What is a smooth bore nozzle? 

A smooth bore nozzle is a type of firefighting nozzle with a smooth, tapered waterway that produces a solid, straight stream of water to achieve maximum reach and penetration on the fireground. If you are looking for a traditional fixed-flow firefighting nozzle, our smooth bore tips will meet your needs. 

Our Smooth Bore Tips

Our tips supply excellent stream quality, reach, and penetration. Each of our tips are manufactured from aluminum alloy and hard coat anodized for performance and durability.  

Once you have your smooth bore in hand, the last thing you want is damage that will affect stream quality. That’s why our critical orifice edge is recessed back 1/8” (3 mm) into the taper and an aluminum bumper is machined around the outside. Combined, these two design features protect the orifice edge from damage. 

Easy Pressure and Flow Chart Reference 

When seconds count, you need a straightforward way to find the right tip for the job. That’s why we make it easy! The tip size and an easy-to-read pressure/flow chart is laser engraved on each smooth bore tip to help you quickly identify which option will meet your tactical needs on the fireground. 

Smooth Bore Advantages and Disadvantages

Every nozzle has pros and cons associated with it. Here are a few for smooth bore nozzles:

Pros

• Smooth bore firefighting nozzles are simple and have a no-frills design.  
• You can achieve good flow, reach, and penetration even with lower pump pressures. 
• Since the nozzle does not have any selection dials you cannot accidentally move into a fog pattern. 

Cons

• The Smooth bore does not have a fog or broken pattern option. This means you would need to gate the nozzle to achieve a broken pattern, which lowers your flow rate.  
• These nozzles can be over or under pumped which will affect your reach and nozzle reaction. 
• The water is shaped by the waterway and exit orifice. If either is damaged or scratched, you may experience turbulence and lose your stream quality. 
• If you find yourself in need of more gpm, you cannot choose another option on your nozzle. You need to shut down the line and replace your tip first. 

Available Options 

We have a wide range of smooth bore nozzle options ready for you. Find what you need with ultra-compact and lightweight tips, stacked tips, and monitor tips that supply the stream quality, reach, and penetration that you expect from a traditional smooth bore.