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Range report.

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Joined
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Took my son's Seneca in .36 cal to the range today. Thank God I was the only one there. There was somebody there as I pulled in but he packed up and left while I was unloading my Jeep. I had the range to myself for two whole hours and at the end of that two hours as I was shooting my last round 3 cars pulled in at once.

I shot about 14 or 15 rounds out of my Seneca and 3 cylinders out of my Pietta 1851 Confederate Navy in not correct .44 cal. I was shooting 35gr of 2F in everything. I am sure it was a little much for my brasser but it is 2f so its not as strong as 25gr of 3F.

Man that Seneca can group.

First shot at 25 yards was about 4 inches to the right but dead center. I always aim at the bulls eye. I realized I left my screwdriver at home to adjust so I just decided to see how it grouped.

Shot number two went about 2 inches to the right and then number 3 went dead center bulls eye.

My sand bag was leaking so the angle of my rifle was diffrent and I started to shoot high but man they were almost all in one hole.

What I noticed is that the dirter my rifle got the better it grouped. My last two shots I uped the charge to 40gr but no differance as to where it went.

I am wondering if my barrel my be bad and it takes loading up to make it shoot good. Is that possable?

At 25 yards my brasser revolver shoots good. I have to aim low and right to hit center. I have two cylinder holes that need looked at as they are flyers. Every time I could get 4 close to center but two always hit the edge.

Both are now soaking in hot sopy water in the bathtub. In about 5 minutes I am going to clean them and then oil them and put them up.

Weather was wet and in the high 30's but I could not even feel the cold.

I must admit I am hooked on this black powder thing. At the end when the 3 cars pulled in as I was leaving, they had an AK, an AR15(M-4), and an Mosin Nagant. I was interested in none of them but they all asked about black powder, one even said he has a Seneca in .36 cal but its been in his closet for 20 years and has not been touched.

I cant take my son's Seneca from him but I am keeping an eye out and someday will have my own.
 
Sounds like a good day, what range do you shoot on? I grew up in Rogers and live a bit farther south now
 
I went yesterday and it was 86 degrees. Today the high was 42. Only in Texas. After several trips to the range without the right screw driver I watched the sales a bought a cheaper gun smith set. I leave it in my truck. It has saved me a lot of redo's. I wonder if you patched a little tighter if it would shoot as well clean.

Geo. T.
 
I was using a well lubed. 015 patch from Thompson Center.

I'm going to start shooting more so I can understand what it is doing.

I need to worry where first shot goes since that is the only one that matters. After about five times I will know where it goes on first shot and then I will adjust.
 
Thanks for the great range report. Most rifles shoot to a different point of impact when clean vs. fouled. The first shot out of my GPR is always high; subsequent shots group nicely, but lower on the target. It doesn't mean your barrel is bad.

The trick is to keep the fouling consistent between shots. This is why some folks run a damp patch after every shot, it keeps the condition of the barrel consistent for every shot.

Keep up the good shooting!
 
Unusual firearms always draw attention at ranges.

It's unfortunate, but traditional ML'ers are now considered unusual.
 
Geo T said:
I went yesterday and it was 86 degrees. Today the high was 42. Only in Texas.
Obviously, you've never spent time in Alberta in the spring. Or the summer. Or the fall. We haven't made it that warm yet, but they're forecasting snow with lows back into the 20s(F) for the weekend. Again.

Regards,
Joel
 
35 grains of 2F is about the same as 30 grains of 3F. thats a pretty hot load for a brass framed revolver.

as for your gun shooting better with fouling, that usually means your patch/ball combo isnt tight enough. try a thicker patch or a larger ball.

sounds like ya had fun, i wont be able to go shooting for a couple weeks so i envy ya.

-matt
 
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