place but here you go - 62 cal Howdah pistol $475.
http://www.middlesexvillagetrading.com/PDBC.SHTML

Uses musket caps IIRC.

From their FAQ:
Q #8: Can you build me a pistol in .75 cal to match my Brown Bess?
A: No. I don't have time to do custom work anymore, and even if I did I would not build something that was historically inaccurate. Pistols were meant for three kinds of troops; horse soldiers, sailors, and highlanders. I don't care what they showed in "The Patriot", infantry soldiers were not issued pistols, and the idea of having a pistol bore to match your musket is not historically accurate for English troops.

British service issue pistols were generally in two sizes: pistol bore (roughly .58) and carbine bore (roughly .65). Never have I seen an original in .75 bore.

Our French pistols are in .69, which matches the French muskets. The French really advanced their gun technology and concepts while the Brits clung to traditions. Look at how each generation of French musket was an improvement over the one before. Each new generation of British musket was really just a cheaper, shorter version of the Brown Bess.
 
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Pedersoli makes some French .69 caliber flintlock military pistols but they are well above $400.

OP I doubt you're going to find what you want for that price. Either save up or make a custom large bore from something like a Lyman Great Plains Pistol. I'll admit, one of those in 20 gauge smoothbore would be very cool.
 
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