RANGE REPORT: .62cal Smoothbore Flintlock Deer Load

[roundball]

08/14/10 Range Report
New rear sight with narrow notch tightened up groups significantly.

.62cal Early Virginia smoothbore
Rice 38” D-weight swamped barrel
Caywood Jug Choked ”˜Full’
110grns Goex 2F
Oxyoke .022” precut / prelubed patch
Eddie May .600” cast ball

Shooting from a seated hunting position:
25yds = about an inch ragged hole, could be covered with a quarter.
50yds = 3”, couple holes cutting each other.

Conclusions:
1) The Caywood 'Full' Jug Choke has no negative effect on PRB accuracy;
2) There is something unique about the 110grn charge of Goex 2F in this barrel.
After seeing how much tighter the groups became with the replacement rear sight, I dropped back to 100grns Goex 2F and shot a test group, and its size opened up noticeably.

I also notice a distinct "crack" to the sound of the shots using 110grns Goex 2F that is definitely not there using 80/90/100grns”¦but clearly evident with 110grn charge, so that charge is crossing the speed of sound barrier or something...plan to chronograph it out of curiosity.

So it looks like I’ve truly got an all purpose Flintlock here in this smoothbore”¦with my deer hunting in thick woods limiting my shots to 50yds, “The Settler” is as accurate as a rifled Flintlock to that distance, with the added benefit of shot charges for small game, Turkey, etc”¦planning to hunt this smoothbore through the entire fall / spring seasons for everything and really field test it”¦assuming it performs in the field like it does at the range it kind of makes the new .58cal rifle redundant for my hunting conditions.

 

[CoyoteJoe]

That is a beauty Roundball and it sounds like you have your load dialed in, good luck with the critters. :hatsoff:

 

[Leonredbeard]

Oh, Roundball,
I assure you there will be days when you just want to take your new rifle afield. Tee, Hee! :thumbsup: :v :bow: :grin:
volatpluvia

 

[buzz]

purdy thang youz got there SIR
:wink:
sounds good loads sound little hot to me but sounds like she likes it that way
hope i'll get time soon to dial in my 54 fowler

 

[paulvallandigham]

Remember that rifled barrels create more friction on a PRB than does a smoothbore. A .62 cal. Rifle with a 38" barrel has a maximum effective powder charge of 131 grains, approx., so his load is well within those parameters, and is NOT too hot a load for that caliber and barrel length.

I am also curious what velocity he is getting with that load. From the limited data I have been able to scrape together for the .62 caliber, I am sure that the ball is leaving the barrel's muzzle at a velocity that exceeds the Speed of Sound. That may JUST BE what he is hearing with that load.

The main thing is not velocity, but accuracy. With a 3/4 oz. Ball that diameter, NOTHING much is going to walk too far with one of those balls through its chest. I don't expect him to recover any of those balls from game, either.

Its clear from his reports that he has concentrated on accuracy, has fixed the rear sight on the gun so it can't " Wander", and is getting terrific groups with his load. HE SHOULD be a happy man, and it sounds like he is. :wink: :grin: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :rotf: :hatsoff:

 

[roundball]

loads sound little hot to me but sounds like she likes it that way

It definitely seems to favor that load...120grns was the same way but for my hunting, 110grns is more than enough so that's what I settled on.
Also have to remember a .62cal has a huge bore volume to fill up with gas pressure if you want some velocity.
A nice thing about the Virginia's design is the large area of the 2" wide mostly flat butt...it makes a 40-50 shot range session seem like plinking with powder puff loads...very easy / pleasant to shoot.

 

[md2020]

Roundball --who built that gun and what does it weigh?

 

[Bob J]

Wow! Deer, bear, hog, turkey, and small game, too. Truly an all-purpose gun :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

 

[roundball]

Roundball --who built that gun and what does it weigh?

Matt Avance at TVM built the stock to my specs from a plank of what he calls super premium ++ curly maple, does an outstanding job.
I bought the Rice barrel & Chambers lock and shipped them to him...he supplied the Davis triggers and brass furniture.

The whole thing weighs 9.5 pounds but with the swamped barrel it seems as light as a feather due to the balance. With the weight and wide butt plate, 110grn 2F PRB loads are really powder puff loads` in it...averaged 40-50 shots per range trip and it was just a joy to shoot.

 

[buttonbuck]

wow I look forward to when I grow up and can get a beauty like that a real the natural beauty of the wood is complimented by the craftsmanship truly a work of art. :thumbsup:

 

[wy0mn]

Too pretty for my use, but I was trained by a man who used a Belgian Browning to hack his way thru cat-briers & blackberry thickets!

Very nice piece!

 

[roundball]

It's just a piece of wood that happens to have pretty grain...I don't treat them any different based on their looks...if my lifetime of taking care of my firearms is any prediction, this one should still look like this 5 year from now with maybe a tiny handling mark here or there

 

[ericb]

That's a purdy Gun, Pardner. And I agree with you - it's actually a fairly straightforward no frills Gun that happens to have a nice piece of wood. A really nice piece...

Eric

 

[Earle Varney]

Wish I had read your post before, I asked my question on jug choking and smoothbore accuracy. Still no regrats on the full choke though, I am still torn weather I want modified or full choke on a barrel.

 

[MSW]

thanks for the post ... makes me all the more determined to build a .62 cal smoothie for my next project!

make good smoke!