Smokey Plainsman said:
Guys I had my Pedersoli .54 smootbore percussion pistol (Harpers Ferry) out at the rang the other day. Was shooting one handed standing. The gun has a basic brass blade front sight and no rear sight. This is my first 5 shot group at 10 yards:
Groups is about 1" from center to center. Pretty much a cloverleave with them big .54 balls. Load was as described in picture. Gun certainly prefer 2Fg powder as I've since learned.
Is this an okay group at 10 yards from a smoothbore pistol, one handed, standing? Someday I would like to enter the NMLRA pistol competitions or NSSA smoothbore pistol competition but do not know if this is good enough.
Thoughts?
I went to the NMLRA web site to look at the rules for smoothbore pistols. For Smokey, the rules are somewhat disappointing.
NMLRA Rules:
6102.3 ”“ Smoothbore Pistol
6102.3a ”“ Description ”“ A flintlock pistol with unrifled bore having a minimum diameter of .433 inch.
6102.3b ”“ Grip ”“ may be checkered. Plow-handle or saw-handle grips are permitted.
6102.3c ”“ Sights ”“ adjustable sights are not permitted. Dovetail mounts are permitted.
6102.3c.1 ”“ Front ”“ May be of a height necessary to group at 25 yards. Maximum thickness shall be .100" (7/64").
6102.3c.2 ”“ Rear ”“ maximum height 5/16" and maximum width 1/2". Sight notch may be a “V”, or “U” with parallel sides or a squarebottomed notch.
6102.3d ”“ Ammunition ”“ Round ball ammunition only. No conical bullets are allowed.
6104 ”“ NMLRA INTERNATIONAL HANDGUN ”“ may be fired in any match.
6104.1 ”“ Events
6104.1a ”“ Cominazzo ”“ single shot smoothbore flintlock pistol, with a minimum bore diameter of .433 inches and that complies with Rule 6102.3.
6104.1b ”“ Kuchenreuter ”“ single shot percussion pistol, rifled bore, any caliber that complies with Rule 6102.1.
6104.1c ”“ Mariette ”“ percussion replica revolver that complies with Rule 6102.2.
6104.1c.1 ”“ round ball or picket bullet only.
6104.1c.2 ”“ to prevent the use of revolvers as single shot pistols, competitors must load five chambers for each of the first two strings.
6104.2 ”“ Target ”“ NRA B-19 International Target (see Rule 10160) fired from 25 yards. Thirteen shots fired with ten high to count. Scoring in
accordance with Rule 10730.
Looks like most of the Smoothbore matches are for flintlock systems except for the Kuchenreuter and that is for a rifled barrel.
Lately however, that accuracy is better than my pistol shooting with a rifled bore.