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October 2021 Postal Match

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This one....
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I think that's gonna be a good time.... :)
 
Nice Shootin RanchRoper. I too got out to make some smoke and blast a few holes in my pumpkin this afternoon. Gave myself a challenging target to shoot as well as score. Looks like a solid 45, another .02" lower and I would have squeaked out 50. Oh well, it was a much better result than I produced last month so I can't complain!

On another note as I was happily plinking away at empty pop cans from 40yds I suddenly had a devilish idea for next month's shoot..... but that's still 2 weeks away. I hope everyone is enjoying the beautiful fall weather, I sure am.

Chris
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Absolutely glorious day in the Heartland. Mid 50's, sunshine, no wind.
North West Trade Gun flintlock smoothbore
.600 Round ball
60 G FFF Goex
PT Patch, bore butter lube
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Duelist 1954 says he cannot find any evidence that smoothbores were loaded with patched ball. He says bare ball is PC.
He also postulates that a heavy charge of BP helps to center the ball while going down the barrel in a cone shape of gases. He thinks this helps with accuracy out to 100 yards.
I patched and did not load a heavy charge.
After my target I blew up some 1/2 gallon plastic milk jugs filled with water. Fun.
the trigger pull on this gun is heavy enough that I shoot it with 2 fingers on the trigger. I read some time ago that Native Americans did this.
 
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Here is my attempt, those scoring spots are specks I tell you..........I mean tiny specks at 25 yards.

I was finishing dialing in my .54 Renegade for a hunting trip and so I shot the target with my hunting load. If I can get close to those specks, I think I can take a deer in the thickets. It would have used less powder and lead if I used my .36 underhammer like I planned. But this was still a lot of fun.
 

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This is only the second time I've embarrassed myself by actually posting results here. This time I at least have a positive score - I think.

I took the liberty of making some adjustments to the target so that I could see it better. I promise that the size/scale remain unchanged.
 

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Since it's the last day to enter the October Frolic, I think we should thank Chris for sponsoring this and other matches.

To Chris, Ted Cash & TOW have a large selection of front sights that may fit your FL pistol. I'd purchase one and modify it until you get the gun sighted in. (This may involve soldering a pc. of brass to the front sight while it's off the gun.)
 
Looks like we had a pretty Good Turn out for this months shoot, I will say I found the results quite interesting as well.
The scores are divided into 2 groups, those of us who managed 45pts and those who managed 35pts. The lone standout was Maven in 2nd place with 40pts!

45 Points
Jake GA- TC renegade .54, 90gr ffg goex, .530 ball, .013 patch
Fly103- pedersoli penn flintlock, .490 ball, .010 patch, mr flintlock, 55gr ffg goex
Winchester 97- kibler smr .36, 35gr homemade fffg, .350 ball, .020 patch, olive oil

40pts
Maven- lyman gpr, 65gr ffg, .4885 cast ball, .018 patch, moose milk

35 Points
Msmith- TC renegade caplock, .45gr 3f, .015 patch w/ moose milk, .495 cast ball
Richard Dittman- traditions penn .50
11th Corps- SMOOTHBORE!! Northwest Trade Gun, 60gr fffg, .600 ball, bore butter
Flinter 1977- .54cal Joe ScHeel rifle, 90gr ffg, .530 cast ball, PT spit patch


Great Shooting Everyone! and I would like to personally congratulate each and every one of you for finishing in the top 3! Well done guys! I hope everyone is enjoying the wonderful fall weather and the November target!

Chris
 
11th corps deserves special mention for shooting a smoothbore!

11th corps, You can lighten the trigger pull appreciably by soldering (or JB Welding) a piece of brass or nickel silver to the top of the trigger where the sear bears on it. You then file or shape the added piece so that the lock will remain at full cock and not slip off. I used a small length of nickel silver HO track, soldered it to the trigger (which had a deep groove in it), and carefully shaped it with a Dremel tool until I could maintain full cock. While it is by no means a match trigger, it is significantly lighter and controllable.
 
Maven
Thanks for the tip. I am used to the trigger pull on this trade gun. I have it apart to fix a broken barrel pin. Might try your suggestion.
 
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