Smooth bore accuracy?

[mancill]

I have decided to get a flintlock but have not decided on a rifle or fowler. I like the idea of a gun that I could squirrel hunt or deer hunt with. What I am wondering is with round ball what kind of accuracy could be expected? I am interested in early 1800 fur trade and early 1800 early settlement of the big thicket where I live so a fowler would be at home I believe.

 

[Stumpkiller]

Many variables. A smooth rifle is not far short or a rifle out to 75 yards (probably further in the right hands).

A fowler with just a front sight (that I ignore) in my hands will keep a 0.650 inch paper patched ball in a 6" group at 60 yards. Mine has a 42" barrel. We'll see if I can put a deer on the pole with mine this fall.

I have a 30" T/C 12 bore New Englander that is about the same with a patched 0.690" ball.

With my Bess and a .715" paper patched ball I did a little less - maybe 8" at 60 yards.

 

[coloradoclyde]

Whether you use shot or a single ball the effective accurate range is about the same.....

 

[nwtradegun]

accuracy is and open subject. I have owned 24, 28, 20 and current 12 ga. smooth bores. the 28 ie 54 cal. was as accurate as my 58 cal hawken out to 75 yards. my eye sight limits me on distance. I have settled on 50 yards . the 12 ga. 72 cal. gives 3 shot 4 inch groups. it is basecly finding the load for the gun. trial and error.anyone of those ga. will bring home the meat or feathered game.

 

[tenngun]

And you get a win win...if you miss you can say well it is a smooth bore, and Im doing the extra challenge. When you hit you can say a smoothie will shoot great, if you practice and get to know your gun :haha:

 

[Britsmoothy]

I just tried some.620" ball in my faux trade gun from Pedersoli's.
At forty yards I could shoot a fox sized target, a rabbit would be lucky to escape! A deer would be no issue.
No rear sight.

Same day I got a nice rabbit with shot :thumbsup:

 

[Lonegun1894]

I use a 32" .54 smooth-rifle and get 4-5"@50yds, 6-8"@75yds, and that's where I draw my line on hunting use for this gun. At 100 yds, it falls apart for me with 12" groups/patterns. My other smoothbore is a 13ga SxS, and it has just a bead up front, and gives me 4"@30yds, so I limit it to 40yds max til I get better with it. As opposed to my rifles giving me 3-4" groups at 100yds (all groups listed from a rest or at least kneeling), so yes, the rifles shoot tighter groups, but with most of my hunting being inside of 50yds because the challenge to me is in getting closer, either weapon works just fine. I know this works better for some though than others, and there are areas here where the rifle will allow me to take game where the smoothbore won't just due to longer shots being needed, but the hogs I've been chasing the last few years like the thick stuff so that's where I go most often.

 

[waksupi]

My smoothbores shoot well enough to beat the majority of rifle shooters at the rendezvous. I usually beat my own rifle score, come to think of it.

 

[Eric Krewson]

I have changed my patching from ticking to .021 denim. I was getting fliers with the ticking and occasionally burning patches, I have none of these problems with the denim.

I have a rear sight on my 12ga fowler that I made but hated, too much glare from the angles.

Here is a five shot 50 yard group with my new load before I knocked the rear sight out and made another I can see better.

The load is 110 gr of 1F, one cereal box wad to keep the patch lube off the powder, a .690 ball wrapped in a .021 denim patch greased real heavily with mink oil.

I found with this tight patch I may get one more shot loaded without wiping the bore but loading a third shot is impossible because of the fouled bore.

The other holes are from pillow ticking patching. I marked the denim patched balls with a "110" for the powder load. The orange circle is 2".

People swear a jug choked barrel won't shoot a round ball, this one is choked "full".

 

[tenngun]

Are you right handed, and right eyed? I am, andmy fusil all group a little to the right. I in fact compensation by holding a little left.

 

[Rifleman1776]

Previous discussions on this subject show that every combination of patch and wads known and unknown to man has been tried. Wat works for one may not work for another. As far as my accuracy with my 20 ga. fowler.....lets just say, at this point I won't go hunting deer with it. Using front sight only requires finding the proper hold, often called 'anchor point' to put the ball where you want it. Using a prb, sometimes with a wad, I can usually put out a pretty good group at 35 yards (my backyard range distance) but seldom put it in the same spot two times in a row. So, methinks, the best way to get accuracy from yer smoothie is to buy lots of lead and practice, practice, practice.

 

[Juice Jaws]

What do you use to lube the paper patch??

 

[Stumpkiller]

After it's rolled I dip the ball portion in melted beeswax up to the thread.

I'm loading a 0.650" ball in a 0.662" bore with 2-1/2 wraps of typewriter paper around the circumference. It's snug but easily thumb started. And once the ball is flush I tear away the excess paper.

I'll be out deer hunting tomorrow and this is what I'll have in my bag. Six cartridges in one of General Altiods old snuff tins (fire blackened Altoids Mints tin with the writing burned or hammerred out and then rubbed with old motor oil).

 

[Juice Jaws]

Good luck and post a picture of your deer when you get it.

 

[Brokennock]

The way you stated you procedure leaves me to believe my previous assumptions about how you load with these are wrong. I had assumed that after you poured the powder from the powder end of the cartridge, that the now excess paper of that end was shoved down the bore under the ball forming a sort of was. Now I'm thinking that is torn off after starting the ball with the end with less paper first. ???

 

[trent/OH]

Are you right handed, and right eyed? I am, andmy fusil all group a little to the right. I in fact compensation by holding a little left.

My Bess shoots left about like Eric's gun shoots right. But my Bess has that bayonet lug as a crude front site. So I use the top left corner of the lug as a somewhat more precise sight, and that throws the shots pretty much to point of aim.

 

[Stumpkiller]

The way you stated you procedure leaves me to believe my previous assumptions about how you load with these are wrong. I had assumed that after you poured the powder from the powder end of the cartridge, that the now excess paper of that end was shoved down the bore under the ball forming a sort of was. Now I'm thinking that is torn off after starting the ball with the end with less paper first. ???

I have seen it done as you describe, and in the heat of battle that would probably be faster. It forms a wad but it also launches a tube of smoldering paper. I pocket the torn off tube to minimize litter and chances of catching the leaves on fire.

It's also easy for me to see the sprue is up. Not that it matters but I care.

 

[Brokennock]

Ahh. Thanks. I am happy with the groups from my patchless loading over wads, but I'm going to experiment with your cartridges at some point.

 

[Eric Krewson]

I fowler doesn't shoot to the right, the rear sight needed to tapped to the left, I tapped it over but didn't take another shot to check it. I didn't like the sight, made another, installed it and haven't taken the time for another shooting session. Deer hunting and cooking for my Thanksgiving guests have priority.

 

[trent/OH]

I fowler doesn't shoot to the right, the rear sight needed to tapped to the left, I tapped it over but didn't take another shot to check it. I didn't like the sight, made another, installed it and haven't taken the time for another shooting session. Deer hunting and cooking for my Thanksgiving guests have priority.

You are a man with his priorities set properly. I hope you didn't undereat yesterday!

I'd like to see a photo of the two sights sometime. It's always good to learn from other's experiences.