Smoothbore drop

[11th corps]

Shooting my northwest trade gun today with solid shot (.600 ball). I shot at 50 yards pretty accurately. How much drop would you estimate for a .600 fired out of 42 inch barrel with 70 grains of Goex FFF. at 100 yards? Or is accuracy at that distance not possible with a smoothie?

 

[kingsax26]

depends on what you call accuracy ...im just getting into smoothboes...ive seen some guns that shoot 8-10 inch groups at 100 yards and ive seen some shoot 20 inch groups at 100 yards.....i guess it really just depends on finding a proper load...or maybe some guns just wont do it ...

 

[Patocazador]

Mine has no rear sight. I won't even try it at 100 yards. 50 yds. is pretty good .. about a 4" group.

 

[Toomuch51]

As "Bryon" stated this largely centers on building the best load; ball size, patching, powder charge etc.
With a smoothbore though it is not so much drop but wander that is the question. Drop can be compensated for by point of aim, smoothbores will tend to wander more after about 60 to 70yd. because of lack of rifling.

Toomuch
...............
Shoot Flint

 

[11th corps]

Mine doesn't either. I just thought I would try it. Looking for a beginning point of reference. Two feet?

 

[Rifleman1776]

smoothbores will tend to wander more after about 60 to 70yd. because of lack of rifling.

Drop, or loss of velocity is a matter velocity and bc of the projectile. A prb out of a rifle will generally start out with more velocity. However all other factors being equal the drop would be the same.
Regardless, it would be considerable.

 

[Toomuch51]

Drop, or loss of velocity is a matter velocity and bc of the projectile. A prb out of a rifle will generally start out with more velocity. However all other factors being equal the drop would be the same.
Regardless, it would be considerable.

Drop and wander are two quite different issues. As the rate of drop is an issue of bullet weight, energy and velocity and is increased by distance.
The amount of wander is a matter of stability. A smoothbore's only means of stabilizing the ball is by way of a longer barrel. Whereas a rifle will stabilize the ball by putting an appropriate spin on it (similar to passing a football) enabiling it to remain on track at far greater distances in contrast to the same size ball from a smoothbore.

Toomuch
...........
Shoot Flint

 

[gard72977]

How does the longer barrel help stabilize the ball. I always had the feeling it would but don't really know why?

 

[George]

Mine doesn't either. I just thought I would try it. Looking for a beginning point of reference. Two feet?

No, not anything like that much. Depends on where you have the gun sighted for, of course. My .62" flintlock smoothbore with a 46" barrel, shooting .600 balls with 85 gr. 3F gives me 1475 fps. I have it sighted to hit point of aim at 75 yards. At 100 yards it is 4" low.

Spence

 

[Ft. Jefferson]

If your 50yd sight picture is OK, horizontally, with that load, the "drop" at 100yd should be approx. 3-5in". IMHO, that is entirely to far to humanely try to take an animal with a smoothbore A large steel gong on the other hand, is an entirely different deal!!!!!! Both of my smoothbores are capable of deer kill accuracy out to no more than 60yd. Period. Thank heaven I'm a good enough hunter that i don't need to be tempted by those situations/challenges very often!!!!! The critters should get to win one now and then to, ya know. An empty belly makes you think harder, hunt harder.

 

[Cruzatte]

How does the longer barrel help stabilize the ball. I always had the feeling it would but don't really know why?

I've wondered that myself. Currently, I'm shooting a Caywood Wilson fusil, 20 ga/62 cal. using a .600 ball, .015" patch, and 60 gr. FFg. The barrel is a nominal 42" long. Maybe those Frenchies were onto something with their four foot and longer fusil barrels. :hmm: :idunno:
Cruzatte

 

[gard72977]

How does the longer barrel help stabilize the ball. I always had the feeling it would but don't really know why?

I've wondered that myself. Currently, I'm shooting a Caywood Wilson fusil, 20 ga/62 cal. using a .600 ball, .015" patch, and 60 gr. FFg. The barrel is a nominal 42" long. Maybe those Frenchies were onto something with their four foot and longer fusil barrels. :hmm: :idunno:
Cruzatte

Im shooting a North Star West trade gun in 62 cal with 41"bbl .595 ball, .018 patch, and 60gr of FFFg

 

[coloradoclyde]

only one way to know for sure....load it up and shoot it at 100 yrds.

 

[11th corps]

I am not a hunter, but I agree about 100 yards being too far to shoot game unless you could consistently hit a paper plate at that distance. Don't know about energy at that distance though.

