Okay all of you experienced smmothbore shooters,I have been reading your posts and you have gotten me hooked on trying a smoothbore with PRB. But before I order one ,I got to ask some questions. First, I have been shooting percussion guns for 25 plus years but never a flint. So, two kill two birds with one stone, I would like it to be a flint. Now heres the questions. How do you accurately shoot a fowler without a rear sight? I would want to hunt deer with my smoothie, but I want to be an ethical hunter as well. Would I have to have a rear sight installed to do this? For me this is a serious concern as this would be a major investment for me and I would like to do it right the first time. All input will be greatly appreciated.
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Smoothbore sights?
- Thread starter pappydean
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Pappydean,
To be true to the style, and sanctioned NMLRA shoots, you would not have a rear sight. These are commonly called fowlers, or fusils (french). These usually have not cheekpiece like modern shotguns
Smoothbores can be shot VERY well out to around 70yards without them. Simply use the same set up, place the front sight at the same level on the barrel and let her rip. After some practice, they can be quite accurate.
However, there were many old smoothrifles as well, which used a rear sight like any other rifle. (as well as a cheekpiece).
If your intend on using PRB only, this set up will work well. However, you may have a little trouble leading a bird, etc. if you decide to shoot shot.
Hope this helps.... :: :: :winking: :m2c:
To be true to the style, and sanctioned NMLRA shoots, you would not have a rear sight. These are commonly called fowlers, or fusils (french). These usually have not cheekpiece like modern shotguns
Smoothbores can be shot VERY well out to around 70yards without them. Simply use the same set up, place the front sight at the same level on the barrel and let her rip. After some practice, they can be quite accurate.
However, there were many old smoothrifles as well, which used a rear sight like any other rifle. (as well as a cheekpiece).
If your intend on using PRB only, this set up will work well. However, you may have a little trouble leading a bird, etc. if you decide to shoot shot.
Hope this helps.... :: :: :winking: :m2c:
First off, congrats on goin with flint, you will not regret it, and second, again, congrats on deciding to jump in and get a smoothie :RO:
To answer your question, all I can say is: practice, practice, practice. :: You do not need a rear sight to be accurate with a smoothie. You do need to learn what sight picture gives you the best accuracy. It is the same as any shotgun, your eye is the rear sight. I line up the tang screw with the front sight to get windage, and then I have found the best spot on my cheek to rest the stock to give me the proper elevation. With practice you will be amazed at the accuracy you can attain with a smoothie. You also have to realize what the limits of your ability with a smoothbore are. You will probably not be able to reach out the same distances that you can with a rifle, but generally will get good results within 50 or so yards, plenty good enough for a humane kill.
"I line up the tang screw with the front sight to get windage, and then I have found the best spot on my cheek to rest the stock to give me the proper elevation."
When I put together my fusil I utilized a tang screw with a large domed head. It is below the line of sight down the barrel, but with the slot aligned to top flat, it is almost like a ghost sight. I am just aware enough of it to stay centered each shot when using RB, with shot, I pay it no heed and just instinct shoot.
When I put together my fusil I utilized a tang screw with a large domed head. It is below the line of sight down the barrel, but with the slot aligned to top flat, it is almost like a ghost sight. I am just aware enough of it to stay centered each shot when using RB, with shot, I pay it no heed and just instinct shoot.
A number of early fusils had rear sights. "Colonial Frontier Guns" shows a number that have been dug up with sights or others that you can see where there was a sight. From a period correct issue, there were both. As far as sanctioned events, I dont get into that. I use mine for F&I events. The rear sight is great and would do nothing other. Take a look at many of the early matchlocks and you will also see that they understood the use of a rear site.
Like many other people have already posted- practice! It took me a few packets of balls until I found how to look down the barrel, where to place my cheek, etc. At 25 yrds my smoothie is dead on (a fact that many of my rifle friends cant believe). Its just like a shotgun- no rear sights (unless you have a law enforcement/military style)- my suggestion is to bench rest it, put it up to your normal shooting position, and fire. You're going to see that hole without trouble, go back to your shooting position then modify it until you get that front sight on your hole.
Once you start, you won't stop!
Once you start, you won't stop!
Major2hook
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Dear Pappy,
I've been shooting Flintlock Muskets for 25 years or so and this is my method...
I take a bit of white nail polish and create a bead on the tip of my front sight. This is by the way filed to a sharp point. Next I concentrate on an "anchor point' with my cheek on the stock. You must (atleast with my firelocks)
think in terms of looking atand down the top of the barrel. The lack of a rear sight can be compensated for by using visual references like the rear tang screw or as some of my friends do, by cutting a notch along the tang itself. If this sounds easy...it isn't. It does take practice to become consistent. However, once it becomes natural you will find hitting a basketball sized target or smaller at 50 yards very possible. Holding steady (follow through) is critical to getting on target as I am sure you know!
Good luck
Major2hook
and indeed easy
I've been shooting Flintlock Muskets for 25 years or so and this is my method...
