Asking for help with a Rifle Shoppe Baker Rifle: groups at 50 yards have become dreadful.

[Eterry]

nobody is shooting dangerous game from a rest and everybody knows not to put a barrel on a fence post or rest messing up the harmonics. long match bullets are slightly wobbling at short range and stabilize at longer range. recoil happens after the bullet exits

Then you have a way to sight in a 416 to use on the smallest critter you'll hunt w/o a rest?
If Everyone knew everything, this forum wouldn't exist.
Everyone sights in their rifle, regardless of the type. My point is muzzle jump is a real thing unless you manage it.
And unless you know how to pause Physics, recoil will start with the cap exploding.

 

[Eterry]

Rudyard, I wish id had $$ BITD of cheap doubles after Kynoch closed. But wrong forum for that.

 

[Wirehair]

Eterry, could you describe how you "manage muzzle jump" on the bench, particularly larger bore, swamped barrel flintlocks to achieve consistent accuracy/repeatable results?

 

[French Colonial]

A couple of things...

Recoil starts at the moment that the bullet starts to move, that is a fact, The reason you can still have an accurate shooting gun with a heavy bullet is consistency, consistency, consistency. From consistency in the exact same load with the exact same bullet weight time after time... AND...someone who can hold the gun exactly the same, never flinch or anticipate recoil and have the same follow through every time. That person will bring out the best in any firearm.

Second, I don't know if this would work with a ML'er (never tried it, maybe I will) but on BPCRS guns we used to hold them or hang them by the wrist and tap on the barrel up and down with a rawhide mallet, in most spots the barrel will ring or vibrate, but there will be one or two spots that will give a dull thud. Mark that spot and set your barrel on the cross sticks at that spot every time to reduce the vibration when firing.

 

[Flint62Smoothie]

Eterry, could you describe how you "manage muzzle jump" on the bench, particularly larger bore, swamped barrel flintlocks to achieve consistent accuracy/repeatable results?

I.m not @Eterry and didn't sleep at a Holiday Inn last night, but set the rifle up over sandbags, where you want to be sitting as upright as you can to mimic your posture if shooting offhand. Sitting low and crouched over is gonna hurt! Also use a thick padded glove to hold the forend with your hand - not the forend - resting on the sandbags.

Cheek it well ... aim, squeeze, hold all the way through the shot and ride the recoil, and you'll be OK. All your attention on that front sight at and thru the shot! I also find that a supported (like up against a pole) sitting position shot also mimics the same point of impact as when shooting offhand, at least for me ... maybe due to my body size and proportions.