Round Ball Accuracy?

[Smokeydog]

Been away for a long time, but I have a real hankering to learn how to shoot a flintlock. I'm mostly a traditional archer so getting close to game is what it's all about. To that end, as far as flintlock smoothbores go, what kind of practical accuracy can I expect say at 25 yards up to 50 yards.

Thanks!

 

[FishDFly]

Depends on the skill level of the shooter.

 

[wayne terry]

Yes and the condition of the bore of his barrel.

 

[coloradoclyde]

You should be able to do every bit as good...if not better than a traditional bow....at those ranges....It should be a smooth transition....

 

[galamb]

There are some here that get accuracy out to some yardages that many would reserve for center fire rifles.

I too am a bow hunter (primarily) and our hunting world tends to be way closer than gun only hunters.

If I want to hunt at 100 yards plus, I use my CF guns for that.

My muzzleloader's, for "me" double my maximum bow range.

And when you consider a 35 yard shot with a bow as "being out there", I can tell you that 60-70 yards with a muzzle loader is WAY out there

And if I'm being honest here, the longest shot I have ever taken at a deer with bow, ML or CF rifle is 33 yards. With most falling to shots taken between 20 and 25.

If you continue to hunt "like a bowhunter", maximum range when using anything more advance than a bow is more than you will ever need.

 

[Larry Beach]

If you cant bag a Deer at 50 yards with a Smoothy
you can always throw the gun at him!! :thumbsup:

 

[George]

My muzzleloader's, for "me" double my maximum bow range.

I think it's important to point out that the rifles are capable of much better than that. If anyone feels the need to limit their use to such short ranges, it's the shooter, not the guns which are the limiting factor.

Spence

 

[George]

I guess I'm losing it. When I posted that it was in the flintlock rifles forum, but it seems to have moved.

Cancel all the above, and I'll be gone for a while, visiting my shrink.

Spence

 

[Skychief]

I'll be gone for a while, visiting my shrink.

Spence

:shocked2: :shocked2: :shocked2: :hmm: :haha:

 

[Snow on the Roof]

My bow of choice is a Howard Hill Wesly Special and with it I can consistently hit a 6 inch circle at 30 yards. With any of my smoothbores I can shrink that down to 3" and I'm a poor shot... I definitely earned my nick name Blind Dog! :shocked2: Now at 50 yards...that's a different story.

 

[tenngun]

You can most likly do better then expected at 50. 3 inchs is 1 1/2 inchs from point of aim. If you doubled that that would be 3 inchs from point of aim. Doubled 1 more time and thats 6 inchs. Holding on the center of a chest 6 inchs on either side or up and down will be a mortal wound to bambe

 

[Stumpkiller]

Welcome!

I'm a (successful) traditional bowhunter and I also shoot a sightless smoothbore flint fowler. With 0.648" roundball and a paper cartridge I get about 6" at 60 yards centered on where I am focused. THAT is as far as I would try as the accuracy falls apart just after that.

Here's a target with no aiming spot shot offhand at 60 yards.

At 25 yards they'd be cloverleafed.

When I shoot my bow I'm actually "gunbarreling" with the arrow shaft and 20 to 25 yards is my sweet spot.

 

[Rifleman1776]

what kind of practical accuracy can I expect say at 25 yards up to 50 yards.

Depending on your skills, very small groups. Many (most?) ml hunters will take shots at deer up to about 100 yards.

 

[Black Hand]

...what kind of practical accuracy can I expect say at 25 yards up to 50 yards.

With practice, you should be able to keep all your shots within a paper plate (or smaller). Some, with practice, can achieve almost rifle-like precision & accuracy with a smoothbore.

 

[Tinker2]

...what kind of practical accuracy can I expect say at 25 yards up to 50 yards.

With practice, you should be able to keep all your shots within a paper plate (or smaller). Some, with practice, can achieve almost rifle-like precision & accuracy with a smoothbore.

:thumbsup:
Practice, that’s the key


William Alexander

 

[Maven]

Here's a reply I wrote on another forum, but cut & pasted here. It may be helpful to you:

Mike Beliveau has an excellent article ("Old-School Smoothbore Loading: Part I: Round Ball") in the July/August "Muzzleloader" magazine. He also posted a video of his procedures some months ago on the Traditional ML Forum, http://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/fusionbb/index.php?. Mike's screen name here is duelist1954 and his videos can be found in the subform, Muzzleloading & History in the Media. If you're a smoothbore shooter, the article and/or video are well worth your time.

 

[hanshi]

Welcome to the forum, Smokeydog. With flintlocks, smoothbores or rifles, accuracy depends on the shooter more than on the equipment. For my part, I consider my smoothbore limit to be 50 to 60 yards; and I have a rear sight on my smoothbore. I've only killed one deer with my smoothie but it was a running shot so I'm satisfied.

Like any firearm you'll have to develop a load the gun shoots well. While I've fired 8 shot groups at 50 yards well under 3", a paper plate size group is all I really need. It is quite possible to have a smoothie shoot as well as a rifle at 50 yards and beyond. If you do well with a bow then you can do much better with a well fed smoothie. Just remember that we're talking "woods" ranges and not bean field distances.

 

[Grandpa Ron]

If you are a traditional archer you will probably be shooting under 30 yards.

A decent smoothie should give you 4 inch groups or less at 30 yards.

Like instinctive archery shooting, accuracy comes with lots of practice.