I take a bit of white nail polish and create a bead on the tip of my front sight. This is by the way filed to a sharp point. Next I concentrate on an "anchor point' with my cheek on the stock. You must (atleast with my firelocks)
think in terms of looking atand down the top of the barrel. The lack of a rear sight can be compensated for by using visual references like the rear tang screw or as some of my friends do, by cutting a notch along the tang itself. If this sounds easy...it isn't. It does take practice to become consistent. However, once it becomes natural you will find hitting a basketball sized target or smaller at 50 yards very possible. Holding steady (follow through) is critical to getting on target as I am sure you know!
Good luck
Major2hook
and indeed easy
I am always amazed when this question comes
back on a black powder forum .
From a stranger's point of view , it looks like
most Americans never used a shotgun correctly .
Go to a skeet & trap field , take a lesson if needed .
( there is no shame to it , as my teacher used
to say " no baby was born with a shotgun in hand yet " )
back on a black powder forum .
From a stranger's point of view , it looks like
most Americans never used a shotgun correctly .
Go to a skeet & trap field , take a lesson if needed .
( there is no shame to it , as my teacher used
to say " no baby was born with a shotgun in hand yet " )
Not-fer-nuttin", pappy, Musketman gave me some really good advice awhile back when I asked that very same question.
His advice is to start with a piece of lead shot stuck on the breach end with 5 minute epoxy (use toothpick, about 1/2 a drop is fine). Like a #4 shot (personally, I found a very small "split-shot" sinker to be perfect until I got used to the sight picture and cheek/head location. Then make it smaller (for ref.). Then make it gone. The epoxy comes right off with some acetone.
Worked for me. :m2c:
His advice is to start with a piece of lead shot stuck on the breach end with 5 minute epoxy (use toothpick, about 1/2 a drop is fine). Like a #4 shot (personally, I found a very small "split-shot" sinker to be perfect until I got used to the sight picture and cheek/head location. Then make it smaller (for ref.). Then make it gone. The epoxy comes right off with some acetone.
Worked for me. :m2c:
Rat
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I put a rear sight on my Bess and it works very well...to sight or not to sight a smoothie is always an interesting debate, but I don't know who would like to take the rear sight off thier rifle and try getting good groups with it.
Anyhow, by using a full buckhorn, it still works good on birds because you can frame the bird in the buckhorn, and just very roughly get the front sight in there, anywhere, and you'll get your bird. It's fast.
But by having good, precision rifle sights, I can shoot at big game out to 70 yards, which is nice.
By the way, there is an original Brown Bess in the NRA museum that is fitted with a rear sight.
I totally agree with the rule that smoothies can't have rear sights for the shooting matches, but totally disagree that "smoothbores never had rear sights", and that they are in any way "inappropriate" on a fowler or musket used for hunting.
Rat
Anyhow, by using a full buckhorn, it still works good on birds because you can frame the bird in the buckhorn, and just very roughly get the front sight in there, anywhere, and you'll get your bird. It's fast.
But by having good, precision rifle sights, I can shoot at big game out to 70 yards, which is nice.
By the way, there is an original Brown Bess in the NRA museum that is fitted with a rear sight.
I totally agree with the rule that smoothies can't have rear sights for the shooting matches, but totally disagree that "smoothbores never had rear sights", and that they are in any way "inappropriate" on a fowler or musket used for hunting.
Rat
I wish rear sights were allowed for the shoots. Back in the day, if I had my druthers, my gun would have had a rear sight. They were no different than we are now, take every tactical advantage when making meat or removing bipeds. Never fight fair, you might loose.
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There is also an original Bess at the Museun of the Battle of San jacinto in Tx with a rear sight. I have a close up pic of the rear sight on the Bess in case no one beleived me. The Bess was used by an american under Sam Houston.
Ohio Rusty
Ohio Rusty
Found this interesting tidbit:
***********
Orignally published in The Brigade Dispatch,
Volume Vol. XXIV, No. 2 (Spring 1993), pp. 8-10.
It is a common misconception that British soldiers did not aim their muskets, but rather were taught to simply "point and shoot." One needs only to read the manual of arms used to train soldiers during this time period to discern that this is not true. In describing how to bring the musket to the Present, or firing position, the manual reads in part:
"...raise up the Butt so high upon the right Shoulder, that you may not be obliged to stoop too much with the Head, the right Cheek to be close to the Butt, and the left Eye shut, and look along the Barrel with the right Eye from the Breech Pin to the Muzzel..."
This method of instruction clearly demonstrates that aiming was an explicit part of the firing exercise; it was also discussed in popular period military texts.1 We also know that British soldiers regularly prac
***********
Orignally published in The Brigade Dispatch,
Volume Vol. XXIV, No. 2 (Spring 1993), pp. 8-10.
It is a common misconception that British soldiers did not aim their muskets, but rather were taught to simply "point and shoot." One needs only to read the manual of arms used to train soldiers during this time period to discern that this is not true. In describing how to bring the musket to the Present, or firing position, the manual reads in part:
"...raise up the Butt so high upon the right Shoulder, that you may not be obliged to stoop too much with the Head, the right Cheek to be close to the Butt, and the left Eye shut, and look along the Barrel with the right Eye from the Breech Pin to the Muzzel..."
This method of instruction clearly demonstrates that aiming was an explicit part of the firing exercise; it was also discussed in popular period military texts.1 We also know that British soldiers regularly prac
