Eye opener

[excess650]

Today was 20 degrees cooler than its been, and overcast, so I thought it a good day to shoot a flintlock. I decided to take my 25 year old early Lancaster built with a large Siler lock and 38" swamped Getz .45. I bought the rifle used 20 years ago, and always loaded it similarly to the previous owner with .440" RBs and pillow ticking over fffg.

Today was just a "make some smoke" day, so I loaded it with KIK ffg, .440" and .016" drill cloth lubed with avocado oil. I set the measure at 60gr, loaded, and took aim at a 4" black circle on white background at 50 yards. I shot as always, wrist rested on a bag and elbow on the bench. After 4 shots I took a closer look at the target and saw a ragged hole just below center. I put a 2" square of blue painters tape on the same background and proceeded to load with an easier to load combination, .013" linen lubed with mink oil. The linen is a looser weave despite being washed twice in hot water and dried with heat. Apparently, the mink oil worked because it printed a tidy group in my aiming spot despite being easy to load. I switched back to the drill cloth and avocado oil and continued to pour shots into the same group. My last shot of the day was at a 5" steel gong hanging at 100 yards. The sight picture wasn't as clear as I would have liked, but I reasoned that if I mostly covered the gong with the front sight to account for drop, I might hit it. I did, right on top of the front sight blade!

In the past, I've shot this rifle with fffg and would need to load with a pick in the vent after about 5 shots so as to not have flash without fire. Too, the harder to load combos that I've shot, regardless of lube, never shot as well, or any cleaner than what it did today. No Swabbing between shots or strings of shots!

The drill cloth is tight and tough. Its thinner than the heavy ticking and cotton duck that I've been shooting, but more than adequate. Likewise, the even thinner linen made for easy loading and was accurate. I've seen linen drill cloth for sale, and its $$, but I might have to buy some to try. My impression is that linen is harder to cut than cotton, and this was with a rotary cutter while cutting strips.

I've tried other oils in the past, and will opine that avocado oil is superior to olive oil and coconut oil. Mink oil shall remain my hunting lube, but a tin of pre-cut patches lubed with avocado oil might well be in my pouch.

 

[hanshi]

Sounds like a great day of shooting. And that's sensational accuracy. Don't suppose you got any photos?

 

[excess650]

I didn't take photos at the range, but kept the target. The white paper with black circle was on the board when I arrived and only had a couple of 30cal holes in it. The brown spot at 7:30 is dirt. I fired 4 shots starting with a clean barrel.

After checking that target, I put a piece of blue painters tape on the same white paper and shot multiples of shots with different 2 different patch materials and lubes, but all with 60gr KIK ffg. I really didn't count the number of shots in the blue aiming point, but the barrel and vent didn't foul, and all of this was the eye opener.

Looking at the points of impact makes me think I was getting a clearer image of sights/target with the black circle. I'll explore that theory when I go back to the range.

 

[Grenadier1758]

@excess650, what was the distance you were shooting?

 

[excess650]

50 yards, simple wrist on bag and elbow on bench for rest

 

[hanshi]

The type of target does indeed make a difference in how well a rifle seems to be grouping. A small bullseye or square on a white, or colored, background is virtually impossible for me to see at 50 yards and difficult even at 25. A large circle, square or triangle is much better for these old eyes.