MLAIC Miquelet choice

[RAEDWALD]

I am considering moving historically backwards and moving from my rifle musket to a smooth bore military reproduction for the Miquelet disclipline for MLAIC target shooting.

This requires a military type smoothbore with no rear sight. It will probably have to be an Indian replica and I will be exploring paper cartridges.

My question is about the style. In my ignorance, it seems that the low 'pate de vache' style would allow the eye to be level with the barrel top and help with aiming. On the other hand the later higher butts allow a cheek to be replaced on the (hopefully) same place on the butt each time so making the face/eye a rear sight.

Can anyone informed advise me?

Also, how useful is barrel length to give a longer sight radius? ie do I want the maximum barrel length reasonably possible, some compromise between length and balance or is a short cavalry carbine length suitable?

All advice from those who have experience will be received gratefully.

 

[Many Klatch]

The longer sight radius is a help especially if you are not used to shooting without a rear sight. I used to shoot a smoothbore with a 48" barrel. I was able to compete fairly well with rifle shooters with that gun. That smoothbore also had an extremely heavy barrel, the gun weighed in at 16 pounds which was OK when I was younger but now, not so much.

Now I shoot a Pedersoli Bess Carbine in smoothbore competition and haven't found that I am giving up any accuracy.

The roundball smoothbore shooters that I compete against for the most part use a fairly loose spit patch combination. I shoot a .715 ball with a .010 spit patch out of mine over 90 grains of 2F. As long as the ball doesn't rattle on the way out it seems to do well enough. My friend Grizz finds that a sloppy patch soaked in Murphy's Oil Soap does well for him in his smoothbore.

I don't know if MLAIC rules allow rear sight below the barrel or not. I find that a groove cut in the tang or an oversized tang bolt head help immensely with the horizontal hold.

Accuracy with a smoothbore is simply a matter of memorizing what the proper sight picture is supposed to look like and then duplicating it time after time. However, that requires lots of practice.

Many Klatch

 

[Grizzled Roberts]

Most folks shooting MLAIC matches prefer a three band musket Charleyville through The 1816. The barrel bands help form a sight picture. If you are going to shoot for score I do not think you will be happy with a India made gun. I've had my hands on five of these smoothbores and the barrels did not shoot worth a damn for me. For shooting I recommend Petersoli or a custom builder.

 

[RAEDWALD]

Forgive me if I have given the impression I was asking which gun I should use.

My budget is limited by retirement and I am seeking guidance in principle on two aspects of smoothbore musket design to help me choose between the guns I both like and can afford.

Would that I could afford a Pedersoli or custom gun but these are from more than twice my budget to many times my budget and a custom gun would need to have a CIP standard proof whilst I am looking to get an Rajasthan Armoury weapon with a Birmingham proof. Even that means selling my Remington rifle musket and Mainardi flint pistol and using PNF powder rather than Swiss.