50 Yard Slug Group with a Smoothbore

[cannonball1]

Just got back from the shooting range with my 20 ga. smoothbore. I was shooting a .600 round ball at 50 yards and got a five shot, six inch group. The gun had a finish nail electrical taped on for a front sight and the slot of the tang screw for a rear sight, but really that's neither here nor there. I like to shoot the guns in the blond before finishing.
What group do most of you get with your smoothbores with a slug? To me six inch group was not very good or was it?

 

[64Springer]

A six inch group from a smoothbore at 50 yards with cobbled together sights is nothing to be ashamed of.

In fact, it's a damn fine group.

A lot of shooters can't maintain a six inch group with rifled barrels and proper sights.

If you take her hunting, maybe cut your farthest shot to 35 yards.

This will factor in a little bit of shaky nervousness when Bambi presents itself broadside.

 

[Rob M.]

Sounds good to me too .... Your sights sound hilarious but ,,hmmm ....you did good . Perhaps everyone will want start wanting taped on finish nail sights !

 

[Sam squanch]

I had a cut down half stock musket, a converted in to a shotgun affair. I found a shot length of PCV pipe, sanded it to be a tight fit on the muzzle, and drilled and glued a plastic golf tee in the hole for a front sight. It worked, and was removable.

 

[WALT53]

Just got back from the shooting range with my 20 ga. smoothbore. I was shooting a .600 round ball at 50 yards and got a five shot, six inch group. The gun had a finish nail electrical taped on for a front sight and the slot of the tang screw for a rear sight, but really that's neither here nor there. I like to shoot the guns in the blond before finishing.
What group do most of you get with your smoothbores with a slug? To me six inch group was not very good or was it?

I was at range today also,there’s still 2ft of snow so didn’t stay long but after doing a little relieve carving and soldering on a new barrel lug and front sight I just had to try it .So last fall I was having a little trouble getting 2f to go off in the main charge .Thiswinter I bought some 4f and after my little bit of rework and such and changing my lube finally success with 2f as a main charge.sorry for the picture still figuring that out also

 

[Comfortably_Numb]

I have a 3 1/4" group of ten shots at 50 yards. Its the national record. Unfortunately I didn't shoot the target, but a gun I made did. The rules for this match are 13 shots, throw out your worst three. Shot at Friendship in 1999. It still stands today.

 

[Comfortably_Numb]

dbl post

 

[HSmithTX]

Seems like smoothbore ‘moa’ would be similar to archery moa, an inch per ten yards group size. 3” at 30 yards and 5” at 50 yards. Get close to that and you and your equipment is shooting pretty good, get under that and you’re doing very well. How far you can carry it out there is a big help in determining how far you might be able to take a hunting shot, worked well for archery for a long time.

 

[cannonball1]

Thanks all. The next time out when I get the bead on the front of the barrel I am going to shoot thirteen shots and see what it will do for the best 10 shots. A record at Friendship. Wow.
I shot a very light patched .600 ball with 70 grains of Swiss 2F, with two over-shot wads over the powder, and a fiber wad soaked in olive oil behind the ball. The thing that impressed me was that the fifth shot went down as smooth as the first shot without cleaning. Getting to love smoothbores. After the five shots we went on to shoot some seven-chill to see what the grouping was. It was fair with 1 1/8 oz. of shot. I love a challenge and I guess I will try hunting deer with it. Might not be easy with wide open Mule deer country and a 50 yards or less gun.

 

[wahkahchimaol.com]

I have a 3 1/4" group of ten shots at 50 yards. Its the national record. Unfortunately I didn't shoot the target, but a gun I made did. The rules for this match are 13 shots, throw out your worst three. Shot at Friendship in 1999. It still stands today.

Can you please tell us more about how that group happened? Thanks!

 

[Brokennock]

What group do most of you get with your smoothbores with a slug? To me six inch group was not very good or was it?

Slug?
Oh, roundball,,,, was confused by the title, thought you meant something like a Brenneke slug pulled from its shell.

Given that your gun is still unfinished and that 1st test involved such makeshift sights,,,, and no load development, I'd say it is okay.

I expect 4 inch or better groups, 5 or more shots, off the bench at 50 yards with my 20 gauge smoothbores. But, that involves a lot of load development/testing. Given the other factors involved I think you have a good starting point.

 

[Comfortably_Numb]

Can you please tell us more about how that group happened? Thanks!

What specifics do you want? I was on the line when it was shot but it was 24 years ago so I don't remember many specific details.
It is/was a 28 guage smooth rifle. No rear sight, no set trigger. Getz barrel. Walter Cain siler lock. All hand forged mounts by me except the barrel and lock.
.The gun and target are now in my possession .