Maximum effective Range for a Smooth Rifle

[bnail]

Before I'm told to go search, I did, but didn't find the info I needed.
I'm not interested in short guns, fowlers, muskets etc. I want to hear from those who regularly shoot Smooth Rifles as their primary weapon.

How/what do you load for most effect with a smooth rifle?
What's the ideal round ball/patching size?

What Range is most conducive for accurate groupings from a 44 inch C grad Octagon barrel (assuming the dope behind rifle is as well set as the dope on the rifle)

Thanks Guys! :front:

 

[pathfinderifh]

I've switched to smooth rifles almost exclusivly,from .40 cal to .75. each gun is different as to what she likes to use,but usually the ball is .010 smaller than bore due to no rifling. The loads tend to be a little hotter than rifles to keep the ball strait,but other than that,there's no significant diference between rifling and smooth at the ranges we normaly shoot at. There have been times that I suprised myself as to how well they do. Even a blind squirrel gets a nut now and then! :haha: The added benifit of being able to use shot in your favorite gun is alway's a plus. I know some expert will compare ballistics and determine there's no way that a smooth rifle can shoot as well as a rifle,well, just ask anyone in Michigan who's shot against 'Ole Wormey and came out picking off the blanket after me about ballistics! :sleep: Good luck and let us know how ya do.

 

[David Teague]

I've switched to smooth rifles almost exclusivly,from .40 cal to .75. each gun is different as to what she likes to use,but usually the ball is .010 smaller than bore due to no rifling. The loads tend to be a little hotter than rifles to keep the ball strait,but other than that,there's no significant diference between rifling and smooth at the ranges we normaly shoot at. There have been times that I suprised myself as to how well they do. Even a blind squirrel gets a nut now and then! :haha: The added benifit of being able to use shot in your favorite gun is alway's a plus. I know some expert will compare ballistics and determine there's no way that a smooth rifle can shoot as well as a rifle,well, just ask anyone in Michigan who's shot against 'Ole Wormey and came out picking off the blanket after me about ballistics! :sleep: Good luck and let us know how ya do.

So Path,

You never said how FAR you shoot... :hmm:

Any smoothy should be a tack driver... at 10 yards :blah:

I find I can do well at 50 yards but then the group starts to really open up with any of my smooth bores.

Cheers,

DT

 

[TANSTAAFL]

Ditto on that. For me to consistently stay anywhere near center of a 3' square target at 100 yards with a smootbore is a very, very iffy thing indeed. For game, I would never push a shot over an eye balled 50 yards.

 

[Wes/Tex]

Wouldn't think even a sighted smoothbore would have acceptable accuracy much farther than an unsighted one. I've always limited my smoothbores to 75 yards as a maximun range. Other's mileage may very.

 

[pathfinderifh]

Ya'all are right,50yds,75 max with my smoothies. :sorry: At a 100yds the groups do open up. I have found though that the smaller cals. tend to be a bit tighter than the larger ones.I feel that a tight slippery patch and a fairley hot load will be the key. PERFECT practice makes perfect! :results:

 

[Mike Brooks]

I've always shot 28 ga smooth bores. They shoot like rifles out to 50-75 yards, beyond that things start to deteriorate some. I never felt I was at a disadvantage shooting a smooth bore in steel sillouet matches under 100 yards.

 

[musketman]

I agree with the others, 50 to 75 yards seems ideal...

Some shooters can use experience to extend the average distance, but this comes from really getting to know your gun and the load's capabilities...

 

[gerryherd]

I've been interested in smoothbore potential performance at 100 yds for the last few weeks, since I observed a smoothbore match at a 'vous where they were shooting a 200 yd target set up at 100 yds. The results I saw were not real impressive.

However, go over to the[url] NMLRA.org[/url] website and check on scores of the smoothbore aggs (JJ and Y) and it looks like high 30s/low 40s are achievable by those with good karma. Those numbers should give some indication of the potential accuracy of a smoothbore (smooth rifle or tradegun). I'd infer from those scores they were keeping their shots inside a 12 or 18" dia circle (but I don't know the diameter of the scoring rings, so that's pure guess on my part).

The max range for a shot from a smoothbore should, for hunting, also include the ethical consideration of shooting from short enough range to minimize chance of a cripple.

 

[bnail]

The max range for a shot from a smoothbore should, for hunting, also include the ethical consideration of shooting from short enough range to minimize chance of a cripple.

That's an excellent point, and one I didn't take into consideration.
I was just considering the length of barrel, diameter of bore, size of the projectile and perhaps how well seated the projectile is with the proper patching.