 

[11th corps]

only one way to know for sure....load it up and shoot it at 100 yrds.

Was going to yesterday, but another shooter with an AR showed up to shoot on the same firing line at the same distances. I don't want to try 100 yards without some rough idea of how much drop to compensate for. I will attempt the 3 to 5" drop suggested in one of the posts.

 

[Toomuch51]

How does the longer barrel help stabilize the ball. I always had the feeling it would but don't really know why?

In a smoothbore there is no rifling to stabilize the ball and the longer barrel will add greater stability to the ball's line of travel in the same way as it does to provide tighter pattern in a shot column when using loose shot, by giving it more time under control to stabilize itself before releasing control.
With a rifle this is not an issue because once the rifling has stabilized the ball any extra barrel length is just that (extra barrel length) and has no further effect on the ball's travel.

Toomuch
..........
Shoot Flint

 

[George]

In a smoothbore there is no rifling to stabilize the ball and the longer barrel will add greater stability to the ball's line of travel in the same way as it does to provide tighter pattern in a shot column when using loose shot, by giving it more time under control to stabilize itself before releasing control.

That's just restating the original assertion, longer barrels stabilize more because long barrels stabilize more. What's happening during that additional time in the barrel which adds stability? How can a ball wrapped in a patch and sliding down a barrel change its stability? Magic is the only thing I can think of.

It hasn't been my experience that longer barrels shoot a more stable ball or tighter groups. I shoot both shot and round ball out of 20 gauge smoothies with barrels from 28" to 46", all cylinder bore, and I don't see any repeatable difference in my results. The short ones shoot equally good patterns and groups in my hands.

I'm not a believer that the trajectory of a roundball goes to pot after 60-70 yards. It seems like too great a coincidence that the ball would begin flying in unapproved directions at exactly the same distance at which most shooters begin having difficulty with sighting and hitting a target with any gun. Pilot error I can understand, knuckleballs I cannot. :haha:

Spence

 

[Britsmoothy]

In a smoothbore there is no rifling to stabilize the ball and the longer barrel will add greater stability to the ball's line of travel in the same way as it does to provide tighter pattern in a shot column when using loose shot, by giving it more time under control to stabilize itself before releasing control.

That's just restating the original assertion, longer barrels stabilize more because long barrels stabilize more. What's happening during that additional time in the barrel which adds stability? How can a ball wrapped in a patch and sliding down a barrel change its stability? Magic is the only thing I can think of.

It hasn't been my experience that longer barrels shoot a more stable ball or tighter groups. I shoot both shot and round ball out of 20 gauge smoothies with barrels from 28" to 46", all cylinder bore, and I don't see any repeatable difference in my results. The short ones shoot equally good patterns and groups in my hands.

I'm not a believer that the trajectory of a roundball goes to pot after 60-70 yards. It seems like too great a coincidence that the ball would begin flying in unapproved directions at exactly the same distance at which most shooters begin having difficulty with sighting and hitting a target with any gun. Pilot error I can understand, knuckleballs I cannot. :haha:

Spence

I agree with the barrel length assumption!
If length was crucial then smoothbored pistols would of been utterly useless!

The only thing I have noticed with regard to a ball shot from a smoothbore is that some recovered balls have obviously turned from their loaded position! This fact in my view is the random action that will spoil and limit the group size shot from a smoothbore and will no doubt exasperate with any increase of range.

If there was one thing I would like to try would be a diablo shaped bullet as per a air gun pellet! Like the lyman 20g slug mould....I understand it fits a .58 smooth perfect!

B :thumbsup:

 

[coloradoclyde]

only one way to know for sure....load it up and shoot it at 100 yrds.

Was going to yesterday, but another shooter with an AR showed up to shoot on the same firing line at the same distances. I don't want to try 100 yards without some rough idea of how much drop to compensate for. I will attempt the 3 to 5" drop suggested in one of the posts.

I shot competition for 3 decades; let me give you some advice.
When you step up the firing line the only person you are competing against is yourself.
Never let another shooter get into your head!

 

[11th corps]

I shot competition for 3 decades; let me give you some advice.
When you step up the firing line the only person you are competing against is yourself.
Never let another shooter get into your head!
[/quote]

I didn't CC. My club has some members who live to report the supposed infractions of others. Didn't know about this one, just don't want to be spraying lead balls in all directions with witnesses present. :wink:

I can't recall the last time I saw anyone shooting a front stuffer at the Club, let alone a smoothbore flintlock.