Trade gun shooting low.

[mancill]

My new to me North West trade gun. Shoot very constantly with round balls just really low. Like a foot at 30 yards. The shot patterns are right on. My set up is 90 gn 2f .600 ball with a paper wad or a felt wad with a paper wad over it. This is a bare ball set up. What can I do to bring it up? More powder, Tigger ball or just switch to a patched ball. Thanks for any suggestions.

 

[coloradoclyde]

Try pointing instead of aiming.
Is the length of pull to long for you, are you wearing a winter jacket?
Are you bench shooting or off-hand?

 

[Donny]

Do we get into barrel bending, yet ? :rotf:

 

[mancill]

Hopefully no barrel bending :surrender:
I am shooting leaned against a tree. The LOP is the same as all my other guns.

 

[jethro224]

Get your head up and show more barrel.

 

[coloradoclyde]

Yep! sounds like he is aiming instead of pointing.. :thumbsup:

 

[mancill]

Define the difference between aiming and pointing.

 

[larry wv]

Looks like a patch on the ball would raise it a bit but not that much at 30 yds.

Larry

 

[coloradoclyde]

Define the difference between aiming and pointing.

Your head is the rear sight (specifically your eye)
When aiming people tend to sight down the top surface of the barrel as if it had a rear sight, taking a really fine bead.
this will make you actually look up at the sight causing you to shoot low.

Pointing is where, instead of aiming.....one focuses on a consistent hold of the rifle and "points" the front sight at the target...
this allows your head to be oriented higher....thus raising you ball on target.


It takes some getting use to.....this is why many people install rear sights on smoothbores IMO.

 

[Gene L]

Less powder will raise the point of impact because the ball has more dwell time in the bore. It's worth a try, at least.

 

[coloradoclyde]

Less powder will raise the point of impact because the ball has more dwell time in the bore. It's worth a try, at least.

:shocked2: Having trouble wrapping my head around that Gene....care to elaborate? :idunno:

 

[smoothshooter]

File down the front sight some if there is enough material to work with.
Some new guns come with the front sight intentionally left too tall so it can be filed down to the correct height for the load the customer is shooting.

 

[Gene L]

Less powder will raise the point of impact because the ball has more dwell time in the bore. It's worth a try, at least.

:shocked2: Having trouble wrapping my head around that Gene....care to elaborate? :idunno:

Yeah, the lower velocity and longer dwell time in the barrel results in the barrel moving upward further/longer in recoil and raises the impact point. Well known to handgun shooters. There is, of course, a point where this becomes impractical.

Heavier bullets in say a 1911 will shoot higher (generally) than faster, lightweight bullets.

We're talking about close range. Before gravity has time to act a lot. At longer, rifle ranges, the faster bullet gets there quicker.

 

[coloradoclyde]

Thanks, Now I understand...

 

[Lamonta]

I was in the same situation, to the point of considering barrel bending. I made a temporary brass sight for it. It shot right on. I didn't like the "floating anchor point" technique just for this gun as it's contrary to a good cheek weld that I use on other guns. I made the sight permanent. It shoots a 4" group at 50 yards, I don't shoot trade gun competition, and it's my favorite gun to shoot.

 

[Stumpkiller]

File down the front sight some if there is enough material to work with.
Some new guns come with the front sight intentionally left too tall so it can be filed down to the correct height for the load the customer is shooting.

For me to be "on" with my swamped fowler at 50 yards I would have to file the sight flush to the barrel. But if I just point and ignore the blade I am fine out to 60 yards. Good enough.

 

[Grenadier1758]

Define the difference between aiming and pointing.

Your head is the rear sight (specifically your eye)
When aiming people tend to sight down the top surface of the barrel as if it had a rear sight, taking a really fine bead.
this will make you actually look up at the sight causing you to shoot low.

Pointing is where, instead of aiming.....one focuses on a consistent hold of the rifle and "points" the front sight at the target...
this allows your head to be oriented higher....thus raising you ball on target.


It takes some getting use to.....this is why many people install rear sights on smoothbores IMO.

Listen to Clyde. Without a rear sight you need to see as much of the barrel as sight. You will be surprised at the quality of the cheek to stock weld. It works. To raise the point of impact, you need to raise your rear sight, your sighting eye. Much better and easier than bending your barrel.

 

[jethro224]

Define the difference between aiming and pointing.

Your head is the rear sight (specifically your eye)
When aiming people tend to sight down the top surface of the barrel as if it had a rear sight, taking a really fine bead.
this will make you actually look up at the sight causing you to shoot low.

Pointing is where, instead of aiming.....one focuses on a consistent hold of the rifle and "points" the front sight at the target...
this allows your head to be oriented higher....thus raising you ball on target.


It takes some getting use to.....this is why many people install rear sights on smoothbores IMO.

Listen to Clyde. Without a rear sight you need to see as much of the barrel as sight. You will be surprised at the quality of the cheek to stock weld. It works. To raise the point of impact, you need to raise your rear sight, your sighting eye. Much better and easier than bending your barrel.

Yep. AND the stock won't beat up your face like it probably is now. My groups actually got better when I stopped trying to sight down the barrel and just kept my head up where it belongs. Try it, it's free.

 

[smoothshooter]

I have a CenterMark .62 Fusil de Chasse that was shooting low when I got it new.
By the time I got the front sight filed down to gave me a proper zero, I didn't have a whole lot more than a nub. Still functional, but a nub.
Am considering putting on a rear sight so I can put on a taller front sight . I want to get the sight plane up off of the barrel some more because with really low sights, heat mirage from the surface of the barrel becomes a real problem with the sight picture when shooting a lot on hot days.

 

[Britsmoothy]

I have to shoot my trade gun head up and it is fine.
I drew in my loading note book a rough diagram of the sight I need to see when shooting it.

I have to see so much of the round barrel for height and just off centre of the tang screw. Takes no longer than lining a rear sight up and works very well.