Tall tale or not

[bkovire]

if any one cares i have found more good reading on the subject, this is all listed on the net, web,link here is the list; archive.org, ibiblio.org/stream, usamhi. com /ref branch/war records, have had some problems with this one, but if you know your history,then you will be ok. most info is in the thread.

 

[bkovire]

the best read to date, "our rifles vol 3" page 21! aurt. sawyes, charles winthrop. double brl rifles were indeed made in the 1700's, migrated from europe. could the rifle have been muphrys dads?

 

[Gotspark]

The really sad thing about most of the people that do this kind of thing is they don't have much to feel good about themselves.Then again some people just like to brag for the sake of bragging. :idunno:

 

[Marc Adamchek]

What a coincidence! I can't shoot my flinter well at all after 350 yards too! A small world, indeed. What are the odds?

 

[Story]

Murphy shot General Frazer at a range of 300 to 500 yards (depending on who you read) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timothy_Murphy_(sniper)

Furthermore, the Center for Military History tends to think it was a volley. http://www.ibiblio.org/pub/academic/history/marshall/military/mil_hist_inst/r/revwar4c.asc

 

[Stumpkiller]

i take it that this match is held every 4 years, and do you need a sponsor? could you pt me the info. thanks brian

Sorry, I don't have any info. I posted the link to the site where I found the part I posted.

Never underestimate the ability of a sharpshooter with a good spotter. A friend and I used to hunt woodchucks with muzzleloaders and we popped the occasional lazy chuck after a few spotters in the 250 to 300 yard range with patched round balls. If the first shot is seen kicking dirt and the spotter can tell you "right two feet and up six" it's just a question of adjusting your point of aim.

My favorite Civil War quote:

"What? Men dodging this way for single bullets? What will you do when they open fire along the whole line? I am ashamed of you. They couldn't hit an elephant at this dist..."

Allegedly the last words of Major General John Sedgwick at the Battle of Spotsylvania, 1864.

 

[bkovire]

thanks for the reply, and that is good shooting! :thumbsup:

 

[fraungie]

I think it was a shorter range like 300 yards by Tim Murphy. He was an excellent shot but I heard it took him a couple shots to do it. I just recently heard Frazier was hit in the forehead but my older articles said he was hit in the stomach and knocked from his horse. history does have a tedency to blurr.

 

[pargent]

British 95th light infantry did some good shooting with their Barker rifles too ,but mostly out to 300yrd. in Spain.I have also read a report from a british officer who claimed his colt dragoon was deadly out to 1200yrds.(aparently a presentation brace of revolvers from colt had no bearing on this claim).If you draw a balistic flight path with a 30deg. elevation you may be suprised at how far a round ball wont travel.A conical from a Witworth is another matter.The effects of harrasing fire and suppresing fire were known by foward thinking men back in the 1770s.Every one assumes that incoming fire hits what it was aimed at ,and thats why harrasing fire works.

 

[F.G. Ford]

A Whitworth .451 with good micrometer sights, with a Lyman .457421 bullet, can easily hit a 45 gal. drum at 800 yards. And passes through three drums (empty) no problem.
Now I'm not saying a patched round ball can do that, but the Whitworth can.
Old Ford