100 yd shots

[faw3]

Ive been trying 100 yd shots with a 62 (only smoothy I got) with a scope on it JUST to see how do these shoot at 100, Ive got so many mixed results Im thinking I cant come up with any kind of charts,reasons, nothing. I cant get a repeat on any 5 shots that are even close, anyone got some 100 yd test to share? FRED :hatsoff:

 

[Jumpshot]

My first thought is... How did you mount the scope?

 

[Rebel]

Duct tape, it will fix anything. :grin:

 

[Blizzard of '93]

Lots of variables there, maybe Paul V can weigh in. :hmm:

 

[tg]

How does your gun shoot at 40-50 yds? I would do some close up work to get a good load combo then see where they hit farther out.

 

[Many Klatch]

I hit 2 out of 5 bear targets at 120 yards with my .715 Bess Carbine at Friendship a couple of weeks ago. Just show more front sight and use the usual powder charge. Don't expect to print a group at 100 yards. What a smoothbore will do at that distance is nail a target with some repetition, that is 3 feet tall and 2 feet wide if you hold good, hold your mouth right and are lucky.

Many Klatch

 

[paulvallandigham]

TG is correct, Fred. Try groups at the shorter yardage, and when you find a load that groups, then move back to 75 yards, then 85, and then 100 yds. Most round ball loads will come down through the sound barrier at about 80 yds, according to my experiements. Same with shogun slugs, except some of the sabots. I have fired slugs out the barrel at 1400 fps. only to seem them come through the sound barrier at 80 yards, and the one hole goup at 50 yds becomes a " where-did-that-one-go ? " group at 100 yds. I found the same thing with the .62 round ball out of a smoothie. That knuckle ball starts moving around when it reaches a certain velocity and where it goes is about anybody's guess. I start with the ball going under the speed of sound, about 1050 fps, at the muzzle, so I don't have to deal with the sound barrier problems. That seems to help, but I still get much better group consistency at 50 yards than at 100 yds. I have not tried these with a scope. I would suggest using radiator hose clamps. to hold the mount to the stock and barrel better. Duct tape is okay, but it does flex i recoil, and a 3/4 oz. round ball moving down that barrel is going to send out waves in that barrel that will make that scope jump, unless firmly tied down. I also think you have to be extremely consistent in your loading technique to get any kind of group at those longer ranges. You may have to sort the balls both by weight and diameter, and tumbling them to get rid of air bubbles might also help. Then sort by diameter.

Lastly, just because this is the last thing my brother and I discovered did nice things to round ball groups, is to lube that barrel after you seat the round ball. It increased the velocity a little bit, but reduced the SDV substantially, meaning the balls were going out at a much more consistent velocity, shot after shot. That should help tighten groups, too.

Let us know if any of this works.

 

[redwing]

I think a rear sight would do better than a scope at 100 yds. That being said Dixie and others sell magnetic scope base sets for 1" scopes.
When shooting at longer ranges with my .62 I use a Lubed 5/8s over powder wad. I don't know why but I do better on shots over 25yds. doing this. :thumbsup:

 

[brubincam]

when you want to shoot something that far away,,,sneak closer then try again,,, :blah: :blah: :blah:

 

[Ridge]

I'd be interested in trying something like this myself, but I've always believed in the old muzzleloader rule of thumb......Get as close as you can and then get 10 yards closer.

 

[faw3]

I'll start with the scope "magnetic scope base " they do work real well,now I'll back track. I just had seen some stuff about how such and such did at 100 yds with his so I wanted to see if I could grp at 100. I started at 25,50, yds and then they went out to lunch (Long Hammock barrel) I'm trying to stay sub sonic to leave that out (low powder charges). I'm thinking it cant be done, Ive shot and shot and got 2 within 6" then the next 6 12 to 20" away, then another close to the first 2. Was just wondering if anyone else had tryed this (for no reason but I wanted to know no less :youcrazy: ) Thanks FRED :hatsoff:

 

[burgessrudy]

From what I have read you are trying to adapt 20th century technology ( a scope) to improve the inherent inaccuracies and inconsistencies of 18th century technology? Good to see just for fun, but there is a reason the M-16 and not the Brown Bess is the main battle weapon of the armed forces.

