- Joined
- Nov 19, 2012
- Messages
- 666
- Reaction score
- 482
My 12 gauge flintlock has always shot low at 30 yards. The top edge of the pattern barely touched the aiming point. I decided to do something about that; and made some blocks and bent the barrel back to straight.
I supported the 30" barrel near the muzzle, and about 10" up from the breech. I used another block on top of the barrel and a large C clamp to pull the barrel down toward my bench. I had to spring the barrel down almost 1/2" in order to bend it about 1/16".
The first try worked perfectly for me. My pattern is now centered at 30 yards. I found a good turkey load, using 70 grains 2f, 2 over powder card wads, an 80 grain measure of #6 shot, and another 1/8" overpowder wad on top of that. The 1/8" wad over the shot is new for me. It seems to give me very evenly spaced shot patterns. Even at 35 yards, I was getting many hits in the head and neck of the target, and the pattern was centered on the aiming point.
I supported the 30" barrel near the muzzle, and about 10" up from the breech. I used another block on top of the barrel and a large C clamp to pull the barrel down toward my bench. I had to spring the barrel down almost 1/2" in order to bend it about 1/16".
The first try worked perfectly for me. My pattern is now centered at 30 yards. I found a good turkey load, using 70 grains 2f, 2 over powder card wads, an 80 grain measure of #6 shot, and another 1/8" overpowder wad on top of that. The 1/8" wad over the shot is new for me. It seems to give me very evenly spaced shot patterns. Even at 35 yards, I was getting many hits in the head and neck of the target, and the pattern was centered on the aiming point.