Your Most Accurate 100yd+ PRB Caliber?

[jetcanoe]

Was just wondering, and did some searching on this first, so I hope it ain't a recent dead-horse-beating. Is there a PRB caliber in your experience that is hands-down the most accurate in a flint rifle at 100yds and farther?

I've read .36 and .40 were a big choice of the "competetion" shooters, but also that .50 was better all-around because of less effect from wind.

I know there ain't exactly such a thing as "all things being equal" because of twist rates, loads and many many other factors, but along that line of thought, even perhaps from a bench, have you found one caliber far superior to the others? Or is there really no such thing?

Thanks! :hatsoff:
Jet

 

[satwel]

I have won my share of NMLRA medals at territorial matches with a .45 flintlock. I have also done pretty well with a .50 cal. In my experience, to be competitive with the .45 at 100 yds, wind conditions have to be ideal. I bring a .50 cal along just in case and decide which I will shoot when I arrive. The .50 is more consistent at 100 yds if there is any sort of breeze.
I once bought a stock from a long-time gun dealer and black powder shooter who urged me to build a .54 cal. He claimed that .40 and .54 are the two most efficient calibers for round balls and BP. He said you get the most "bang" from a given amount of powder with a .40 and .54. He said this theory is based on the testing Greener did in the second half of the 19th century. I have a battered copy of W. W.Greener's book, but I've never gotten around to studying the experimental data in the back.
The short answer is for 100 yds, go with at least .50 cal. .54 is even better.

 

[zimmerstutzen]

All things considered, for 100 yds, I'd go 45. Enough bulk to resist wind and still small enough to keep up the pace to 100 yds. 36's and 40's are a bit too light for cross winds. 50's and up start to develop some drop issues. Small calibers are more sensitive to fluctuations in powder measurement between shots. Nothing wrong with a 50, just economy of powder and lead I suppose leads to to prefer the 45. Now past 100yd say for 150 or 200, ya got to go heavier. And the heavier the better. If I were regularly shooting to 200 yds, it would prolly be with a 62 or 68 caliber PRB. The heavy ball tends to retain it's velocity and energy further down range than a lighter ball. While the light ball tends to be flatter in the short run, once that ball starts slowing down, the trajectory starts arcing pretty fast.

I have a rather long H & H target barrel in 45. Hoppy and I discussed twists and shape of rifling for about an hour before we settled on what I was going to do with it. It even has a choked rifle bore. It has served me well for 30 years. There's no doubt that that barrel is a tack driver, even if I am not. It can shoot sub MOA 5 shot groups. With my aging eyes I can't focus well enough on the sights to still do that. However, I did it a few years ago with a front blade sight and rear peep. (I just happened to hit one of those gorgeous calm summer evenings at the range and everything in the universe was aligned. I'll probably never do it again.)

Target match shooting has a different approach than hunting shooting. Hunting has a certain acceptable margin of error that still brings home the bacon. Fine target accuracy is a different thing, requiring fine sights, and more concentrated aim. Matches can be won or lost over miniscule differences in shot strings.

 

[Russ T Frizzen]

I'd say, from my own experience, that this is about right. The longer the range, the more likely wind will come into the equation. And the heavier balls work best under these conditions. At 100 yards, my .45 does fine. If you want another rifle, which is always a good idea, a smaller for the really short range stuff is O.K. by me. .36 or .40 caliber seem to be the magic numbers today. Twenty or so years ago, I had a .37 caliber pea rifle that I thought of as magic myself. Most likely I was just having a good year.... :wink:

 

[tg]

I would go with a .50 myself if I were still shooting at 100 yds, one thing to consider is that as you get farther out past the 100 yd mark is the sight picture with standard primitive sights, no ball size can make up for this.

 

[hanshi]

I'll be honest and say that I can't shoot or see well enough to ever determine that. At 50 yards it's a different matter. My smallest 50 yard group was fired with my .36 followed by a tie between my .50 & .45.

 

[arquebus]

Seems to me any RB is going to suffer from crosswind, but the larger (heavier) the caliber the less it will be affected. I use a .54 for my 100m competition work & it shoots real well, but last year in Australia at the World Championships we had a moderately stiff crosswind & I had my rear sight dialed all the way to the left & still had to hold on the edge of the paper (ISU B-17 target) to hit center! I shot the highest U.S. Team score in that event, & I think a large part of that was due to the rifle being a .54 caliber, another team member was using his very accurate .40 caliber in the same event, but the wind was way too much on that day.
One thing to consider, in MLAIC competitions, the Maximilian Match (flintlock, roundball, 100m, prone) I'd say at least 80% of rifles used are .54 caliber, with the exceptions erring on the larger rather than smaller calibers.

 

I also heard somewhere that the .40 caliber was the best.

 

[Tom Compton]

Given a dead calm, bench rest and even a 24X Unertl target scope, and best load combinations for each, I doubt there is a caliber that is "hands down" better than others for 100 yd work.

Now, when the bench rest shooters get together, the .58 is king and I suspect it is all to do with wind effect. Some even shoot .62s.

My 2 mainstays are .40 and .50. The new .54 has not been settled in as yet but given a windy situation, I can see where it will be selected.

TC

 

[Tumblernotch]

I've had great results with the .40, but if there is much crosswind, you'd better know how to read it or learn to be patient and wait for it to die down a bit.

 

[shmrck1]

Jet,
:hmm: When you say "far superior" now that is a tough call.I am not a paper shooter but when I do my hands down best is my .45cal.That is also
the one I am most comfortable shooting.
To be quite honest I am happy with a 2/3" groups
at 50 yards.As a deer hunter I very seldom get shots beyond that range.Farthest 65 yds.The area
and terrain I hunt just don't allow for much beyond that.Most deer harvested have been between
35/50 yards,with one at 10. :2
snake-eyes

 

[rabjr]

Well, anythin over 75 yards, you'd either have to allow me the use of a scope or a 105 Howizer. Other wise it just ain't happenning. :haha: