buck shot on a string

[quinnconner]

In Jim webb's book " Sketches of Hunting Pouches, Powder Horns and Accoutrements of southern Appalacia" he says about hunters using buckshot strung together to get closer groups.He also says that such practices are unsafe.buckshot strung like that could be tied to the front strap of your shooting bag and just cut off a piece and use as needed.

 

Not sure how or why he thought strung buck was unsafe. We did it in shotshells without any problems, along with balls that had tails Those did have some success using parcel ribbon of the 1/2" vareity, I think it was. We got the idea from an article in Guns and Ammo back in the mid 60's. My parents gave me a subscription to G&A for a birthday present when I was 15. I kept up the subscripton until the mid 80's or so. I cancelled when Elmer died, '84, I think it was. Loved that man.
; Anyway, the strung shot worked after a fashion and would indeed tighten patterns, but I suspect the string or wire would impinge upon penetration on deer, much needed with such light balls. They'd be just fine for fox and coyote though, extending the range considerably, I'd expect.
; The "flagged" single balls were better at maintining line of sight as the 'flag' prevented them from spinning off course like a baseball does in a thrown curve ball.

 

We used to do this with fishing line it is now illegal in most states I believe.
What we would do was use split shot sinkers spread about 2 inches a part giving us a line 2 ft long. There was no wounding water fowl, either you hit them or you didn

 

Daryl,

Some years ago, when my friends and I would get into arguments over guns, I would always end with "Well, Elmer says...". My wife still uses it on me but most of the things she comes up with probably can't be traced to him .

 

[quinnconner]

Jim probably said dont try it as a disclaimer.I can see how it would be convenient to have a string of buckshot hanging on the front strap of your smoothbore shooting bag ,and just cut off a lenght and put er down the barrel on top of a wad .It would be easier than finding the loose balls and counting them ect..I am going to look at Pa."s game laws.Who knows? Sinkers on a piece of fishing line would be awsome out of my blunderbuss!!!!Maybe chain shot!!

 

[Maverick3855]

This is an interesting subject.
I read a magazine article years ago about a guy named Sylvan Hart who hand made a 70 caliber smoothbore and took 60 lb test monofilament deep sea fishing line and drilled a hole through the ball and tied the line through it and left a 14 inch long "tail" on the ball. He said it stabilized the ball and it closed his groups up to 4 inches where he was getting about 16 inch groups before. He eventually rifled that gun but I was always intrigued by that "Tail" on a ball. I have a 2nd model bess Myself and have thought of experimenting with this.
Maverick

 

[musketman]

I have a 2nd model bess Myself and have thought of experimenting with this.

I would use a over powder nitro card between the patched ball and the powder, just to keep the exploding FFg from melting the monofilamet...

 

Maverick - thanks for the reminder- I too, remember that article & will probably now try someting like it as well. Musketman- you're correct - an over powder wad or patch will be necessary to keep the BP from melting the mono. I'm certain it wouldn't melt much, but might fuse or melt off close to the ball - wouldn't want that as the idea is for the tail to prevent the ball from spinning like a curve-ball, which is what causes long range(over 100yds)innacuracy of a musket ball.
: I think a toothpick soved in and broken off, or some such deal, will work to hold the line to the ball along with a knot on the top.

 

[capnwilliam]

Wasn't Sylvan Hart known as "the last of the Mountain Men"? He actually, full time, lived in the wilderness in Idaho, hunting, growing, gathering, making himself, everything he had.

Capt. William