Muzzleloading and development of the Cartridge rifle.

[powderhombre]

I always like to use the analogy of the ping pong ball vs. the golf ball. Both are similar in size but vary greatly in weight and mass. If you threw a golf ball with all your might it may go 30 yards or farther. If you throw a ping pong ball with the same force it might go 30 feet. Also, which one will be most affected by the wind? the lighter ping pong ball.

 

[Grenadier1758]

Back when I shot the muzzleloader silhouette matches, I found that hitting the bear target at 200 yards was easier than hitting the turkey target at 175. I used a 45 caliber round ball pushed by 90 grains of 3fg powder. If I hit the bear, I knocked it over. The shooters who used the 54 caliber round ball could score a more solid hit, but their trajectory was more arched. Admittedly I used a full front sight (bottom of the front sight at the bottom of the rear sight notch) and held the top of the front sight on the ear of the bear. Would often hit a little over halfway down the silhouette.