Muzzleloader shooting distance

[Colterkid]

The Pedersoli Missouri River Hawkens.50 caliber has a 1-24 twist is rated for 200 yards, and I guess with the right grain bullet and Long range sights it might be possible. I wouldn't want to take chances unless I was good with it.
Any thoughts on this particular rifle?

 

[tenngun]

One thing not mentioned by current comments is the shot was taken in war where a wound or maiming was almost as effective as a clean kill. If I were a soldier in the Murphy situation and knew my rifle and was allowed, I would attempt the shot. A hit would involve some luck but probability increases for one who knows their rifle.

A hit removes a man from battle, and that’s the only thing that counts.
Can’t say the same for hunting

 

[BuffaloSoldier]

I also watched that episode mentioned. The host mentioned that the soldier that made the shot was a member of "Morgan's Riflemen". So he was using a rifle, not a musket. As the host also mentioned, the soldier missed on the first two shots. Hit the general in the stomach with his third shot.

 

[GoodRabbitPilgrim]

Anyone wanting to see accuracy with a round ball should go watch Idaholewis videos.

 

[Grenadier1758]

These pictures are a miss of the steel bear at 200 yards. None the less you can see the drop as the ball (that wiggly line) approaches the bear.

We had about 20 shots at the bear that day. There were 2 hits. 1 in the red spot and one in the bear's right foot. Everyone held high. I missed too.

 

[SamTex1949]

A friend of mine , while living up in N Central Montana, decide to have a turkey shoot one year out on his farm land. It was going to be 200 yd, off hand, any firearm and all you had to do was break the balloon. He and I had been doing postal postal matches and such for while and he was interested in my ML rifles. On the day afternoon of the shoot I decided to give it a go with my .54cal leman GRW rifle. Drove out to his place and met the rest of the guys who also were going to take shots but everyone else was sporting more modern firearms and most with scopes. OK this is going to be tough as is with my ML but heck why not! All I asked was to shoot first so I could reload and not slow the shooting down. There were about 7 or 8 guys all together , also If someone would at least spot for me with scope ! My friend said he do it. So the balloon is on a simple metal frame , tired to cross bar so it wasnt moving to bad. On my
1st shot my plan was to aim straight on, knowing Id not be on target BUT just how far off was I and did I have horizontal line up. Took the shot and could see the dust kick up well in front of the target but I was inline ! So I figured this was going to be over quick anyway but all the other guys missed ! Yes scoped but everyone was having to shoot offhand ! Dont think to many had ever practiced much. So round 2 came around to me again, Im ready loaded, this time hold over a good bit and fired away. Friend saw the splash on the top of berm he had constructed behind the target stand but my horizontal line was good ! So NOW my plan is split the diff of my line, and go for broke, maybe be close enough that gravel/dirt splash "might" break the balloon ! Well , John my Friend, shooting last did hit that balloon before I got a chance to try a 3rd shot.

 

[Omahkapi'si]

I’ve been shooting 100 yd 10” targets pretty consistent but groups are inconsistent. .50 cal round ball. But that circle is a long way out there…

 

[tenngun]

Rifleman1776, Frank Fusco, put together a minivoo on a friends land. About five camps showed up.
We were overlooking the white river in Arkansas. And had a good view a mile up and down the river. Nothing but open pasture and a block of scrub woods.
We took some shots at a rock in the middle of the rive, that was about three hundred yards. We were on a bluff over looking in.
Everyone’s first shots were falling short splashing near our side of the river.
Aiming in to the scrub on a straight like over the rock it wasn’t long till we were hitting the rock or right beside it. It was about five by eight feet

 

[beardedhorse]

Any good references on the estimated range that Timothy Murphy hit General Simon Fraser at Saratoga or Freeman's Farm or where ever? Debate over whether he used a single barrel flinter or a double barrel flinter he was supposed to have owned during his life.

 

[BuffaloSoldier]

Ref : Rifleman Murphy's shot. I read the account (not sure exactly where) he was given the task, by commanding officer, to take out the general. He climbed a tree, missed with first shots (2-3), then hit the general with final shot in the stomach.