Burnt patches

[Dr5x]

I DON'T KNOW HOW TO BEGIN A NEW SUBJCT.
SO THIS DOES HAVE SOMETHING TO DO WITH BURNED PATCHES.
I OBCE HAD A VERY CHEAP FLINTLOCK THAT REQUIRED REPLACEMENT OF THE LOCK ITSELF, I COULD NEVER GET THAT RIFLE TO HIT THE PAPER. . I FINALLY GAVE IT AWAY TO A REVEREND WHO WANTED A RIFLE TO USE IN TRAINING YOUNGSTERS DOWN IN FLORIDA, IF I REMENENBER CORRECTLY.
I MENTIONED THAT PROBLEM TO THE REV AND HE SAID THAT WAS NO PROBLEM AT ALL/ THERE WAS A WEE FLECK OF METAL AT ONCE SIDE OF THE MUZZLE WHICH WAS CAUSING AN UNEVEN PRESSURE FROM THAT SIDE CAUSING THE BALL TO BE DEFLECTED AWAY FROM THE INTENDED PATH.

YEARS LATER I WAS WONDERINGWHY AN OTHERWISE CORRECTLY LOADED RIFLE WITH A SLIGHTLY TOO THIN A PATCHING WHICH ALLOWED BLOW BY AND THE RESULTANT BURNED PATCHING WOULD NOT STILL BE ACURATE.. HARKING BACK ( I DON'T GET TO USE "HARKING" VERY OFTEN) HARKING BACK TO THE WEE METAL FLECK IT OCCURED TO ME JUST A GUESS, THAT IF THE BLOW BY WAS NOT EVENLY SPREAD AROUND THE CIRCUMFERENCE OF THEPATCHED BALL WOULDN'T THERE BE AN UNEVEN PRESSURE EXERTED ON THE BALL AS IT LEFT THE MUZZLE AWAY TOWARD THE SIDE WHERE THERE WAS LESS PRESURE THUS DEFLECTING THE [ATH OF COURSE , NOT A LOT PERHAPS BUT SOME, DIRECTION AWAY FROMTHE INTENDED PATH.
JUST A THOUGHT AND ANOTHER ARGUMENT FOR THE WELL FITTED PATCH.

I CANNOT THINK OF A WAY TO TEST THIS THOUGHT BUT IS SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT

DUTCHSCHOULTZ

 

[Bent Sight]

You bring up a good point Dutch. I've purchased several old Mausers and Garands over the years that just would not shoot. Close examination of the muzzle crown revealed that the crown was uneven and the lands of the rifling were not concentric at the crown. I believe the uneven escape of gas around the projectile at the muzzle had a lot to do with inaccuracy.

I have a crowning tool that I have used successfully to even the crown and sharpen the lands where they meet the crown. Even without obvious dings at the crown accuracy, in most instances, improved greatly after re-cutting the muzzle crown.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[Dr5x]

I HAVE A LONG ABIDING MYSTERY WHICH BENT SIGHT MIGHT JUST HAVE SHED SOME LIGHT/

WHEN I WAS COACHING AT THE RANGE I USED TO HELP PEOPLE WHO WERE USING CENTERFIRE RIFLES.
THERE WAS A YOUNG MAN WITH ABRITISH LEE ENFIELD WW II VINTAGE, MAYBE WW I,I'M NOTSURE BUT USING THE CORRECT AMMUNITION, AS FARB ASI COULD SEE THE PROJECTILES WERE KEY HOLING AT FIFTY YARDS. THE BULLET WENT THROUGH THE TARGET SIDEWAYS , CUTTING NICE SILHOUETTES. SPENT SOME TIME WITH IT NEVER CHANGED A THING. I STILL THINK ABOUT THAT RIFLE.

MAYBE THE PROBLEM WAS AT THE MUZZLLE?

DUTCH SCHOULTZ

 

[CapPopper]

Its completely possible it was... Whenever I do any serious work to a centerfire rifle if im not putting on a new barrel I will re-cut the crown on the lathe anyways... Always use a recessed 11° crown so that if the muzzle gets bumped it won't hurt the important part of the crown... Most older military guns just have a rounded crown on them which can be prone to nicks in the end of the rifling.... A good crown is very important to accuracy