Finally on sight
05-09-2016, 05:37 PM
#1
Banned
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Boncarbo,Colorado
Posts: 9,186
Finally on sight
My brother and I went out to the range today and I said lets just take our time and enjoy it rather than get in a rush.
I used 90gr 2fg Goex, .490" round balls, .020" patches lubed with Anti-Rust & Patch Lube, Damp swab between shots.
At the beginning, my flintlock was shooting solid, but then started to get real funky once I adjusted my sights. I took 5 shots and was scratching my head when a thought hit me to check the tang screw. Sure enough, it was loose almost 2 full turns. This is why I always bed the tang and trigger plate. I'll clean the rifle tonight and prep it for bedding as it needs it.
After I tightened the screw, I took 3 shots, cleaning between each shot and walked away more than happy! I may also change out the bead front sight for the german silver blade sight that I have in my little collection. Personally, I think the bead sights are better suited for hunting rather than target shooting.
We also cut patches at the muzzle,
Better sun light should help improve that group. Wind was iffy today and so the orange would be nice and bright even with sun glasses on, then I'd have to take them off in order to see the target due to clouds moving in and ruining the orange dot. Worse however, was when I'd get shadow and light on it streaming in from the pines. That really limited my sights.
Great day of shooting though. No fuss, just dirty hands, the smell of sulfur in the air and lots of smoke.
I used 90gr 2fg Goex, .490" round balls, .020" patches lubed with Anti-Rust & Patch Lube, Damp swab between shots.
At the beginning, my flintlock was shooting solid, but then started to get real funky once I adjusted my sights. I took 5 shots and was scratching my head when a thought hit me to check the tang screw. Sure enough, it was loose almost 2 full turns. This is why I always bed the tang and trigger plate. I'll clean the rifle tonight and prep it for bedding as it needs it.
After I tightened the screw, I took 3 shots, cleaning between each shot and walked away more than happy! I may also change out the bead front sight for the german silver blade sight that I have in my little collection. Personally, I think the bead sights are better suited for hunting rather than target shooting.
We also cut patches at the muzzle,
Better sun light should help improve that group. Wind was iffy today and so the orange would be nice and bright even with sun glasses on, then I'd have to take them off in order to see the target due to clouds moving in and ruining the orange dot. Worse however, was when I'd get shadow and light on it streaming in from the pines. That really limited my sights.
Great day of shooting though. No fuss, just dirty hands, the smell of sulfur in the air and lots of smoke.
Last edited by MountainDevil54; 09-23-2018 at 12:53 PM.
05-10-2016, 07:58 AM
#3
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Penns Woods
Posts: 1,628
I may have missed it, but has anyone here ever done any testing of precut vs cut at muzzle patches using identical material and lube to show any variation in group size at a given range? Just curious...
BPS
05-10-2016, 08:57 AM
#4
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Eastern PA
Posts: 12,745
BPS - I use pillow ticking both cut at the muzzle and precut from the same rifle and I didn't notice a difference. I normally cut at the muzzle at the range and use precut for hunting.
Maybe I'll give this a try and see if there is a real difference (when turkey season is over and the weather is nicer).
What I would also do if I were to test is, with the cut at the muzzle is to cut two ways. 1; Place the ball so that I would have to cut both sides of the patching to ensure they are equal (which is what I do anyway) and, 2; Leave one end intentionally longer.
That material that Jon is using looks a lot like bleached out denim!?
Maybe I'll give this a try and see if there is a real difference (when turkey season is over and the weather is nicer).
What I would also do if I were to test is, with the cut at the muzzle is to cut two ways. 1; Place the ball so that I would have to cut both sides of the patching to ensure they are equal (which is what I do anyway) and, 2; Leave one end intentionally longer.
That material that Jon is using looks a lot like bleached out denim!?
05-10-2016, 09:39 AM
#5
Dominant Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 21,193
I did it with a couple rifles. I couldn't see much difference in groups or POI. The only reason I cut at the muzzle is I get a perfect centered patch and it seems easier for me to get the ball initially set.
