Velocity affect accuracy ?

[cjgregory]

Can you post a picture showing how you rest your rifle for load development? How a rifle rests in bags on a bench greatly influences point of impact. If you develop an accuracy load off the bench that changes (barrel harmonics) when the rifle is fired offhand, then the result is a waste of time, powder and lead (in my humble opinion).

My rifles are used for hunting and informal shooting, not competition. I'm all about accuracy and could care less about velocity. The load must be repeatable in order to learn trajectory. The point of impact off the bench must match POI from the offhand position. There enough variables in developing a patched ball accuracy load, beginning at the bench.

Here are a couple of pics. With the trigger guard up to the support, it’s almost the balance point. The barrel touches nothing.
Just remember that in the field, if you have a tree to rest against, make sure you rest it back close to the lock. Never rest the barrel on anything. Off hand is always the best. Practice.
A long rifle is the finest off hand rifle ever made.
The rifle is a 42” .36 caliber rifle my buddy made for me.
Presently he’s is building me a Dickert, Lancaster with a swamped 44” barrel in .54 caliber and a chambers golden age flintlock.
This will be my big game hunting rifle.

 

[longcruise]

I stated cartridges in the post.

I thought that was it.

 

[Coinneach]

I wonder if passing through the speed of sound would affect accuracy? A lot of funny stuff happens at that point. Like if the muzzle velocity was just over the speed of sound. I think muzzleloaders can shoot that fast, but I'm not sure.

And I'll add shape and surface of the bullet - E.g., golf balls have all those dimples all over them to break up laminar flow so that trailing vortexes don't slow them down and make them go all over the place as much (if I recall correctly).

Hey - that gives me an idea: maybe I should put dimples all over my flintlock round balls I wonder if anybody has ever tried that. My guess is they have tried it, and it didn't work, which is why round balls are not dimpled. Oh, well, there goes another great idea :-/

It kinda works, use a slab of concrete and a large enough retaining ring (to hold enough round balls in place) sweep and vacuum the area where the retaining ring is placed, wearing a thin rubber glove roll a small handful of the balls around in a figure 8 motion until they looked "dimpled" enough. Then swish them around in some water to de-dust them and allow to dry.

Give it a try if you're interested.

 

[ChuckJonesWagon]

It kinda works, use a slab of concrete and a large enough retaining ring (to hold enough round balls in place) sweep and vacuum the area where the retaining ring is placed, wearing a thin rubber glove roll a small handful of the balls around in a figure 8 motion until they looked "dimpled" enough. Then swish them around in some water to de-dust them and allow to dry.

Give it a try if you're interested.

That's interesting......but (always a "but") for the distances a flintlock rifle or pistol is shot, does it really make a significant difference in velocity or accuracy?

 

[tenngun]

That's interesting......but (always a "but") for the distances a flintlock rifle or pistol is shot, does it really make a significant difference in velocity or accuracy?

I’ve noted smooth bore shooters often have great groups with extra large charges, I’ve not tried it myself
The theory is 1)large charges blow past a bare ball creating a plasma patch or 2) the high velocity gets the ball to the target before other factors move the ball off target
Even a wind too small for you to notice can move a ball, and higher velocity means less time in flight to deviated
Angels with weak bladders are always there to miss up out shot

 

[Absoroka]

Based on countless hours with a chronograph, I have found that the load with the smallest deviation in velocity shot to shot also produces the tightest groups, all other elements being consistent. That also makes sense from a logical standpoint. During my experimentation which was done some years ago, I used GOEX and Elephant. The most consistent results from a deviation standpoint were produced with Elephant, but more powder was required to achieve that result since Elephant developed less velocity for an equal charge by volume. I also found it interesting that the most accurate (read tightest groups) loads with both powders produced the same velocity with averages about 35-40 feet per second apart.