Is the Pedersoli Trade Gun a "Tack Driver?"

[B P Maniac Shooter]

Is the Pedersoli Indian Trade Gun a "Tack Driver?
@BigAl52 asked the question.
See for yourself:

 

[Pete G]

...with enough shots any gun can be.

 

[Bnewberry]

But can you shoot tacks and make any stick point first in a board?

 

[FishDFly]

Only show your very very best target and they are always a tack driver!

 

[Maven]

Mark, As I smoothbore shooter, I really enjoyed your video. However, I think you Pedersoli TG is likely to be a tack driver, even @ 25 yd., if you changed a few things. First, the tacks should be a different color or black so they'd be easier to see and second, I shoot from a rest or semi-rest (e.g., kneeling with right elbow on a shooting bench) to really "spank" those tacks. Lastly, a patched RB (~.600") although not historically correct, has been my most accurate combination in my trade gun (Green River Forge).

 

[3Setters]

The problem is you put the tacks at the wrong are, should have put them were the balls were hitting; or maybe put 20 tacks on the board .

 

[B P Maniac Shooter]

Mark, As I smoothbore shooter, I really enjoyed your video. However, I think you Pedersoli TG is likely to be a tack driver, even @ 25 yd., if you changed a few things. First, the tacks should be a different color or black so they'd be easier to see and second, I shoot from a rest or semi-rest (e.g., kneeling with right elbow on a shooting bench) to really "spank" those tacks. Lastly, a patched RB (~.600") although not historically correct, has been my most accurate combination in my trade gun (Green River Forge).

If I try this again, I'll put your suggestions into play. I thought about bench resting the gun, but, I just may actually hit one. LOL.....
I just love this BP shooting...hitting the target is just a bonus.
I'm VERY impressed with those targets! WOW!

 

[B P Maniac Shooter]

The problem is you put the tacks at the wrong are, should have put them were the balls were hitting; or maybe put 20 tacks on the board .

20 tacks on the board?? That would be wild to try!

 

[Johnny Tremain]

Are they shooting at horse tack?

 

[B P Maniac Shooter]

Are they shooting at horse tack?

No, the targets were screws holding washers.

 

[BigAl52]

That was awesome Mark. I was laughing my butt off the entire time. Truth be know I bet a lot of these smooth bore shooters are shooting the same way. There just saving there best targets for show. Thanks for doing that I enjoyed the entire video

 

[davidmc62]

Yer using the wrong end of that gun to drive tacks.....take advantage of that wide flat butt plate and beat em in. Now can you beat tacks down with a crescent butt plate that would be a neat trick

 

[ronaldrothb49]

LOL don't see any smoothbore being considered a tack driver but then even a blind hog finds an acorn once in awhile.

 

[Britsmoothy]

Good to see you having fun Mark.
Nice to see a healthy charge in that gun but....you know where you were going wrong !

 

[Maven]

LOL don't see any smoothbore being considered a tack driver but then even a blind hog finds an acorn once in awhile.

It's bit more complicated than that, Ronald. If we start with the basics, i.e., square muzzle, no dings in the crown, a sharp flint or relatively new nipple, a consistent "cheek weld," an experienced shooter, and a proper bench rest, the rest sort of follows. What one needs to do is:
---start with a given RB diameter and stay with it;
---use a 100% cotton patch that is sufficiently tight to allow starting without using a mallet. (As I wrote in response to BP Maniac, patches aren't HC/PC, but they work.);
---start with 70gr. FFg, then
---fire seven - 10 shots at a target you can see clearly @ 25 yd. before changing anything;
---prick the touch hole/vent after every shot + wipe the pan and flint edge as well to minimize hang fires; If you get one, ignore it, but mark your target.
---if no joy, increase the powder charge by 10gr., fire another 7 - 10 shots until you get a tight grouping.

Bare ball shooters can try some of the above as well, but be aware that not all agree on ball diameter and how "bare" the RB should be. Moreover, with BB loads, you'll need to address bore fouling more frequently.

At first the lack of a rear sight sort of annoyed me. Now I've come to prefer it. Additionally, I've tried a truly bore diameter RB (.618") in my 20 ga. trade gun (flintlock) just about every which way, but haven't been able to duplicate the accuracy of a smaller ball (.598" - .603" )with a .014" or .018" patch.

Hope this helps someone out!

 

[SPQR70AD]

the way to hit the tack is not to aim at it lol

 

[B P Maniac Shooter]

That was awesome Mark. I was laughing my butt off the entire time. Truth be know I bet a lot of these smooth bore shooters are shooting the same way. There just saving there best targets for show. Thanks for doing that I enjoyed the entire video

I thought you may get a "kick" out of watching that one.....Thanks for the suggestion.

 

[B P Maniac Shooter]

...with enough shots any gun can be.

110% agree...LOL

 

[Leadball loader]

Mark, you could go to a .610 Rb and use a wad under dab of crisco ball and over wad and tackle those pesky tacks again.
off hand makes the best challenge I think.
Off hand shooting ain’t easy but I think the holes you put close mean you are going todo the deed pretty consistent in a short time.
like the effort!!
LBL

 

[B P Maniac Shooter]

Mark, you could go to a .610 Rb and use a wad under dab of crisco ball and over wad and tackle those pesky tacks again.
off hand makes the best challenge I think.
Off hand shooting ain’t easy but I think the holes you put close mean you are going todo the deed pretty consistent in a short time.
like the effort!!
LBL

If I can round up some .610's.... I may try this again. Regardless, I still love shooting the o' smoothbore.