Non Wipers Only.

[Rattus58]

I believe that as long as your being consistent and getting consistently good results, then carry on! There are so many different variables and different ways of doing things in this sport that it’s not a “ one size fits all”. I’ve wiped between every shot, I’ve skipped some wipings, then went to not wiping at all, after a few years, I went back to wiping between shots and am happy with that.

Consistency is probably the most important constant for all shooting sports.

 

[TexiKan]

I would agree wiping and being consistent leads to more accuracy. Then again, some folks are not as concerned about that quality of accuracy. Having been in this hobby since the 1970's, I have learned many prefer shooting steel as opposed to paper. Our club shoots primarily paper and I have noticed some of us have scored very well at shoots and rendevous'. We tend to believe our concentration on accuracy on paper makes us better steel shooters.

 

[BlackHillsBob]

i sight my guns in on a bench and on paper, after that they are carried as in the old days.

 

[Rattus58]

As for patch lube, I've pretty much adopted the Shultz recipe of either ballistol or cutting oil in a ratio of between 6-8:1 of water to oil depending on my guns. Today, most of my guns are 1-60 to 1-70

Question...
If harmonics play such a strong roll, how do we explain a pinned full stock? My understanding, at least from my unmentionable accuracy days, was fully floating, or sometimes a single pressure point, was most desirable.
Walk

Hmmmm.... interesting debate you might have started here... I barrel bed full length all of my barrels with Marine Tex. This ostensibly allows for a solid barrel carrier structure that doesn't allow much for harmonics, nor inappropriate touching. My guns are for the moment all 4"ers at 100 yards for me. Bedding has helped several of my guns improve their accuracy, others have not gotten worse by bedding. Don't know if its really worth it or not, but that is what I do...

 

[BlackHillsBob]

cryo treat the barrels that dont respont. you will get results that are beyond your desires.

 

[SDSmlf]

good for you. what distances are you talking about. close or way way out their. remember lewis and clark took antelope at 300 yeads. have you? wont argue with any one who is satisfied with volks wagon size groups at 300 yards. always remember that the first shot fired in the battle of new orleans was 216 yards off hand though the head of a limey officer with a big bad mouth. can you do that?

BHB, curious which ‘Limey’ officer with a big bad mouth you are referring to? You can’t be referring to Colonel Robert Rennie who shouted, “Hurrah, boys, the day is ours!” before he was shot dead by a salvo of rifle fire from ‘Line Jackson’. Nor could it be Lieutenant General Pakenham, who was killed by a grapeshot. These are the two ‘Limey’ officers often quoted (aka, big mouths) that I remember reading died in the Battle of New Orleans. Both died well after the battle was underway. Who was the ‘Limey’ officer shot in the head from 216 yards away at the start? I am by no means a history expert, but aways looking to learn. Thanks.

BlackHillsBob. Looking forward to the details you have on the 216 yard shot at the big bad mouth ‘Limey’ officer. I know you are not a BS type of guy and have the detailed info. Looking forward to your response.

 

[BlackHillsBob]

cant tell who is the naysayers and good guys any more. will tell you what i read and cant quote the book as i read and dont take notes. this is what it said. andy jackson walked up to one of his generals and said. you see that young officer out their on that dapple grey horse. the general said i do sir. andy jackson, said snuff his candle.that general said Morg, come up here. Morg did. the general said, do you see that young officer on that dapple grey horse. Morg said yes. the general said, snuff his candle. old Morg from tenn. thew back his flop hat, put his long rifle to the shoulder and put a ball through the ear of that young brit officer.it was 216 yards off hand. andy jackson then said let the battle begain. and it did. only a couple of the americans went down, up to 3400 brits went down. most were head shots at 98 yards. they made a mistake of attacking what they called small game rifles in the middle. those 500 tenn. boys taught them a lesson. one british officer who survived said he watched old morg shoot as he was attacking. he said old morg would not rush, take his time reloading and then prime and throw back the front of his flop hap and he never missed. he killed a lot of brits that day. one tenn. boy said afterwards, i never thought i would get tired of killing britts. but i did, it was a turkey shoot.i read this book in a library many years ago and it made me the gun maker and shooter im to this day. i said if they can do it i can also. i use linen for patches as they did, i build my guns to shoot as they did also. that was a proud day for americans.

 

[SDSmlf]

cant tell who is the naysayers and good guys any more. will tell you what i read and cant quote the book as i read and dont take notes. this is what it said. andy jackson walked up to one of his generals and said. you see that young officer out their on that dapple grey horse. the general said i do sir. andy jackson, said snuff his candle.that general said Morg, come up here. Morg did. the general said, do you see that young officer on that dapple grey horse. Morg said yes. the general said, snuff his candle. old Morg from tenn. thew back his flop hat, put his long rifle to the shoulder and put a ball through the ear of that young brit officer.it was 216 yards off hand. andy jackson then said let the battle begain. and it did. only a couple of the americans went down, up to 3400 brits went down. most were head shots at 98 yards. they made a mistake of attacking what they called small game rifles in the middle. those 500 tenn. boys taught them a lesson. one british officer who survived said he watched old morg shoot as he was attacking. he said old morg would not rush, take his time reloading and then prime and throw back the front of his flop hap and he never missed. he killed a lot of brits that day. one tenn. boy said afterwards, i never thought i would get tired of killing britts. but i did, it was a turkey shoot.i read this book in a library many years ago and it made me the gun maker and shooter im to this day. i said if they can do it i can also. i use linen for patches as they did, i build my guns to shoot as they did also. that was a proud day for americans.

Interesting story. Thank you. Do not remember reading or hearing about that particular feat of marksmanship before. My interest in the War of New Orleans came about when I assisted a nephew on a school project on buried treasures after he saw a treasure map at my house. We researched Jean Lafitte and his role in the war.

 

[S.Kenton]

http://www.thehistoryreader.com/military-history/shock-factor-the-battle-of-new-orleans/
This is most likely what BHB is talking about.. From the description and date (1815)I would say it was a flintlock rifle the Southern snipers were carrying. From what the article describes it sounds like it was a smaller caliber as well.

 

[BlackHillsBob]

thanks you guys. but that book changed my life. i always thought after that , if they could do it so can we if we figure out how they did it. ive taken deer and antelope at those ranges with a round ball. 45 cal. 100 grains of black and a 1/60 twist, linen patch. not off hand, tree or fench post to lean on. allow for kentucky windage. i remember the buck did a back flip and the doe dropped with her nose on the canadian border. the antelope dropped like a rock, two of them. through the heart. most of the deaths on the american side was the night before in a scouting party of natives helping the americans. the tenn boys were about 500 strong in the middle of the cotton bales set up to protect the americans. the brits decideded to attack the center which was a huge mistake. alot of the brits who died were black jamacians in the british army. none of the brits got closer than 98 yards where they all died of head shots from the tenn boys. man those boys could shoot. andy jackson wanted a lot of brits dead as they beat up his mother and injured her badly years before. he got pay back and got it in a huge amount. he also said to his men after he let it begain. any man that goes over the cotton bales to take the brits on hand to hand i will shoot my self. stay behind the cotton bales and just keep killing the bastards. and they did.

 

[SDSmlf]

http://www.thehistoryreader.com/military-history/shock-factor-the-battle-of-new-orleans/
This is most likely what BHB is talking about.. From the description and date (1815)I would say it was a flintlock rifle the Southern snipers were carrying. From what the article describes it sounds like it was a smaller caliber as well.

Agree, stories line up fairly close.

 

[arcticap]

I take it that these Tenn. boys were not wipers.

 

[S.Kenton]

I would say that they did wipe between shots to get the desired accuracy. However one always has to wonder how much of these reports were exaggerations. Remember the victors always write the history. When reading about Simon kenton and some of his exploits, makes me wonder if he actually killed a turkey mid flight 200 yards away.... me thinks not. Another says that he shot a buck and killed it in the woods, non the less, at 400 yards. Then dressed the animal slung it across his back and carried it to town to share it... again, I highly doubt that accounts of story are 100 percent accurate. I’ve hunted in state forests where logging isnt allowed and even in the thinnest spot where the trees are enormous I cant even begin to see an animal at 400 yards. Then slinging it across my back? I’m a strong man,no way I can sling a 180 lb awkwardly unbalanced animal across my back and walk off with it... just
My 2 cents... take it for what it’s worth!!

 

[Kansas Kid]

It’s got to be all true! Powder and shot being scarce and expensive but all these people were sharp shooters. They didn’t need to practice in those days

 

[Eutycus]

It’s got to be all true! Powder and shot being scarce and expensive but all these people were sharp shooters. They didn’t need to practice in those days

Oh and lets not forget everyone had perfect vision back then too. No need for those new-fangled spectacles.

 

[BlackHillsBob]

deep grooves, softer metal in the barrel so no harmonics. a well made rifle with linen patches. GOOD black powder. and years of using the rifle to feed the family and staying alive. those boys could shoot as the red coats found out.

 

[Barrie Dale]

We use Dental wipes with windsheild washer antifreeze. It does keep the barrels very clean.

 

[WRustyLane]

http://www.thehistoryreader.com/military-history/shock-factor-the-battle-of-new-orleans/
This is most likely what BHB is talking about.. From the description and date (1815)I would say it was a flintlock rifle the Southern snipers were carrying. From what the article describes it sounds like it was a smaller caliber as well.

Oh me oh my! That is the best story I've read in a long time. Okay BlackHillsBob, I certainly believe you! Okay, I knew we ole Tennessee boys could shoot but, danged, they sure could shoot back then! Nice shots on the British officers; shot them off their horses and at good ranges too. I bet they wiped between shots, too!

 

[S.Kenton]

Oh me oh my! That is the best story I've read in a long time. Okay BlackHillsBob, I certainly believe you! Okay, I knew we ole Tennessee boys could shoot but, danged, they sure could shoot back then! Nice shots on the British officers; shot them off their horses and at good ranges too. I bet they wiped between shots, too!

One also has to realize the style in which war was waged back in those days, British was a uniformed, formation fighting style..." Make ready ( load) ..aim ( soldiers in the front would kneel and aim, soldiers in the rear would stand and aim).... FIRE!! While the militia, or Kentucky snipers, would hide behind trees and pick off the British regulars. I'm sure it was a turkey shoot....

 

[SDSmlf]

One also has to realize the style in which war was waged back in those days, British was a uniformed, formation fighting style..." Make ready ( load) ..aim ( soldiers in the front would kneel and aim, soldiers in the rear would stand and aim).... FIRE!! While the militia, or Kentucky snipers, would hide behind trees and pick off the British regulars. I'm sure it was a turkey shoot....

When I was in gradesschool, that is what I was taught happened.