I was surprised as a 14 year old how I could regularly shoot rabbits with a patched ball in my Pat 42 smoothbore musket. No internet in those days, and only had and original pistol ball mould, which I found with greased denim patch shot really accurately. Just found out by accident. It is only in the last few years that I have heard about the smooth rifles a lot of you blokes hunt with. My old gun was wrecked by my late little brother with a charge of smokeless ( long story, he was not injured) I recently picked up a Mod 1839 Potsdam percussion conversion which is essentially the same configuration as the Pat 42. It shoots a treat with paper cartridges, have not had a chance to go hunting with it yet. Some lovely guns you blokes have there !