Smoothbore accuracy?

[Many Klatch]

At 75 yards a well regulated smoothbore should be able to keep a ball in the chest cavity.

Many Klatch

 

[Stumpkiller]

What? No smoothbore R/B shooters using the top of the tang screw, or tip, or a place on the Octagon, or even a round part of the barrel breech as a consistent image in connection with the F/S? OH, OH, guess I just spilld the beans. Remember, regarding accuracy, a well managed smooth bore will shoot near as well as a rifled gun out to 50 yards. What do you think? Wonky

Nope. Focus 100% on the target and let your perphiral vision and mental ballistic computer do the math subconsciously - just like shooting a sightless bow. The arrow is there but you don't concentrate on it. Right eye does the windage and left eye does the elevation.

 

[Wes/Tex]

Nope. Focus 100% on the target and let your perphiral vision and mental ballistic computer do the math subconsciously - just like shooting a sightless bow. The arrow is there but you don't concentrate on it. Right eye does the windage and left eye does the elevation.

That sort of covers it. With practice your cheek willl find the same place on the stock with each shot and your mind will line up the same way as well. There's really no good way to describe it otherwise. If you want to get a head start, try making sights out of beer can and duct tape them to the barrel. Not pretty but will get you started. Good luck.

 

[faw3]

While all these are good just so you can try it out and not hurt anything turn your back screw (tang screw sideways, put in a washer that you can see your front (if ya got a front sight) put a drop of Elmers white glue in the slot and let dry - you now have a cheap (VERY) peep sight but it works with a bunch of guns! I tryed a scope on a 62 cal and shot till I ended up in ICU :blah: and teystill went all over the place after 75 yards, at 50 they stay together rather well, a friend is useing the "no drill scope mount" on a smaller bore and as weve hears it is working a lot better WHY?? Don't have a clue maybe someone can work this one out some day. Fred :hatsoff:

 

[Deadeye]

PB, when shooting a RB in a smoothie you aim it just like rifle with your eye as the rear sight.
I can say this with some certainty because for the last 10 or 12 yrs.that I've shot smoothbores in competition, I've never lost. Probably because the rest of the shooters are shooting their smoothies like shotguns and getting shotgun patterns. I've shot groups as small as 7" at 150 yds. with my Fucil de chasse, 42" 20 ga. smoothie
70 gr. 2F, .600 spit patched ball, no wads, no cleaning between shots, offhand. I make and shoot self bows also. This isn't the same, far from it.

 

[Marlan]

On my smoothbore, I also aim and shoot it like a rifle. I use the tang screw to line up with the front sight. I get ragged hole groups very consistently at 25 yards. I'm going to stretch it out a bit over the next few weeks, to see what it does at a distance. If I'm able, I will put the results online here....

 

[pepperbelly]

I mounted the musket and noticed that I could see what looked like way too much of the barrel- like it would shoot too high. I could bring my head down and use the breech to try to get the height alignment right.
Is my eye supposed to be where the breech is just a flat line- where I can't actually see the breech or barrel, just the frint sight blade sticking up over the breech?

Jim

 

[Rebel]

You won't know until you shoot it and see where it is hitting.

 

[pepperbelly]

Good point Rebel, but I need a starting place to put me in the ballpark.
In a shotgun, if I can see that much barrel I won't hit near a bird. I will be shooting way over his head.
It's possible that I could shoot over the target backboard at even 25 yards.
Of course, that might be the proper sight picture too.

Jim

 

[Capt. Jas.]

Pepperbelly,,

You have to see where it's shooting with your present eye location. You dont wnat to start adjusting anything until you see where it's at right now. Put up a big piece of red rosin paper and draw a cross in the middle of the paper. Shoot about 5 shots doing everything the same. If it's shooting high at your yardage then you need to take some off the stock to get your eye down, float the target, or bend the barrel.

 

[pepperbelly]

I haven't shot it yet. I am trying to get an idea of where to start.
The stock has a part sculpted for my cheek.

Jim

 

[paulvallandigham]

Always begin testing a new gun at short range. NO more than 10 feet. once you see where it is hitting on the paper, you can adjust your powder charge, and wads, to move the load up or down. If there is an obvious windage problem, you can move the front sight, or compensate for that windage as you continue to shoot the gun.

Now move back to 25 yards and begin serious load development by shooting the gun off a two bag rest. One in front to rest the fore stock, and one behind to rest the buttstock. The point in using 2 bags is to eliminate as much of the human factor as you can. An adjustable shooting tripod or stand comes in for serious merit when doing this kind of work. Its much better than using a sandbag thrown over a rock, or the car's hood.

 

[pepperbelly]

Paul, I understand the use of 2 bags- front and rear. The problem I will have is the length of this thing.
When I brought it home I had taken a soft rifle case. It sticks out from the trigger guard back! It didn't come close to fitting in the safe either. :grin:

I may get a chance to go to the range Saturday. My 6 year old is having surgery Monday, and she will be in the hospital all week, so I may not be able to post results, or even try to get online next week.
I'll post when I do get a chance.

Jim

 

[Many Klatch]

Pepperbelly, for a starter, try sighting with your eye below the breech and only show about half of the front sight. If you are shooting too high or too low show more or less front sight.

Many Klatch

 

[Britsmoothy]

Best wishes for your Daughter, Nathan.