Smoothbore shooting help..

[Steve Lasley]

I finally got to shoot my .62 smoothie fowler for the first time today. The Problem im having is it shoots shot and round balls to the right and low. About 4 inches to the right and about 8 inches low. My load for shooting shot was 70 grains of fffg real black powder an over powder card a full cushion wad and i used the same 70 grain measure to measure the #6 shot and then an over shot card. And when shooting the round ball i was using 80 grains of fffg real black powder i tried just a patched round ball and an over powder card and then a patched round ball. No matter what combo i used it still shot low and right. Any advice would be greatly appreciated..

 

[Dewey]

At what distance ?
Off hand or bench ??
Any wind ???

 

[Steve Lasley]

I was shooting at 25 yards off hand sitting and no wind.

 

[Dewey]

I assume you have no rear sight ?

I'm still working on improving my groups, but off a front rest I had about a 5 inch group. All shots were on the 8x10" paper, and were the first 5 shots thru the gun using a 0.600 ball, 75 gr 3F, 1/8" wonder wad and overshot card over the unpatched ball. The center of the group is maybe a half inch low and 2 inches the the right.

With that background (that I am just as much a beginner with my new smoothbore as you!), the way I am aiming is to raise the barrel until the front sight base is visible and use the inverted T (sight and base) as the "cross hairs". Depending on your current sight picture, doing that might bring your group up.

I need learn to use the slot in the tang screw as a windage marker and learn what position shoots center (with no wind). Hopefully you have something similar you can use for windage ???

I plan on trying two wonder wads (to get to 1/4") next time (if the rain ever stops!) and see if that improves things, then start trying different powder charges. The 1/4" wad was recommended to me by a forum member who has gotten great results - if you are using a 1/2", maybe you can try cutting them in half.

Anyhoo, just some thoughts about what I am doing - hope it helps! Let us know ... "We're all in this together!"

 

[Steve Lasley]

Thanks for the info Dewey i will give it a try tomorrow.. Hope the rain lets up so you can get out and shoot..

 

[Steve Lasley]

I also have a rear sight but im thinking about knocking it out.

 

[smoothshooter]

Do more shooting from a rest with your for-end hand in a normal shooting position and the back of that hand or arm rested on sandbags, a stick of wood, bag of macaroni, or whatever. Make absolutely sure you are not flinching or canting the gun to the right.
If the gun still shoots to the right, you may need to bend or flex the barrel a little to the left. The vertical issue may be fixable by shortening the front sight or bending the barrel up slightly.
If you try bending the barrel, don't overdo it. A little pressure can do a lot. It will take several tries to get it just where you want it.
Remove barrel from stock to bend.
Details on this process can be searched for on this forum.

 

[Grenadier1758]

You are going to hear this may times on this site. Your eye is the rear sight. Elevation is controlled by the placement of your cheek on the stock. Windage is controlled by the relationship of the bead to the slot in the tang bolt. So, so make sure the slot in the tang bolt is aligned with the barrel. Second, put your cheek on the stock so you can see all of the front sight or even some of the barrel directly above the slot in the tang screw. Actually you may have an advantage since you have a rear sight. You should be able to drift the rear sight in the direction you want the ball to go.

Accuracy in shooting a smooth bore fowler is all about the form of the shooter and the ability to consistently place the cheek on the stock. Let your sight picture be what it takes to get the shot on target.

Enjoy that smoothbore.

 

[Steve Lasley]

Thanks for the great advice..

 

[hanshi]

My smoothbore has a rear sight and it's a cinch to aim and shoot with it. I killed a running deer with it a few years back. Rear sights on smoothbores were rather common back in the 18th & 19th centuries.

 

[Steve Lasley]

What load are you shooting for deer?

 

[Grandpa Ron]

In theory you need to raise your eye and move it to the right.

In reality you need to adjust the stock fit or barrel orientation.

One of the problems I have is my body to stock fit promotes canting of the gun. This moves the shot in the direction of the cant

So, before you do anything, making sure the gun is level.

If that is not the problem, then like any shotgun you are down to proper stock fit.

As mentioned you also have the option of a rear sight.

 

[Flint62Smoothie]

Your CHEEK is your rear sight. I visualize a pencil or dowel taped across the breech, as with a tapered breech area to the barrel and a barrel that transitions to round and/or that further tapers, if you just 'look' down the barrel you WILL shoot low ... you are looking downhill! Then for me, the base of the rear sight sits on that top of that pencil or smaller/bigger dowel.

Also put the fowler within reach and pick it up EVERY chance you get around the house to get your consistent sight picture! To build up 'muscle memory', it is called.

FWIW on a few fowlers I have had to bend the barrel and it has been simple; once using the fancier jig/clamp w/ vernier to check deflection and the 2nd time I just stuck it under the range bench and gave it a good hefty tug :shocked2: , but it worked like a charm! Plus I got lucky, as it came right into where I wanted it.

BEFORE bending make sure you have a good load worked out (see tips on load development) and ensure there are slots filed fore & aft in the barrel tenons, else the gun will shoot to a different point of impact as the barrel heats up and moves.

Have FUN and let us know how you improve her!

 

[Steve Lasley]

I wont be able to shoot again till Thursday i will take everyone's advice and see how it goes. I need to improve my flinching to improve my groups..

 

[Alden]

I also have a rear sight but im thinking about knocking it out.

OMG Were you using the sights? Adjust them!

 

[Pete G]

I also have a rear sight but im thinking about knocking it out.

OMG Were you using the sights? Adjust them!

Exactly.