Instead of MOA or miniute of angle of accuracy you need to adjust your data plane to CEP, or Circular Error of Probablility. Even if you put a laser on it, it will only be so accurate and reliable. That's why buck and ball is so good. It lowers your CEP of a hit.

 

[mike alexandre]

From my own experiments, if you can hold an upper body man size target with a smooth bore at 100yds - you and the gun are doing ok. As others have said - you are fighting nature wrt a round balls inherant inaccuaracy in a smooth barrel. IMO the scope will have little to do with improveing the group.

 

[hawk]

fw , when I first started using a smoothbore for moose hunting I tried to group at 100 yards( to see if it was worth hanging around an open swamp 80- 100 yards across) with my bess with basically the same results as you 2 shots close(4-6") then two flyers(12-20") then one at the first two.
my conclusion not good enough to do the job right I limit my shot to 50-60 yards (a long shot in the thick bush that I hunt moose in)
now that said some guns just group better than others ,unfortunatlly I have one of the "OTHERS".

 

[Juice Jaws]

My only question and answer is WHY--WHY--WHY-- :v
juice jaws

 

[CoyoteJoe]

Fred, I applaud your efforts, pushing the limits is how we learn and long range smoothbore accuracy is an area where there is much to be learned. In the Lyman BlackPowder handbook there is a short bit on Sam Fadala's efforts with a .56 T/C smoothbore. He claims that after much effort, refined loads produced 8" groups at 100 yards. What do the serious competition shooters at Friendship do with smoothbores?

 

[Frank/Pa]

I would suspect the scope is the reason you are having erratic results. It doesn't take much movement of the scope mount to throw you way off.

 

[paulvallandigham]

Fred: Put some witness marks on that scope mount when its on your barrel, to make sure it doesn't move during a shot. If you use witness marks done with a fine scratch awl, on the mount and the barrel at two locations at 90 degrees to each other, you should be able to tell if that scope moves. I suppose its possible for it to rear up in recoil and settle back down in the same place but I doubt it.

 

[faw3]

To you and Frank yes that was my first try at fixing the "balls over country side" and I'm useing a low power now since High wouldnt do any thing, as to WHY??? I'd seen on here a while back someone with a bunch of holes on a 12" paper plate I think it was and dont think I could do it even with a barrel MADE just to try this, The real reason "I JUST WANTED TO KNOW !and MY EYES at 57 are'nt that good anymore. Thanks to everyone if youv seen he rain fall here Ive had about 3" a day for 23 days now it may be time to take up fishing again! :rotf: If I shoot anything worth while i'll let you know Im going to try one more scope when it gets here (just in case - but Im sure its all in the PRB in a smooth bore wanting to go :blah: Fred :hatsoff: ideas welcomed

 

[Many Klatch]

The really serious smoothbore shooters shoot a really long thick barreled smoothbore. I have a 16 pound .60 halfstock flint smoothbore with a special Getz barrel that I made up 20 years ago. The barrel is 16 ga O.D. and 20 ga I.D. The barrel is 48" long and is octagon to wedding ring to round. The barrel is about 1/8" thick at the muzzle. It will shoot like a rifle out to 75 yards with a .60 ball, 75 grains of 3F and a .010 spit patched ball all day long.

The newer breed of hotdogs at Friendship that shoot smoothbores have graduated to the .54 size with a thick barrel.

The theory with the longer heavier barrels is that it reduces the amount of whip or harmonics in the barrel and will be more accurate.

My only problem with a 16 pound smoothbore these days is trying to hold it up for a 20 shot relay.

Many Klatch