Grins and Giggles with Two Barrels and Big Balls

[Semisane]

First you buy a gun you didn’t need.

Then buy a mold and cast some nice shiny balls.

Then fabricate a crude temporary peep sight out of a plastic bottle cap.

And stick it on the gun with a little dab of hot glue.

That should work!

Then find a big piece of cardboard for a target backer and stick it out at 25 yards on the hunting club rifle range.

Then load both barrels with 75 grains GOEX FFg and a pillow tick patch around the balls (lubed with my “traditional” Liquid Wrench), and take two shots from the bench.

DANG!, I should have made the hole in that "down & dirty" peep a little closer to the barrel. OK, let’s take two more shots.

Wow. Those two came together nicely. I wonder if the fouled bore was responsible. Let’s try two more shots.

OK, that’s not too bad. Not great, but not horrible. Let’s go with two more.

Hey! That’s starting to look like a group. :grin:

By now the temperature is somewhere above 90-degrees and the humidity ain’t far behind. Even in a T-shirt, shorts and flip flops I’m sweating so much my underwear is soaked and I have to wipe my eyes every thirty seconds. But I just have to shoot one more final round. Here it is.

Well guys. That’s it for me. The fun has totally gone out of this session. Lets go find some patches.

They’re in pretty sad shape.

Next time out I’ll have to try some thick greasy patch lube, or maybe a wad over the powder. But not today! It’s time to head to my little hooch in the camp ground for some air conditioning and a cold beer.

.

 

[azmntman]

Very nice start! :thumbsup: Humidity is of the devil. We got our monsoons in finally, 80+ humidity (but only in the 70's so far). 3 inch down pour this afternoon. GLAD I STAYED HOME

 

[Adui]

~SNIP~ We got our monsoons in finally, 80+ humidity (but only in the 70's so far). 3 inch down pour this afternoon. GLAD I STAYED HOME

ff
:shocked2: Clearly you are from NORTHERN AZ and not the valley of the sun. I only wish we were in the 70's!! High 90's to low 100's is what we have with humidity in the 50-80 range (guessing, its always dry here except monsoon season)....
Sorry.. back to the regularly scheduled topic...

 

[azmntman]

ff I'm not really sure mankind was meant to live down there? I'm probably wrong (yes dear) cuz so many do......but WHY? :blah:

Back to the OP.....I betcha with some more play time that group will be quit doable at 50yds

 

[BrownBear]

Next time out I’ll have to try some thick greasy patch lube, or maybe a wad over the powder.

Looks like you had great fun in spite of the heat! :thumbsup:

I've only shot RB's a few times in my 12 gauge Pietta SxS, but experienced the same sorta patch tears you did when using ticking. Didn't seem to matter which lube I tried either.

Never tried a wad under the PRB, which ought to help. I move up to thicker patching (.022" if I recall correctly). It's some white cotton canvas I got from the fabric shop. With TOW mink tallow lube the recovered patches were dandy.

My supposition was that a .690 ball in a .710 smooth bore leaves lotsa rattle room. To my mind anyway, the thicker patch pretty much proved it, while also improving accuracy compared to the ticking.

 

[Rifleman1776]

Nice shooting but ye put yer target too low. :shocked2: :rotf:
But, ye enjoyed, that's wats important.

 

[Semisane]

DANG Rifleman. I didn't see the true problem until you pointed it out. I will correct that next time out. Thanks.

 

[Semisane]

......I've only shot RB's a few times in my 12 gauge Pietta SxS, but experienced the same sorta patch tears you did when using ticking.....I move up to thicker patching

Hey BrownBear, do you recall what kind of accuracy you were able to achieve with that Pietta?

 

[Sparkitoff]

That's awesome. I have a 19 gauge that doesn't like patched balls. cardwad, fiber wad, ball, card wad. Keeps both shots within 2.5" circle at 25 yards. Maybe try the "un-patched" ball and see?

 

[Semisane]

I'll try that also Sparkitoff. Thanks. I doubt I'll ever hunt with balls out of this thing. but it sure is fun to play with. Besides, it blows the minds of the other guys in my hunting club, no of whom are muzzleloading enthusiast.

 

[BrownBear]

......I've only shot RB's a few times in my 12 gauge Pietta SxS, but experienced the same sorta patch tears you did when using ticking.....I move up to thicker patching

Hey BrownBear, do you recall what kind of accuracy you were able to achieve with that Pietta?

I didn't have a rear sight (good idea and I'm going to steal it!), but was still doing as well as you at 25. Out at 50 yards it wasn't near so pretty, but almost certainly better with sighting help.

 

[Skychief]

Great thread Semisane! :thumbsup:

Good luck next time out and please keep us posted.

Best regards, Skychief.

 

[George]

You boys need to man-up and learn to shoot without that rear sight on your smoothbores. :haha: :haha:

25 yards, 46" flintlock smoothie, no rear sight.


25 yards, 32" barrels on a flint double, no rear sight.
Right barrel:


Left Barrel:


Spence :wink: :wink:

 

[Semisane]

Sure Spence. But with that long barrel of yours you're a lot closer to the target.

 

[Britsmoothy]

That is a good start indeed.
I don't like the look of those patches, use a backer and maybe up the powder, it may print a little lower for you.
B :hatsoff:

 

[nhmoose]

Just need to get that left and right to print together there Spence! :grin: :hatsoff:

 

[George]

Not to worry, a little Kentucky windage takes care of that. :haha:



Spence

 

[Semisane]

I played around with the final target just to make myself feel a little better. :grin:

 

[Britsmoothy]

Of course, there is another way to regulate the barrels!

B :hatsoff:

 

[nhmoose]

Well played Sir!!!! op: