Are smaller calibers more accurate?

[jtmattison]

I have read in a few places that smaller caliber muzzleloaders are generally more accurate than larger calibers.
All things equal, generally speaking, does anyone agree with this?
Is a .32 1:60 twist roundball gun more accurate than a .54 1:60 twist roundball gun?
Does anyone have any evidence supporting this theory?

HD

 

[bnail]

I'm drawing from a VERY old memory here, so if there's any middle-school science teachers reading, please feel free to correct me.
Wouldn't the ball with the greater mass also suffer the greater gravitational pull, thus making the drop more sever? All thing being equal that is?

 

[Norskie]

Factors: Mass increases stability, especially relating to crosswinds.
Lower mass reduces recoil and flinch.
I think it's a wash. Possibly smaller calibers are more accurate at short range, but I'd bet larger calibers would win at long range. You'll find accurate guns in all calibers, within their limitations.
Skagun, I remember being taught that all objects drop at the same rate, regardless of mass. Don't know what they're teaching now.

 

[bnail]

Skagun, I remember being taught that all objects drop at the same rate, regardless of mass. Don't know what they're teaching now.

I remember the same lesson LM, I thought that all objects are pulled at the same rate, 9.8 Newtons, but I thought there's something about mass that causes the attraction to be more accute. objects of different weights fall at the same rate I believe, but I though objects with the greater mass are affected differently. Of course, if there is a difference, you wouldn't notice outside of a vacuum anyway I bet.

 

[twotoescharlie]

makes no difference whether its a b-b or a cannon ball, both of them will fall 32 feet per second, that is "if Newton was correct"

TTC

 

[roundball]

Probably wouldn't matter if the question was about inherent accuracy of a caliber, for the sake of caliber ("all else being equal") the external issues would not be part of the equation...

Now if you're talking about final accuracy as measured "at the target", then issues like BC, wind bucking ability, etc, come into play.

But from a pure caliber point of view, IMO, the .45 is an inherently accurate caliber.

 

[pmwest]

Considering the normal variations of volumetric powder measurements, the larger to powder charge, the less the effect of charge variation on accuracy. Example: a few grains more or less in a 30 grain charge make a bigger difference in accuracy than the same few grains to an 80 grain charge. This doesn’t mean that the lighter charges used in smaller bores are less accurate just that it takes extra care to shoot the smaller bore guns to achieve the same level of accuracy. With that said it is MHO that bore diameter is not a variable in the accuracy equation. Have not seen any written evidence to support or deny that opinion.

 

[TANSTAAFL]

Lots of folks are a bit recoil shy, they should shoot better with a light recoiling gun.

 

[Swampman]

The most accurate rifles I've ever seen or shot have all been .54s.

 

[bnail]

makes no difference whether its a b-b or a cannon ball, both of them will fall 32 feet per second, that is "if Newton was correct" TTC

AS I said, I'm drawing from a VERY old memory on this one. I vividly remember the feather/canon ball in a vacuum analogy, anmd the whole gravity thing, but what I couldn't remember was the issue if mass. the earth pulls at a set rate of 32fps, but, according to some theory (can't remember which theory), all mass has a gravitational pull. all I can remember was an experiment I did in HS in which we dropped bearings near a brick wall; instand of falling perfectly straight, ther bearings landed slightly nearer the well. suppossedly, this was to proove the attraction of masses.
However, I digress, I was merely putting forth a possibility. As you can clearly see TTC, the smaller ball would be Much more accurate!

:winking:

 

[pmwest]

Not to belabor the point, but Newton generally is correct. To add, if the quest for accuracy is related to paper targets and scores the larger diameter ball covers more of the target and increases the chances for higher score. That is a shot with a smaller ball may not break the 10 ring but a larger ball with the same point of impact would giving the higher score.

 

[ResearchPress]

That is a shot with a smaller ball may not break the 10 ring but a larger ball with the same point of impact would giving the higher score.

This is the reason many muzzle loading competitions, including international events, score to the centre of the shot hole. Each shot will then score the same irrespective of diameter.

David

 

[David454]

:rotf: OK How about the fireing of a ball from your rifle so that it leaves the barrel with no ark to its flight. That is its straight out not pointed up or down. And at the same time you drop a ball from the same height as your barrel. Now there supposed to hit the ground at the same time. Even though the other hits farther away. Of course the ground you shoot across would have to be flat. Cant cheat and shoot at a hill or into the grand canyon. Boy that one started alot of debate at work.

 

[brubincam]

which is heavier? a pound of feathers or a pound of lead... :yakyak: :yakyak: :yakyak:

 

[roundball]

Well, your thread sure got off topic in a hurry!
:rotf:

 

[jtmattison]

Well, your thread sure got off topic in a hurry!
:rotf:

You mean I didn't ask how much a pound of feathers weigh

Anybody wanna ride bycicles?

La la la la......

HD

 

[CrackStock]

Actually, I do not see why you chose a 1 in 66 twist for a .32 round ball.

My thoughts are that you can develop an accurate load from any caliber.

I like my .40 for target work simply because it is pleasant to shoot, I get a lot of shots from minimal resources and the .40 is large enough to cast my own with good results. All of this boils down to more shooting for me which develops better accuracy through more shooting.

CS

 

[jtmattison]

Actually, I do not see why you chose a 1 in 66 twist for a .32 round ball.

My thoughts are that you can develop an accurate load from any caliber.

I like my .40 for target work simply because it is pleasant to shoot, I get a lot of shots from minimal resources and the .40 is large enough to cast my own with good results. All of this boils down to more shooting for me which develops better accuracy through more shooting.

CS

I wasn't trying to single out a particular twist rate. I was just looking for opinion on accuracy with different calibers. I agree you can get great accuracy with any caliber as long as you do what you have to to make it happen.

HD

 

I'm not a middle school teacher, but I do know a bit about gravity and air resistance. Consider the BB and the cannonball. Both will fall at the same rate of acceleration, but the difference is the cannonball will tranfer more energy upon colliding with the ground because of it's greater mass (force = mass X acceleration). The cannonball may actually fall a little slower than the BB because of greater air resistance due to its larger frontal area (air resistance is proportional to speed and area). In the case of a PRB flying through the air, four forces are acting on it: expanding gases push it forward, gravity pulls it down, the wind might push it sideways and air resistance pushes it backwards (sort of). Assuming the same amount of energy is imparted to two balls from equal charges of powder, a .45 will leave the muzzle travelling much faster than a .54, and it's accleration should decay more slowly because less energy is required to keep a .45 flying through (and against) the air. Of course I have never once fired a gun in my life, so I don't really know what I am talking about :yakyak: .

 

[jtmattison]

Of course I have never once fired a gun in my life, so I don't really know what I am talking about :yakyak: .

Never fired a gun?

What brings you to the forum?

If you are considering taking up shooting sports you have come to the right place.

Welcome aboard!!

HD