I am totally addicted

[Fisherking]

This entire post is pretty much what fun is all about. Everyone, including me is here to offer you all the free unsolicited advice you can read! AND it keeps getting better. Be safe and enjoy. Don’t be afraid of trying a bare ball. With no patch. Also try loading it with powder, a nitro card, wad, ball and over shot card. Like you would a shotgun. It may shoot better. Good luck, Vince.

Thanks for the pick up! I will take this and do it all! I tried green leaves the other day, an idea I saw on Blackpowder TV on YouTube.

Totally cool

 

[Fisherking]

Free and unsolicited: I sometimes load my .62 caliber Fusil de Chasse with 50 grains of 2f. Then a wad of either jute tow, brown paper, wasp nest or sheep’s wool. Then a half inch glass marble and topped off with another piece of same wadding. I prime with 2f. This makes a good plinking load and is surprisingly accurate out to 25 yards.

Using wadding instead of patches, I have loaded my Fusil with #6 shot, homemade swan shot, lead round balls (.440, .490 & .495) and half inch glass marbles. One time I even used .177 caliber BB’s in a paper shot cup and it worked. Most folks think you shouldn’t use steel BB’s in a smooth bore, but at least I know it works.

Dang! I thought about crafting a paper shot cup with a card at the bottom and top inside all seams glued. It’s gotta do something!

I also wonder why there is nothing on straight buckshot loads? Lots of buck and ball but what happens to an ounce of buckshot straight? Just curious.

Marbles. I use them exclusively for wrist rockets. They are money! Lol

 

[Fisherking]

You can't be doing as bad as I on my first time shooting a flinter. Those guys are still laughing and it has been several months ago.

So it gets better? Seriously? Lol.

 

[Fisherking]

Dry fire, dry fire, dry fire….

Here’s an inspirational target for you…

View attachment 154908

Rest In Peace Mr. Tip

50 yards , off hand , Smoothbore .58 iirc…

Mother Guns! You got it going on Sir!
All the money there!

 

[Ninering62]

Dry fire, dry fire, dry fire….

Here’s an inspirational target for you…

View attachment 154908

Rest In Peace Mr. Tip

50 yards , off hand , Smoothbore .58 iirc…

Nice shooting.

 

[Grenadier1758]

Dang! I thought about crafting a paper shot cup with a card at the bottom and top inside all seams glued. It’s gotta do something!

I also wonder why there is nothing on straight buckshot loads? Lots of buck and ball but what happens to an ounce of buckshot straight? Just curious.

Marbles. I use them exclusively for wrist rockets. They are money! Lol

There's really nothing different about a shot load and a buck shot load other than the size of the shot. Weight will be the same as the shot load, the wadding will be the same, load development will be the same.

What happens to a one-ounce load of buckshot? About the same as a one-ounce load of #7 shot except the holes will be fewer and larger.

 

[smo]

Nice shooting.

That’s not my target… just the best smoothbore target I’ve ever seen posted anywhere.

Mr. Tip Curtis (RIP) of Cross Plains Tn fired those shots..

I’m the proud owner of two Tip Curtis guns.. one smooth & one riffled..

My guns I’m sure will produce the same results….. just not with me behind the butt!

 

[Fisherking]

So, I’ve been reading about square loads and I thought… oh ya… this will be simpler. Uh huh.

85 grains of ffg, a bunch of various cards and wads, an ounce and an eighth of #7.5

In a 6 and 1/2 pounds gun. Hello??

I saw stars for a second.

I have a 375 H&H, 458… 10 ga SxS etc.

Ya. Add the ignition delay and this caught me off guard. I just wasn’t expecting that. Patterned beautifully
BTW.

Experimenting with 1 oz and 7/8 oz loads now. Shouldn’t this be discussed?

 

[smo]

Less powder, more lead.
Kills dead.

 

[brazosland]

Go to 90 grains of 3F. Smoothies like a lot of powder to get the ball moving consistently. As velocity drops the ball veers off course.

I have several .62’s smooth and rifled. My Wilson Chiefs Gun was cut to 26”. Didn’t have much luck till I got to 85 grns of 3F. At 90 she puts every ball under the palm of my hand.

I shoot a .600 ball with a .012 patch with a wasp nest over the powder to stop blow by. .610 ball for patchless balls.

 

[Fisherking]

If you’ve ever played Chess, the game’outcome has infinite possibilities… the same is just as daunting as all the variables discussed with smoothbores.

I took all that in, just have to spend more time processing it all.

 

[Daryl Crawford]

Experimenting with 1 oz and 7/8 oz loads now. Shouldn’t this be discussed?

Lots of shot loads you can work on. Turkey load (look up the skychief load on the forum, it works for many folks) vs wing shooting or squirrel load. I found my best patterns come from loads where I've got more shot than powder.
Using a volume measure, 70 grains of 2f under 80 grains of 5 or 6 shot or (turkey load) 80 grains of 2f under 90 grains of 4 shot.
Try square loads, shot heavy loads, mixed combinations of wads and cards...but keep record of your precise loads and results.

 

[sussexmuzllodr]

Free and unsolicited: I sometimes load my .62 caliber Fusil de Chasse with 50 grains of 2f. Then a wad of either jute tow, brown paper, wasp nest or sheep’s wool. Then a half inch glass marble and topped off with another piece of same wadding. I prime with 2f. This makes a good plinking load and is surprisingly accurate out to 25 yards.

Using wadding instead of patches, I have loaded my Fusil with #6 shot, homemade swan shot, lead round balls (.440, .490 & .495) and half inch glass marbles. One time I even used .177 caliber BB’s in a paper shot cup and it worked. Most folks think you shouldn’t use steel BB’s in a smooth bore, but at least I know it works.

I have rolled cylinders out of waxed lunch bag paper. Filled with sealing wax and BB,s they make a fine mini cannister shot.

 

[hanshi]

There's a .62 (20 ga) flintlock smoothbore at my house. The bore is rather tight and it has a rear sight. A .600" ball won't seat with normal patches like a rifle uses. I load a ball on a .010" to .012" lubed patch and the accuracy is amazing (to me). The load seats easily and isn't tight, just slightly snug. The gun has fired 50 yard 3-shot groups as small as 1.75" and all are under three inches. I can't see very well nowadays so not able to duplicate these groups on demand. But the load has made a fine kill on a large doe running from a buck.

 

[Fisherking]

There's a .62 (20 ga) flintlock smoothbore at my house. The bore is rather tight and it has a rear sight. A .600" ball won't seat with normal patches like a rifle uses. I load a ball on a .010" to .012" lubed patch and the accuracy is amazing (to me). The load seats easily and isn't tight, just slightly snug. The gun has fired 50 yard 3-shot groups as small as 1.75" and all are under three inches. I can't see very well nowadays so not able to duplicate these groups on demand. But the load has made a fine kill on a large doe running from a buck.

That sounds like a good one to keep!
I’d love to see a picture of it too

 

[brazosland]

I use a rear sight on my Chiefs gun, and I put one on my Bess carbine. Makes a world of difference. I’m man enough to admit it…