Question for the Guru's

[sledgemeister]

I seem to have an intersting problem, shooting my PH 1861 musketoon at distnces of 50 - 100 yrd is a night mare the minies sem to have a mind of there own yet at a distance of 150+ yrds I can drive it though a block of wood 8" high and 10" wide with reasonable success.
Went bush today and I tried a lighter load of 60g pyrodex rs and the conical is a Lee 510gr minie.
I allowed for the fact at 50-60 yrds it shoots high about 10 inches. After my first sighter i ajusted aim and hit the target square in the middle, wow I though u beauty. 2nd, 3rd shots went 4 inches higher and to the right 3.5 inches
4th one was wide 4 inches but level with first.
After that I sort of spat the dummy and said stuff it and went on to shoot at the clangers we have set up at about 100 yrds, nothing as sastifying as that Boooing sound when you hit them.
Again shooting futher at 150-175 yrd (guesstimate) was hitting a 8" target ok.It seems the further I go out the more accurate it becomes?? go figure cos I cant.

thoughts any one?

 

[Frank Briggs]

Could it be that your sights are set for long shots, and the rifle shoots well there, but for a close shot you are guessing the point of impact and your hits are reflecting that guesswork?

 

[Wes/Tex]

One thing to remember about the Parker Hale guns is that they're made using the original guages,, etc. This means that they're bore is .577 rather than .575 like most muskets made in North America at the time and most replicas now. This isn't much but if the Minies are undersized to begin with they might not be expanding sufficient to fill the bore. Just a thought.

 

[faw3]

Wes Tex has a good point. I cant find the book right now its by Canadas Vol grp printed sometime around late 1860s, but what got me :rotf: was he called them "iron pipes that werent much good over 600yds" I think it went, then goes into loads ect. I have t5he same problem but fixed it with a 575 - 015 -020 patch under 100yds (way back when havent shot it in 10 yrs. When I find the name of it I'll pass it along to ya, its got loads of sights and how to use the VOL out to 1000yds in it also. Fred :hatsoff: just a quick ck but i dont see a 510 gr in 577, you might want to try the 450 to 500rs in 577. Good shooting!

 

[silverfox]

your going to have to find the minnie that fits and the gun likes. My PH likes the Rapine minnie don't recall the numbers but last number is 213 or 215 and it is 515grns. I use it as cast unsized with 55 grs FFF and it will almost 1 hole at 50yds. The gun won't shoot Dixie or Lee minnies.
Fox :hatsoff:

 

[paulvallandigham]

I suspect that the sight on your gun is a little bit wide, and on close shots, you are not holding a fine enough " bead " on targets. You also may be sneaking a peek at the target at those short ranges at the last second and this will open groups, too.

At long range, the target is so small you are having to focus on that front sight, and even see an imaginary centerline down the middle of it, which you align with the target. That would account for why you shoot so much better at the longer ranges. Have a buddy who is a good shot shoot your gun at the shorter ranges and see what kind of groups he shoots. If his groups are noticeably better, it you, and not the minnie ball, or powder charge you are using. No buddy? Then put the gun on a rest, with supports for both the forend and the butt. Test fire the loads again and see if you don't do better. Use a " sighter " usually a small diamond pointed piece of paper, white, or some other color, which you paste or staple to the target so you can point the front sight on that smaller target to help eliminate shooter error. Then fire a group, and see how much smaller the group size is. Again, if the groups is smaller, the problem is in how you are using your sights, and not in the load.

Don't ask me how I know all this stuff about fixing groups sizes. Its embarrassing. But, its even more embarrassing if you don't fix it.