D M Dolliver

[bigted]

Terrible time accuracy wise today with the smoothie. I shot at 25 yards and accuracy seemed the same as before so thinking i was on a good path i moved the target out to 50 yds. Man!!! Large PATTERNS instead of groups, i mean like 12 to 15 inch patterns.

Began with the 60 grain loads then a few 70 grain loads then a few 80 grain loads ... no good so i upped it to venturino's 110 grain loads ... still no good. Switching from old e 2F to goex 3Fg did no better. I even tried my 595 balls without wrapper bare between wads ... nuttin.

This all off a rested bench. Im hoping it isnt me but very well could be.

Gonna install a wooden flint and przctice dry firing to see if i can spot a problem i may be developing.

Really like this shooter. Really want to figure this out. Any thoughts to try would be welcome. Little frustrated tonight.

 

[azmntman]

I have had days like that, take a proven shooter out and just plain ol STINK shootin it (all same components)/. Take er back out another day and see what ya get before panic sets in :wink:

Not sure what does this to us good ol boys, perhaps a govt grant would assist me in the research? :blah:

I had it happen 3 outings in a row before, 4th time out is was back to drivin tacks with NO CHANGES! Maybe its our genral attitude (bad work days, wife caught us sneaking out to meet the fed ex guy, aches n pains, temporary eye issues? :idunno:

 

[excess650]

Ship it to me and I'll sort it out, no charge for my powder, patches, RBs, or flints. :wink:

What little I did with my 12bore, it seemed to prefer lighter charges than I wanted to use. I recall starting at 85gr and had my best result there. I'll have to revisit that one after I get some .690s cast, and will try with lubricated cushion wads under the PRB.

In reality, a .690 PRB over 85gr ffg should knock the snot out of anything it encounters at 50 yards. :hmm:

 

[bigted]

Thanks. I been reading the flintlock tips on the "flintlocks" section and gaining a few good tips there too.

Already installed an eraser in the cock and have begun dry firing. It has already shown me a couple flaws in my shooting style ... may have had them for a long time but never observed them as ive never been slowed up enough to see the results of not holding thru the shot for the length of time required with the flintlock ignition system.

 

[excess650]

Use a piece of wood in place of your flint. Dry fire and see where your sights are after the cock falls. I find that I shoot my muzzle heavy rifle better offhand than I do the much lighter .45. From a rest, I see no difference.

 

[bigted]

I used a desktop eraser. This seems like a good idea but is there a reason to use wood instead?

 

[Billnpatti]

The location of the touch hole could possibly be a problem. The touch hole should be in what is called the "sunset" position. That is, centered front to rear on the pan and centered with a line drawn across the top of the pan. The size of the hole could also be a problem. The touch hole should be approximately 1/16 inch in diameter. You can use a 1/16 inch drill bit to check it. If it is less than 1/16 inch in diameter, carefully drill it out to 1/16. When drilling a touch hole, I use a 1/16 drill bit chucked into a pin vise and drill it by hand. It takes only a minute or two to drill it out this way but you will have much less chance of wobbling the hole than if you used an electric hand drill.