Enjoy the mysteries and vagueries of smoothbores...

[Brokennock]

Rather than bench shoot which can beat one up recoil wise how about using cross sticks stood up?

Don't have them anymore. I used to have access to one of the horizontal rests to shoot supported while standing like what is used to test those super magnum heavy rifles for African game. No more. And my club left no space between their nice solid benches to put anything. There is barely enough room to shoot from field positions.
I don't touch a bench once a load is found or a gun's sights are dialed in. I shoot from various sitting and kneeling positions, and a little offhand and standing, as I would while hunting.

 

[Zutt-man]

I'm not sure I'll be able to improve the accuracy/groups if the second picture at 25 yards. I would like to see if I can match it but with a little more energy without increasing recoil much more. I'm not really usually recoil sensitive but I've also lost a lot of weight/muscle mass in the last year to year and a half.
Also, I need to test and tweek the load to make sure my point of impact is acceptable at 50 yards, and that the load groups within that 9 ring at 50 yards, preferably better than that.

If you don’t mind me asking, where did you get your Virginia smoothie?

 

[Brokennock]

If you don’t mind me asking, where did you get your Virginia smoothie?

My Early Virginia smoothrifle was built by TVM for a fellow forum member m, whom I haven't seen on here in a long time. He had shoulder surgery and couldn't shoot it, after they rebarreled it with a brand new barrel after they created a tight spot at the muzzle trying to dovetail in a front sight on a round barrel.



She's a little heavy, and needs a patchbox, I'd have preferred brass furniture,,, but, she shoots great, the lock and ignition is fast, and it was the right deal at the right time.

 

[Davey Boy]

Has anyone tried dimpling a round ball for use in a smooth bore?

It's what has been done to golf balls.

 

[Grenadier1758]

Some say the dimpling works and others not. It's difficult to get the dimples consistent. The greater benefit is that the dimples slightly enlarge the ball for a better fit in the barrel.

 

[Bighorserider]

I shoot muzzle loaders and ride horses. One of the first things I learned about both activities is that everytime someone tells you that you should always do something someone else will tell you to never do it.

 

[JCKelly]

Has anyone tried dimpling a round ball for use in a smooth bore?

It's what has been done to golf balls.

I have READ, from aero-dynamics types, that dimpling reduces the air's drag on the ball, so it goes faster. "Dimpling" cast round balls for US musket matches might be done by rolling them between rasps. Kinda makes sense be cause one area of (more or less) agreement is that smoothbores do a little better with heavy loads of powder. Again, just from reading. If my 80-year old health improves I may get me a Pedersoli 20 ga. trade musket and try again.
I DO agree that with a smoothbore one always has an excuse for missing!

 

[Mad L]

I DO agree that with a smoothbore one always has an excuse for missing!

I once heard that Native Indians hung talismans on their rifles to ward off the evil spirits that are known to swat at the ball as it leaves the barrel thus causing it to miss its mark.
For me it's those pesty jackalopes that keep moving my target around!

 

[Britsmoothy]

If you want to cheat, fix some kind of tail or sail to the back of the ball!
Not that I've done that, no no no, not me, ever.

 

[NorthFork]

Dimpling your balls is easy if you have a rotary rock tumbler. Helps to have large and small balls tumbling together. Tumble for 2hrs or so.

 

[Newtire]

If you want to cheat, fix some kind of tail or sail to the back of the ball!
Not that I've done that, no no no, not me, ever.

What’s this with the sail/tail? Sounds interesting, do tell.

 

[Brokennock]

The dimples on a golf ball are uniform and evenly distributed. The hollow dents in a lead ball created with a rasp would be random in all ways, I can't see this creating the same aerodynamic advantage as a golf ball.
If, there is any benefit to "chewing," or "dimpling," lead balls with a rasp or such, I would think that it is that it will raise high peaks that fit the ball to the bore better, without the drag, or the leading, of a bore diameter ball.

 

[Britsmoothy]

What’s this with the sail/tail? Sounds interesting, do tell.

Screw a wad to the ball. Tie a large patch to an undersized ball so the ball gets a skirt.
Adds shuttlecock effect.
Apparently.

 

[Maven]

I've tried rolling a bore diameter RB, .618" in this instance, between two coarse files and got a .001" increase in diameter, but no increase in accuracy. Btw, one reason for "dimpling" RB's is to provide a place for the lube to adhere to so you don't get bore leading.

 

[Newtire]

Screw a wad to the ball. Tie a large patch to an undersized ball so the ball gets a skirt.
Adds shuttlecock effect.
Apparently.

Thanks Britsmoothy for the tip. Sounds like something that would be fun to try.

 

[Brokennock]

Screw a wad to the ball. Tie a large patch to an undersized ball so the ball gets a skirt.
Adds shuttlecock effect.
Apparently.

I suppose if one is to go this far, why not stick a piece of thin wire into the sprue hole of the mold leaving a bit sticking out to tie a tiny kite tail to?
Lol.

 

[George]

I suppose if one is to go this far, why not stick a piece of thin wire into the sprue hole of the mold leaving a bit sticking out to tie a tiny kite tail to?
Lol.

Scloppetaria: or Considerations on the nature and use of rifled barrel guns, with reference to their forming the basis of a permanent system of national defence, agreeable to the genius of the country, by Capt. Henry Beaufroy, 1808 [Henry Benjamin Hanbury Beaufroy] Originally published as “Scloppetaria, by a Corporal of Riflemen”

"Attempts have been made to approximate the effects of the plane [smooth] to rifled barrels, by varying the figure and shape of the ball ; some were found to answer well, which were cast as to their foremost hemisphere and zone, just as common balls, but whose after part terminated in four fliers, not unlike the sails of a smoke jack, and which were set at a certain angle to the axis of the ball. The wind acting on these fliers caused the ball to spin just as is the case with the grooved ball already described. Another method also, which we have seen tried successfully enough at 100 yards, but no further, was to bore in a common musket ball a small hole about two tenths of an inch diameter : a piece of string from four inches to fourteen, doubled in the middle being inserted into the hole, and the lead beat over it, the two ends were left hanging loosely from the lead : on firing balls prepared in this way against the common spherical ball, the former had a decided advantage, as to the up and down direction, the deviation to the right and left being comparatively trifling, while the latter were in all manner of directions round the target."

Spence

 

[Irishmusket]

With my 75 cal matchlocks I load 75 gr. 1f powder drop a 690 round ball down the barrel no patch push wad o tow or paper either is fine ram the wadding ontop of the ball seat the ball well on the charge .very accurate at 50 to 75 yards and not bad past 100 yards .My Brown Bess likes this diet as well this was the traditional way muskets were loaded back in the day and works for me and it fun

 

[Brokennock]

With my 75 cal matchlocks I load 75 gr. 1f powder drop a 690 round ball down the barrel no patch push wad o tow or paper either is fine ram the wadding ontop of the ball seat the ball well on the charge .


.My Brown Bess likes this diet as well this was the traditional way muskets were loaded back in the day and works for me and it fun

Not doubting you, just curious for frame of reference, how are we defining,

.very accurate at 50 to 75 yards and not bad past 100 yards .

?

 

[Irishmusket]

You could strike man size target at 100 yards at 50 /75 yards A large pumpkin a 2 pound coffee can at 25 yards soda can