Loss in accuracy??

[jrmflintlock]

I took my old reliable CVA .32 rifle that I just converted to flint out yesterday to hunt squirrels. Before my conversion to flint this little rifle purchase at a pawn shop in Las Cruces 23 years ago for $50, could poke any rabbit or squirrel in the eye and take the head off a grouse any day of the week and twice on Sunday. Yesterday It took (I even hate to admit it) 18 shots to down a tree rat!! This rifle has never needed more than 2-3!! If I would not have hit it in the leg on the first shot, I would have given up well before that, but to not leave the poor rascal suffering I kept at it, taking off an ear and gut shooting him before it was all said and done.

So that Said, what went wrong??
I took a few shots with some shooting sticks at about 25 yards at a paper plate (I was not prepared for target practice) and barely hit the plate, and with no consistency what so ever.

I need to get out with some targets and a bench and see what I get , but has anyone ever had a gun do this?? Any Thoughts?? :hmm:

 

[Rifleman1776]

If nothing else changed other than the conversion, I'll take a guess that you are losing pressure through your new touch hole. Pressures must be kept up to a certain point to assure consistent accuracy.
Up your charge 5 to 10 grains and see what happens from the bench. I suspect a ten grain increase will have you cutting Xs again.

 

[750k2]

With the conversion I'd say treat it as a new gun.
May take a new load work up??

 

[stinkyfeet]

Maybe your not used to shooting flintlocks and flinching.

 

[duca]

Maybe your not used to shooting flintlocks and flinching.

LOL, Thats what I was gona say.

 

[BrownBear]

Have you recovered any patches? Might be some clues to send you down the right path.

 

[Zonie]

Maybe 23 years worth of wear and tear on your eyeballs?

It's been known to happen to the best of us.

 

[don hepler]

I'd be more inclined to lean toward the possible "flintlock flinch". I have had a very successful record of taking deer with, pistol, rifle, shotgun, crossbow, but 2 years ago I started hunting with a flintlock, and missed two does at close range. I talked to a friend, who also has had a very successful deer hunting record, and he said, when he first started hunting the flintlock season in Penn., he missed the first 10 deer he shot at. I'm talking about an extremely successful hunter, I was totally shocked when he told me this.
If you can't shot minute-of-squirrel, at the practice range, you ain't going get any better in the field.

 

[Dphar]

I took my old reliable CVA .32 rifle that I just converted to flint out yesterday to hunt squirrels.
So that Said, what went wrong??
I took a few shots with some shooting sticks at about 25 yards at a paper plate (I was not prepared for target practice) and barely hit the plate, and with no consistency what so ever.

You have changed a major part of the rifle. The percussion ignition cycle is FAR different than a flint. First you will need to shoot the rifle and find out what load it likes. If you have no experience with FLs you may find you have a learning curve. Have a friend load it with the occasional no load in the the barrel see if you are flinching when the pan ignites. Flintlocks are at least as accurate as a percussion from the purely mechanical standpoint. So you need to relearn the rifle.

Dan

 

[Flint62Smoothie]

Front sight, front sight, front sight ... don't worry about the flash from the pan ... as it will be there EVERY shot, so jist you go and fugghedaboutit now, h'yar? And make sure you follow through! I bet you were dropping the rifle to look for the hit ...

Now with that said, I have seen many a MZL'r go 'south' in the accuracy department when a build up of Wonder Lube or other yellow-colored 'magic' lube built up. Give her a good scrubbing with hot water and solvent to rid the bore of any excess lube build - if this is indeed the cause - and accuracy will be restored.

I've documented this a good dozen times in my MZL'r career, once to me ... and then 11 times from others who've since learned this - including many on here! People used to talk about seasoning the bore, but I've seen that BB build up to the point where subsequent shots skidded down the barrel and didn't grab the rifling. At worst ... it's sure worth a try!

 

[Swede50]

When I switched from percussion to flintlock I couldn’t hit the side of a barn standing.
What I found out is that I needed to hold the rifle on target until the ball hit and not move the rifle until then.
Once I learned to hold on target I started being able to hit again.
Don’t rush the shot.

 

[mooman76]

Now with that said, I have seen many a MZL'r go 'south' in the accuracy department when a build up of Wonder Lube or other yellow-colored 'magic' lube built up. Give her a good scrubbing with hot water and solvent to rid the bore of any excess lube build - if this is indeed the cause - and accuracy will be restored.

This was my first thought. What are you using for lube? In my CVA 32 when I use BB I have to swab every three shots or my accuracy goes down hill quick.

 

[Pete G]

Concentration and follow through. Many times I have handed a flintlock to a capgun shooter to give it a try and have hime not even cut the paper that I had been punching dead center.

 

[Col. Batguano]

4:00 hits? (for a right hander)

Dead giveaway to the flintlock flinch.

 

[stinkyfeet]

4:00 hits? (for a right hander)

Dead giveaway to the flintlock flinch.

Or 8:00 for south paws.

 

[jrmflintlock]

The first couple of responces hit it right on the head. It was the change in pressure. I upped the charge a little at a time and presto! Problem solved. I have been shooting flintlocks for the last 14 years. That was the last of my rifles that was not flint. I would have sent it on its way a long time ago, but for the fact that it was so accurate and deadly on squirrel and bunnies!!

Thanks to all of you for the advice. It was a Duh moment when I saw the posts on increasing the charge!! Some days the tack is just not as sharp!!

 

[jrmflintlock]

I have been using Hornadys Natural Lube in all my flinters for some time now. Its getting hard to find but its awesome. I can shoot that little .32 all day at squirrels (a lot of shots at the last one) and never have to wipe it out. The balls go down the same after every shot.