Range report, Armi Sport 1861 with round ball.

[bang]

I personally would rather have a can of bear spray ready than about any firearm. Too many stories of "guy shot a griz in the heart 3 times with his 44 mag and got kilt, bear got 250 yds away before he died".
Don't think there's many if any) documented fatalities from bears once spray was activated.

Trying a heart shot on a bear in defense with any pistol is, IMHO, nuts. Head on the face. Side ear hole. Standing soft under of jaw.
A guy I knew at my work was a near bear victim. While deer hunting in Colorado when a Griz charged him then stood up. All he had for hunting white tail was a 30-30. It would not penetrate the chest and literally bounced of the sternum. With the bear near on him and him on his back the round that put a stop to the bear was jaw up to brain pan. No spray back then.
Unless you are specifically hunting bear and are equipped for it the best defense is avoidance.

 

[Britsmoothy]

To measure a three groove can you measure the barrel wall thickness at the muzzle on a land and then a groove. Subtract the groove wall from the land wall. You then have the rifling depth.
Now when you measure across via land and groove you can add/subtract to find what you want to know.

 

[azmntman]

Don't think there's many if any) documented fatalities from bears once spray was activated.

 

[bang]

To measure a three groove can you measure the barrel wall thickness at the muzzle on a land and then a groove. Subtract the groove wall from the land wall. You then have the rifling depth.
Now when you measure across via land and groove you can add/subtract to find what you want to know.

Did plus slug and averaged.

 

[bang]

View attachment 13889
This may not look like the best 100 yard target you have ever seen, but I was out back throwing some REALs down range, trying out the wax wads in it, and was curious as to how well the Armi Sport 1861 would do with round balls. I've fired a few balls through it before, and they seemed to go where I wanted, but I've always considered this rifle a "slug gun", since the barrel is 40 inches long and the thing weighs 10 pounds. Might as well make it the power house of the stable...know what I mean? So I fired up four round ball loads.

This was with a pure bee's wax wad under a Wonder Wad, under a .570" ball with my thinnest patching, about .010" I'd guess, and over 100 grains of Goex ffg. Wonder lube for lube. I keep trying other lubes, and just keep coming back to Wonder lube. Seems to work best for me.

Patches were a bit torn, but not burnt. I was able to thumb press the ball and patch into the muzzle, but used a short starter after that. Then she went down okay, but tight. This was in a clean barrel every shot, I believe it would be a bit hard to ram in a fouled barrel.

But it was promising. Would like to try a .565" ball and .018" patch. I think the super thin patch is tearing at loading. Or not. Step down in power from a slug, but that long barrel probably churns up some good velocity with a ball.

I think fffg works a little better in this rifle, then ffg. Not sure, just a feeling.

Most important observation, the wax-wad REALLY keeps the barrel clean. Made it real easy to clean between shots. Noticeable difference between loads with no wax wad, and those with.

Thicker patch fills better and less likely to tear.

 

[Rat]

There's truth to that. But pretty hard to pull either a pistol or spray while being mauled. I think I can access my big knife on my leg more easy than that, but maybe not. I think when it comes to that point, you just do your best, or stay home. I really don't worry about it, but do keep it in mind at all times.

And again, one is in more danger when driving to the hunt and back, even when hunting in a grizzly recovery area, than they are of getting attacked by a bear. I'd just as well be killed in the wilderness, that I love, than on some highway.

 

[Rat]

Thicker patch fills better and less likely to tear.

I believe ya. That's why I ordered some .562"s last night.

 

[bang]

There's truth to that. But pretty hard to pull either a pistol or spray while being mauled. I think I can access my big knife on my leg more easy than that, but maybe not. I think when it comes to that point, you just do your best, or stay home. I really don't worry about it, but do keep it in mind at all times.

And again, one is in more danger when driving to the hunt and back, even when hunting in a grizzly recovery area, than they are of getting attacked by a bear. I'd just as well be killed in the wilderness, that I love, than on some highway.

Most healthy wild animals will preferably avoid people. There are exceptions. Mom wirh cubs. Unaware then surprised. Need to fight for food source.
Worse situations are low natural food source. Old incapable. Injured incapable. Sick desperate. Worse of all early in life orphaned juvenile.

 

[Rat]

Yes, I should mention that I've had two grizzly encounters. Both times Grizz ran off like his stubby little tail was on fire.

 

[azmntman]

I saw 5 black bears so far this year. No issues. Still, easier in a hysterical situation to spray spray than accurately spray bullets from any gun. Pretty sure ifI ever have to spray or shoot due to a bear I will be wearing some pretty stiff and smelly shorts the rest of the day

 

[Stantheman86]

I would have to say, any man who relies on a muzzleloader as a bear defense weapon has enormous stones.

 

[Rat]

Hey, if it was good enough for Hugh Glass....oh wait a minute...didn't turn out so good for him. Never mind.

Anyhow, can't wait for the .562"s to arrive, for some experimenting with different patch thickness. I'll run some through the lumpy bores of my Remington Contract rifles also. If I can get a 4" group at 100, with a 100 grain charge, I'll be pretty happy. That will place the ball in the boiler room of a deer or elk at 100 yards. If it fails to do so, can't blame the group size, the lube, the patch, the ball, the powder charge or the rifle.

 

[Rat]

I saw 5 black bears so far this year. No issues. Still, easier in a hysterical situation to spray spray than accurately spray bullets from any gun. Pretty sure ifI ever have to spray or shoot due to a bear I will be wearing some pretty stiff and smelly shorts the rest of the day

I've been seeing more black bears this year, so far, than usual. Real nice ones too. For sure no issues with them, around here. I know blacks can be hostile in some areas, but not around here. They are absolutely paranoid of humans.