100 yard groups with a Smoothbore Musket

[Darto]

Dualist1954 videos seems to preach that a high powder charge is the key to good groups with muskets. Because the pressure has to be enough for the gasses to pass around the bullet and form a halo with the bullet in the center and gasses at the sides at it travels down the barrel. Otherwise with low velocities the ball will not stay centered and wobble going down the barrel, and not be accurate.
My Charlieville is short barrelled and light, a copy of some sort of artillery musket. It is comfortable only with lighter charges for me to shoot. So I probably am not getting the best accuracy.

 

[Stantheman86]

Dualist1954 videos seems to preach that a high powder charge is the key to good groups with muskets. Because the pressure has to be enough for the gasses to pass around the bullet and form a halo with the bullet in the center and gasses at the sides at it travels down the barrel. Otherwise with low velocities the ball will not stay centered and wobble going down the barrel, and not be accurate.
My Charlieville is short barrelled and light, a copy of some sort of artillery musket. It is comfortable only with lighter charges for me to shoot. So I probably am not getting the best accuracy.

I use 100gr of whatever I happen to use, 3f,2f, 1.5 or 1f and the .648 Round Ball .

Either dropped in loose with wadding on top or in a cartridge. And I'm always able to shoot sub-baseball sized groups at 50 yards.

Light charges like 60gr feel like it's just kinda blooping the ball out. With the "windage" in the bore , like you said you need a stout charge to Center the ball and keep it from bouncing around in the bore. Unlike a Minie that creates a seal.

Some guys use very heavy charges in .69 or .75 smoothbores like 170gr of 2f but I feel it's a diminishing return.

The experts feel that the original service charge for a .69 smoothbore musket using an approx .65 ball was equivalent to 100gr of modern 1f. 1f being about equal to "Musket Powder" .( 110 for Flinters) . I figure they knew what they were doing 200+ years ago as this continued to be used as the charge right up until 1865.

 

[smoothshooter]

I use 100gr of whatever I happen to use, 3f,2f, 1.5 or 1f and the .648 Round Ball .

Either dropped in loose with wadding on top or in a cartridge. And I'm always able to shoot sub-baseball sized groups at 50 yards.

Light charges like 60gr feel like it's just kinda blooping the ball out. With the "windage" in the bore , like you said you need a stout charge to Center the ball and keep it from bouncing around in the bore. Unlike a Minie that creates a seal.

Some guys use very heavy charges in .69 or .75 smoothbores like 170gr of 2f but I feel it's a diminishing return.

The experts feel that the original service charge for a .69 smoothbore musket using an approx .65 ball was equivalent to 100gr of modern 1f. 1f being about equal to "Musket Powder" .( 110 for Flinters) . I figure they knew what they were doing 200+ years ago as this continued to be used as the charge right up until 1865.

How does your Charleville ( I assume ) do at 50, 75, and 100 yards?

 

[Stantheman86]

How does your Charleville ( I assume ) do at 50, 75, and 100 yards?

I have a Charleville that I haven't fired yet but I use an 1816 Percussion conversion by Pedersoli

With Round Balls it does ok at 75 yards and at 100 it can hit a man sized silhouette maybe half the time or more. I also have a rear sight on it