Data results

[duelist1954]

I had hoped to get 100 entries for the smoothbore database, but I got nowhere near that, and the entries have dried up. So, I thought I’d share a little bit of what you told me.

Just over half of the smoothbore shooters who responded shoot both shot and round balls from their guns. I was a little surprised by that. So, it looks like there’s more target shooting than hunting going on.

Ball shooters who responded shoot patched balls two to one over bare ball shooters.

More people shoot 3Fg than 2Fg”¦no surprise there, but more people shoot 2Fg with light charges than heavy charges. That surprised me. I would expect 3Fg with light charges, but below about 80 grains, 2Fg isn’t as efficient as 3Fg, even in big bores. While above 80 grains, 2Fg is more efficient than 3Fg.

Over the next year, I’ll try to run some controlled tests with patches vs non-patches and with different powder graduations to see what measurable effects I get.

Thanks for sharing your info with me.

 

[BrownBear]

One crossover-

I specified I am using 1f with my shot loads and not round ball.

 

[Artificer]

I'm afraid I skewed your figures a tiny bit. I forgot to mention I also used shot in my Brown Bess Carbine. However, I only wound up using that gun to shoot in the old Northwest Trade Gun Aggregates and similar primitive matches. The only time I remember using shot was at Friendship, where they threw some clay targets in some of those matches.

I could have hunted with the patched ball load in that Bess, but I had a muzzle loading rifle to hunt with, so I never hunted with that Bess.

Gus

 

[duelist1954]

Thanks. I'll fix that

 

[pargent]

You should have got a lot more replies to your data requests

 

[duelist1954]

I really expected more, but I appreciate the help I did get.

Thanks everyone!

 

[smo]

You should have got a lot more replies to your data requests

I'm new to this smooth bore game but from what I can see so far it's a lot like playing Poker. Not many people what to show their hand first. :idunno:

 

[tenngun]

Lots of work, good job.
However it could be narrowed more that skewed your results. I luv ' em smoothies, but I don't own a musket or a fowling piece. What I shoot in a fusil carries little wt with a Bess shooter or a double barreled shooter.
Your work did show that we tend to be mostly on the same page,or at least the same chapter. :thumbsup: