How far?

[Sharp Shooter]

How far can you guys shoot with your smoothies? I am intersted in getting a new barrel and I might get a smoothbore GM 62cal.

 

[pab1]

I have been considering a .62 for elk also. Most everyone I have talked to say they are getting around 2" groups at 50 yards. If I am going to hunt elk with a prb, I will limit myself to about 50 yards anyway. The biggest benefit I see to a rifled .58 for example is you can shoot a fairly heavy prb for those shots in the 50 yard range, but also have the option of a heavy connical for areas you expect the shot to stretch out longer (with a TC 1/48" barrel). I know some might advocate longer shots with a prb for elk, but 50 yards is the limit I feel comfortable with on elk sized game.

Can you have rifling cut in a .62 GM barrel either by GM or another barrel maker? Don't want to hi-jack your thread, but if this is possible I will go for the .62 barrel.

 

[hawkeye1755]

In the Muzzleloader Mag.July/August 1994 a guy with the name Jim Byrd shoot his Brown Bess at 200yards.
He used a 100yard-target, started with 75gr fffg Bp,.010" patch and a .715 roundball.He wrote that his two shots stayed together, but that there was a nine-inch drop.He raised the powder to 120gr. fffg.The drop was reduced to seven inches.After changing his point of aim, he fired five rounds off-hand.The result:

He wrote at the end of his article:'While a 200-yard shot may have been next to impossible in the Revolution,with today's technology it is quite possible,although difficult and impractical except for the long gong.'
:hatsoff:

 

[PreglerD]

With my original cal .50 smoothy long gun it is possible to get 3 inch groops at 50 meters. I think it is possible to shoot up to 100m with good success ( 10-15 inch groups) but I didn't try it until now at this distance.I'm a bit afraid of using stronger loads than 60 grs WANO PPP because the gun is about 200 years old.

 

[Leatherbark]

Ifn I thoot ten thots at 50 thteps at a pepew plet I"ll git wound a 6 inch gwoop, Now mindya thats not weal akewit,but thum a them will be gwooped weal cwose togevew,and thum even tuchin. tho I figger it be my amenn don the barl id not weal akewit mythelf. Tho ame big mith big..

 

[RickD]

The range I shoot at only goes to 80 yards but I can hit a quart milk jug over and over at that yardage with my .54 smoothie

 

[Flintandsteel]

:youcrazy: :shake: What did he say?? :rotf:

 

[rabjr]

All I know is, when I ordered my smoothy I said I need to be able to close both eyes, hold on tight And hit a pie plate at 60 yards with it everytime I shoot it. Thats all I need! :grin:

 

[Mike Brooks]

In the Muzzleloader Mag.July/August 1994 a guy with the name Jim Byrd shoot his Brown Bess at 200yards.
He used a 100yard-target, started with 75gr fffg Bp,.010" patch and a .715 roundball.He wrote that his two shots stayed together, but that there was a nine-inch drop.He raised the powder to 120gr. fffg.The drop was reduced to seven inches.After changing his point of aim, he fired five rounds off-hand.The result:

He wrote at the end of his article:'While a 200-yard shot may have been next to impossible in the Revolution,with today's technology it is quite possible,although difficult and impractical except for the long gong.'
:hatsoff:

I ain't calling anybody a liar, but there is no way anybody shot a brown bess off hand and shot that well. I know of few people who can shoot a cartridge rifle that well off hand. I remember when that article came out, I didn't believe it then and I don't believe it now. :bull:

 

[Keppy]

Mike Brooks Said: I ain't calling anybody a liar, but there is no way anybody shot a brown bess off hand and shot that well. I know of few people who can shoot a cartridge rifle that well off hand. I remember when that article came out, I didn't believe it then and I don't believe it now.

Yes you are, Yes you are. :blah: :rotf: :rotf:
Seriously I would think anything is posible. I have seen some people do some shooting that I would not have believed if not been there to see.

 

[Roy]

http://eawr.madison.k12.il.us/WebPage/dept/math/PiDay_files/frame.htm#slide0007.htm

oh you will :blah:

 

[rabjr]

Bah!

 

[Roy]

Bah!

Now you never did mention what size pie plate. :grin:

 

[faw3]

Mike Im with you , Ive seen some wild stuff all over this world but that out of a smooth bore at 200 yds,, :bull: Id have to see it twice to belive it, Ive got a good barrel and have been useing a scope to test how good they shoot at 100 and no way do I belive this. Fred :hatsoff:

 

[faw3]

Long Hammock makes a 1" X 36 rifled 62 Ive had great shoots with mine. Fred :hatsoff:

 

[PreglerD]

I can't believe these groups, too. Perhaps the barrel/gun will bring it, but how about aiming at 200 yds at the shown 100 yds target. You would see nothing more than a little small black point. and this point you have to aim at only with a front sight. Impossible.
The British snipers of the napoleonic aera with their smoothbore baker rifle weren't able to shoot such groups. They could hit a single target at about 120 steps, the German sipers of this time with the jager rifle were able to hit a person at 180 steps and fired at marching groups up to 300 steps.

 

[hawkeye1755]

The British snipers of the napoleonic aera with their smoothbore baker rifle weren't able to shoot such groups. They could hit a single target at about 120 steps, the German sipers of this time with the jager rifle were able to hit a person at 180 steps and fired at marching groups up to 300 steps.

The Baker Rifle is not a smoothbore.It has a rifled barrel with 7 grooves cal.62.
Captain Barber of the Duke of Cumberland Sharpshooters wrote in 1804 that a third class marksman should be able to put 5 out of 6 balls in a 8"circle at 100 yards, a second class marksman must be able to do the same at 200 yards, and a first class marksman must be able to do the same at 300 yards, but he could use a rest at his range.
But you are right.200 yards off-hand with a Brown Bess seems impossible.I hope Mr.Byrd can show us his true marksmanship.
:hatsoff:

 

[PreglerD]

I ever thougt the Baker was smoothbore. Replicas of it are smoothies, too.

 

[faw3]

For one thing the price gets held down if they keep them smooth, the rest of the rifles from them are smooth as the time they came from had smooth barrles, :shake: just saveing a buck Im sure. Fred :hatsoff:

 

[Mike Brooks]

I've spent some time shooting brown bess's in the past, both originals and repros. Yoa have a short pulled ill fitting large bored gun that is inheitly innacurate. There is no rear sight and you have a bayo lug for a fron sight which is nothing more than a large steel square. When sightin at 200 yards your're going to have to hold at least a foot over the bull at that distance which means your not even going to see the bull..... speaking of bull..... :bull:
Now, if this was done with a .54 rifle at this distance off hand I would say congratulations! I've seen few who could do this kind of shooting with a rifle off hand at this distance. With a brown bess off hand it's just plain impossible. :rotf:
I'm honestly surprised MB printed this BS. :shake: