One shot

[tenngun]

An interesting tid bit, that might not be fully practical if you don’t have a range in your back yard.
I was listening to Gun Talk on the radio. And the guy told the story of Behr the archery guru. Behr said he would practice with one shot. That’s what you get when your hunting.
If you miss any shot you can self coach, did you flinch, have a bit of slow fire if your shooting flint, you can always do better on the second shot or third.
Howsomever Bambi Thumper and Rocky seem to leave if we miss that first shot
And cold guns shoot different then warm.
How is your first shot?

 

[Grimord]

I have a few guns that require a fouling shot before they will settle down to shoot groups. Luckily, most of my hunting guns shoot good groups from the first cold/clean barrel shot thru the rest of the shots. Like you said, when shooting at game you generally only get that one shot from a cold/clean barrel. It is good to know that shot will go where you aim. I am careful to weigh my cast balls for consistency. I have found that light or heavy balls from the average tend to shoot to a different point. In my case I have had some of these over/under balls strike as much as 3" from the POI of averaged weight balls.

 

[cynthialee]

Indeed one tends to only get 1 shot. Did have one deer sit there and watch me reload after I missed on the first shot. I didn't miss the second go. Bambi isn't too bright somedays.

 

[Omahkapi'si]

I find my first shot is often my best one. Usually downhill after that…

 

[tenngun]

I find my first shot is often my best one. Usually downhill after that…

I shoot half inch groups at any range… one shot anyway

 

[tenngun]

Indeed one tends to only get 1 shot. Did have one deer sit there and watch me reload after I missed on the first shot. I didn't miss the second go. Bambi isn't too bright somedays.

I was out squirrel hunting with a Seneca rifle. Was sitting at the base of a tree. A little guy barked behind me on the right. I took a bad shot in a weird position and missed. Squirrel bounds behind tree. I take to loading. There was a hickory off to my left and Rocky thought that a better tree to hide in.
Down he comes and dashed for the other tree. Almost across my legs. I whumped him in the head with the butt of my half loaded gun as he squired by.

 

[hanshi]

I was out squirrel hunting with a Seneca rifle. Was sitting at the base of a tree. A little guy barked behind me on the right. I took a bad shot in a weird position and missed. Squirrel bounds behind tree. I take to loading. There was a hickory off to my left and Rocky thought that a better tree to hide in.
Down he comes and dashed for the other tree. Almost across my legs. I whumped him in the head with the butt of my half loaded gun as he squired by.

Hmmm...That pretty much proves that either end of a longrifle can be lethal.

 

[biliff]

Any gun I might hunt with gets a cold, clean barrel POI test. If I show up at the range on a perfectly calm day, the first shot is from the bench at whatever range the particular rifle is sighted in for. It might take weeks/months to get enough calm days for a meaningful "group". My latest test run has been on my .40 Kibler rifle at 50 yds. It was sighted dead nuts on at 50yds and so far I've gotten 4 well centered shots into a 7/8" group from a cold clean barrel so if the first shot is off, it ain't the gun.

 

[sheriff john]

when hunting, it is my practice to first run the ramrod down the bore to determine there is no load nor obstruction. Run nipple pick through the nipple do clear/check for obstruction. I then point the muzzle down at some grass, fire a cap to see if the grass moves. I then blow down the bore, watch for smoke and hopefully extinguish any errant smoldering thing. Not until these steps are taken, do I load a charge. Never cap nor prime until I'm actually hunting.

Unless I get a bad percussion cap, the first shot almost never fails, Flint locks? uh.

 

[tenngun]

when hunting, it is my practice to first run the ramrod down the bore to determine there is no load nor obstruction. Run nipple pick through the nipple do clear/check for obstruction. I then point the muzzle down at some grass, fire a cap to see if the grass moves. I then blow down the bore, watch for smoke and hopefully extinguish any errant smoldering thing. Not until these steps are taken, do I load a charge. Never cap nor prime until I'm actually hunting.

Unless I get a bad percussion cap, the first shot almost never fails, Flint locks? uh.

Hunted with flint these forty years. Never had a misfire when hunting. Like your steps is just a matter of prep

 

[gunnyr]

I was out squirrel hunting with a Seneca rifle. Was sitting at the base of a tree. A little guy barked behind me on the right. I took a bad shot in a weird position and missed. Squirrel bounds behind tree. I take to loading. There was a hickory off to my left and Rocky thought that a better tree to hide in.
Down he comes and dashed for the other tree. Almost across my legs. I whumped him in the head with the butt of my half loaded gun as he squired by.

Tenngun, Was that a vertical or a horizontal butt stroke?
gunny

 

[tenngun]

It was upside down on my lap. Muzzle in my right handy, wrist area in left. Pushed with left arm like an oar. A little out from my right so I didn’t point the muzzle at me
So I guess horizontal

 

[mmb617]

I don't hunt but I've noticed that sometimes at the range there are deer standing in the field not more than 100 yds or so off to the side. They do not run off when I start firing. I would guess that living that close to the range they are used to the noise.

Our club normally closes the ranges during deer season since they rent the grounds out for hunting. Which makes me wonder if those range deer are easy pick'ins come hunting season. I've also seen groundhogs waddle across down range at times, and I'd bet some of the shooters would aim at them, but they don't seem bothered by the noise either.

 

[cynthialee]

if I spook a doe in my yard and then talk to her and stay put they will tend to mosey away slow until they get about 40 yards away and then they think it is good enough

now the bucks around here are skittish as they get, almost like the last 5+ years of bucks only in the game management unit has left a lasting impression on them

 

[deerstalkert]

these girls are terrified of me! that is my target frame in front of them.

 

[JamesA]

My first shot is usually about 3 or 4 inches to the left and slightly high. The second shot and those thereafter are pretty much to the point of aim. Then along comes last time at the range and everything was to the point of aim, within a 3 inch circle.

Black powder can be maddening. But that's the attraction for me. I don't worry about wounding an animal, I no longer hunt. Climbing those 5,000 ft. and higher passes are no longer in the cards for this old fart and paper or metal targets heal quickly.