 

[TFoley]

Well, as I noted on a previous thread, three good shots and I threw lead in the air between the firing point and a standing man target [the old British Armed Forces Fig 11, actually], set at 200 metric yards.

The weapon of choice was a fine repro Charleville musket made by P*******i. The patched ball was driven in the direction of the target by a 90gr charge of FFg, at something like 890fps - a load we knew was acceptable at 50m -'grouping' if that's the word, into a little over 8 inches when shot by all of us.

After we had each fired four shots at 200m, we examined the target, cleaned up the range and went home.

The target, after our 16 shots, was untouched except by a clod of earth thrown up by a near-miss. There was something like a smirk on the otherwise grim-faced target.

tac :grey:

 

[flint62]

Maximum range is the result of 2 things. First how well does the gun group at distance?
Secondly and most importantly how well does the shooter handle the gun?
Even the most accurate weapon is a waste of time in the hands of someone that can't shoot it well.
:m2c: :hatsoff:

 

[11th corps]

My somewhat limited experience with a smoothie seems to show that 50 yards is maximum. :results:

 

[smoothshooter]

I agree with Mike Brooks.My all-time favorite is my Isaac Haines-style .54 smooth rifle.At 50 to 75 yards a properly loaded smoothbore gives up little or nothing to rifled guns for silhouettes and other practical-type targets.And besides, it's fun watching the rifle guys sweat if you are having a good day.NOBODY shooting a rifled gun wants to lose to the guy using the smoothbore!-Smoothshooter

 

[Bearbait2]

NOBODY shooting a rifled gun wants to lose to the guy using the smoothbore!-Smoothshooter

Mr. Smoothshooter,
When we used to have local matches/shoots, noticed the same attitude. :haha: Always good for a laugh!
Best Wishes

 

[No Deer]

I love to outshoot rifles. Rifle shooters seem to be much too serious about their shooting, smoothbore shooters seem to be more relaxed and having fun in my observations.

 

[TDW]

Skagun,
I've only been shooting my 54 cal.Lancaster Smoothrifle (unknown maker),44 inch bbl. for about 2 months. I've shot flint rifle for about 30+ years. I started out thinking my groups would have to be rifle-like to use as a hunting gun. When I started shooting at 25 yds, I was very dissapointed in the accuracy (pie plate groups). I tried many different combinations and now I can consistantly hold on a 3 inch paster at 50 yds, using a .520 ball, a .020 patch lubed with sperm whale oil( I have a gallon of it I bought in the late 60's)or pure bear oil, and 75 grains of Dupont FFG. This combination is easy to load (no starter). I would be comfortable taking a 75 yd shot on a deer sized animal. I'm not bragging here, as there are many here who do MUCH better than that. At 80 gr. The groups start to open up to 5 inches at 50 yds. So I will probably just stay with the 75 gr. charge. I haven't had a chance to chronograph the load but just from the recovered balls from the 50 yd birm, I have little doubts as to the effective knockdown power being sufficient. I thought about putting a rear sight on my smoothrifle, but it's grouping well enough now I doubt if I will bother.
TDW

 

[bnail]

Appreciate that info TDW. I anguished over a rifled bore for years. I've only carried a Bess, love it, but when it came to a good, custom gun, I finally had to decide and logic dictated I choose a smooth barrel. I'm a pretty fair shot, so I'm not concerned about that variable too much, so I figured I see how all the other smooth barrel shooters are faring in regard to accuracy.
I'm interested in the tips and tricks more die-hard smoothies may have discovered to compensate for the lack of rifling.

 

[edw.marshall]

Skagun.
My transitional style smooth rifle ( 38" Getz swamped octagon barrel) will shoot pretty consistently in a 10" circle at 30-40 yards using
a .595 round ball,.015 patch and 70 grains of 2F.
It will also usually pattern pretty well at that range with #5 shot, 70 gr of 2F w/ overpowder and overshot wads ( my favorite turkey load).

 

[pathfinderifh]

Ther really isn't much to compesate for the lack of rifling,unless trying not to glote at the rifles when ya' win! :g
Better,worse,the same,it all boils down to what do YOU want. I've found the smoothies easier to clean,easier to load,and more forgiving to operator errors. The versitality inherant to the smoothie make the choice easy for me. I still shoot the rifles I've built once in a while,but the smoothrifles "feel" better,and confidence in your firearm is one of the keys to sucsessful shooting.
I also like the bantering back and forth between the different style of shooters because a common thread that we all have and that is respect for one another and a healthy sense of humor. :youcrazy: My Dad taught me me if you can't laugh at yourself,you have no right to laugh with someone else. :thumbsup: