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Joined
Sep 19, 2003
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Is their enought interest in longrange Muzzle loaders to put an index under Weapons...maybe I should be asking Claude this.
 
I would be interested... I've always felt that the use and study of the Rigby rifles the Irish Team used at Creedmoor, NJ. deserves a good look and some comments.

I have a book, "The Muzzle-Loading Cap Lock Rifle" by Ned Roberts that is full of these long range muzzleloaders, and their makers and user's...

I've often thought of building one... My muzzleloading club shoots patched roundballs out to 300 yards at gong targets... I always thought I could generate some interest in traditional style muzzleloaders that shoot a conical bullet even further.

I would like to see a topic area for discussion and comments on this subject here on the Forum! :thumbsup:
 
Ohio Joe,
Our member David Minshall, U.K. is the big authority in long range shooting. He told me about reprint of "Irish Rifleman in America" by Arthur Blennerhassett Leech. First published 1875 and 2004 reprint from Precision Shooting Inc. Dont miss it!
ARILAR :: :thumbsup:
 
He told me about reprint of "Irish Rifleman in America" by Arthur Blennerhassett Leech. First published 1875 and 2004 reprint from Precision Shooting Inc.

I think I'll look this up. Thanks Arilar! :thumbsup:
 
Long range is relative. 100 yards is long range to a man armed with a musket. 400-600 yards is really long range for a flintlock rifleman. 500-1000 is long range for the minie ball armed soldier. Beyond 1,300 to 1,800 yards is long range for the Whitworth sharpshooter.

For me, it's arms' length. :crackup: Like I said, long range is relative.
 
Quote"
Heck, we can't get seven responses to the 25 yard monthly contest. You think you can drum up interest in 150 yards plus? "

well, if we can't shoot it at least we can talk about it..... ::

I don't have anything i can hit something at 500 yards with, but it's fun to dream & discuss it. Never know what kind of trade will come up.....

rayb
 
Back in the 1960's I was acquainted with some guys that were shooting 1,000 yard benchrest matches with muzzleloaders, and they were hooked up with a bunch somewhere on the other side of the Mississippi. Anyone know anything about that stuff? Pretty amazing groups they were shooting. My friend's "light" rifle weighed something over 20 pounds and fired a 2-piece bullet in the 60-70 caliber range. As I recall, group sizes would have pretty well assured hitting a man at that range and beyond.
 
I think it would be a great idea to get those guys on here. I have always been interested in long range shooting of any kind and as others have said it would be very beneficial to talk to these guys :imo:
 
i've been thinking of bringing my flintlock to a range in the scranton area with a 200 yard range to see how well i might do....i have a chart that will tell me how far of a drop it would be for my .50 to the target at that range....might be fun to see if i could even hit the target............bob
 
i'll have to find it and look it up fer ya....will drop a reply when i find it....if it has .58.............bob
 
Thanks for the link rayb. As for drop @ 200 yards for a 58 RB, the Lyman BP manual only has a 56 cal RB, but 58 (577) for conicals. Start a 56 RB @ 1800fps, and it drops 41 inches at 200 yards, with a MRT of 16 inches. At 300 yards you are looking at 145 inches of drop, with an MRT of 42. The 58 Minnie started @1300fps drops 40 inches at 200 and 137 at 300. For general interest, they list a .735 RB starting @1000fps dropping 94 inches at 200 and 246 inches at 300 yards.

No time-of-flight data, but you could probably get a fair bit of your reloading done by the time one of those landed at 300 yards. Of course, how much lead would you need for a moving target?
 
My club does a lot of PRB long range shooting at various yardage, 150, 200, 250, and 300 yards. Speaking only for myself, I use a .45 x 36" Green Mnt Barrel. My load is a patched .445 RB over 65 grains of 3fg Goex.

I am shooting at 4000+ feet above sea level and my elevation required on the 300 yard gong is in the neighborhood of 102 to 126 inches high from the center of the 24" gong.

With a good spotter, (I highly recommend one) it does not take that long to get on target. You learn little things like refernce points to aim at beyond the target, then come across until you are above the target and let fly. Works great on calm days with no humidity.

The Lyman book is a good reference book to start out with... However, it was compiled at 800+ feet above sea level with high humidity. These condition do play a big part in long range shooting. That's what makes it fun. On humid days I'd have to aim just about the same elevation as the Lyman book calls for.

On the 300 yard gong out here you can normally count; one mississippi, two mississippi, three misssss - "bong"... Pretty cool!

On windy days it is just a chore to get on target and stay there... You really learn how to read the flags that's for sure! I might add we do this with open iron sights by the way, no adjustable peeps allowed... You may choose your shooting position however; prone, setting, kneeling, offhand... No slings or artificial supports allowed!
 
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