central_va wrote:
“Actually it is easier to ram the round ball into a smooth bore, as such that part is faster. The musket priming is the time consuming part. I have never fired a musket but that is what I am told.”
Fitting in reality a primer cap onto a tube’s end, and the primer cap size is the thumb-pushing end of a Bic Clic, can be a bear. Not much easier with a flintlock - with flashpan powder being of a finer grainage than the barrel powder - making it a two-flask operation.
I would say the rate of fire of smooth bore vs rifled musket are about the same.
“... with flashpan powder being of a finer grainage than the barrel powder - making it a two-flask operation.”
By the 1770s loose powder poured from the flask was not used in combat.
To the greatest extent possible, troops were supplied with pre-loaded cartridges. The cartridge was torn open, pan primed first, then barrel loaded.
This did cause a less-than-efficient use of powder granulation: the main charge worked better with a coarse granulation, while the pan charge worked better with fine granulation. A balance was struck - cartridges were loaded with intermediate granulations.