Years ago I got into the habit of doing what I call the money shot. You know, one shot for all the marbles. That’s the situation when I’m hunting deer, when, except in very rare circumstances, one shot is all I get. My concern for a quick, humane kill, and the fear of wounding and losing an animal makes me feel I should do all I can to make certain I and my equipment are as ready as can be. So, after all the work-up is complete, the load is developed and the gun seems to be sighted in and hitting where I want, I look for an opportunity to make one final test, the money shot. I try to find a time to try just one shot under field conditions, to see if I really could hit that vital spot, first try. I’ve done it with most of the guns I hunt deer with, and, so far, the practice has served me well.
Original flintlock smooth rifle, 49+” barrel, 28 gauge, no rear sight, loaded with 90 grains 2F Goex, hard and lubricated cushion wad, ticking patched .535” round ball. Shot was sitting unsupported, using the ramrod as a monopod, 75 yards on a calm day, at dusk.
Phillips flintlock double 20 gauge shotgun, 32” barrels, no rear sight, 100 grains 2F Goex, 1/8” hard card, 1/2” lubricated cushion wad, ticking patched homemade .600” balls. This gun shoots 1 1/2” groups with both barrels at 25 yards, but 3” right with the right and 3 inches left with the left barrel, so some Kentucky windage is necessary to center the shot. Standing offhand, 25 yards.
Jackie Brown 20 gauge flintlock smoothbore, 46” barrel, no rear sight, loaded with 80 grains 3F Goex, brown paper wad, tow overpowder, .600” bare ball, tow overshot, 50 yards, shooting off my knees, sitting with my back against a tree.
J. D. Thompson flintlock rifle, .40 caliber Douglas barrel 42” long, loaded with 67 grains 3F Goex, cotton patched .395” home-cast ball. At the end of a deer hunt, dark, gusty day, winds 12 left, 100 yards, standing rest draped over the hood of my Jeep.
Anytime I flunk the money shot, it’s back to the drawing board.
Everybody knows you can't tell anything about a gun from just one shot, right? Wrong. If it's the final exam after a complete and thorough load work-up and sighting in, one shot can tell you all you need to know
Spence
Original flintlock smooth rifle, 49+” barrel, 28 gauge, no rear sight, loaded with 90 grains 2F Goex, hard and lubricated cushion wad, ticking patched .535” round ball. Shot was sitting unsupported, using the ramrod as a monopod, 75 yards on a calm day, at dusk.
Phillips flintlock double 20 gauge shotgun, 32” barrels, no rear sight, 100 grains 2F Goex, 1/8” hard card, 1/2” lubricated cushion wad, ticking patched homemade .600” balls. This gun shoots 1 1/2” groups with both barrels at 25 yards, but 3” right with the right and 3 inches left with the left barrel, so some Kentucky windage is necessary to center the shot. Standing offhand, 25 yards.
Jackie Brown 20 gauge flintlock smoothbore, 46” barrel, no rear sight, loaded with 80 grains 3F Goex, brown paper wad, tow overpowder, .600” bare ball, tow overshot, 50 yards, shooting off my knees, sitting with my back against a tree.
J. D. Thompson flintlock rifle, .40 caliber Douglas barrel 42” long, loaded with 67 grains 3F Goex, cotton patched .395” home-cast ball. At the end of a deer hunt, dark, gusty day, winds 12 left, 100 yards, standing rest draped over the hood of my Jeep.
Anytime I flunk the money shot, it’s back to the drawing board.
Everybody knows you can't tell anything about a gun from just one shot, right? Wrong. If it's the final exam after a complete and thorough load work-up and sighting in, one shot can tell you all you need to know
Spence
