Definition:

The term smoothbore, or smooth bore, refers to the bore (i.e. interior surface) of a non-rifled gun barrel. A smoothbore is exactly what it sounds like: a gun whose bore is smooth, rather than rifled.

As a rule, firearms which fire single projectiles (bullets) have rifled barrels; guns designed to fire shot have smoothbore barrels.

As this implies, most shotguns are smoothbores. The exceptions are some shotguns designed for shooting slugs (which are single bullets fired from shotgun shells), which have fully-rifled barrels.

- Russ Chastain

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