capandball is teasing us BIG-time...

[tac]

with slo-mo shot of a long-range percussion target rifle and fly-by bullets.

A beautiful rifle, not a Whitworth from the view of the muzzle, but a British rifle of the Volunteer era.

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[tac]

...and another, made by Wilkinson of sword fame....

 

[jbett98]

Tac, if his rifle is shooting consistently to the right of the center bullseye, why doesn't he adjust the windage to the left?

 

[RVTECH]

That bullet he loaded is WAY too loose - it's not even engaging the rifling. It basically fell in and the weight of the ramrod pushed it down with no pressure.
This is not conducive to accuracy in a muzzle loading rifle.
Andy, jump in any time.....

 

[tac]

That bullet he loaded is WAY too loose - it's not even engaging the rifling. It basically fell in and the weight of the ramrod pushed it down with no pressure.
This is not conducive to accuracy in a muzzle loading rifle.
Andy, jump in any time.....

I shoot a modern-day version of this rifle with exactly the same bullet. It is, in fact, precisely 1.5 thousandths of an inch smaller in diameter than the bore. It is made of soft lead and the shock of firing bumps it up to fill the grooves of the rifling. Although Mr capandball - his name is Doctor Bálasz Németh - is only shooting it to 300m - the international competition distance - here in yUK and in the USA as well, we shoot out to 1200 yards.

I assure you that both he, and I, and the long-range muzzle loaders around the world all know what we are doing.

 

[tac]

Tac, if his rifle is shooting consistently to the right of the center bullseye, why doesn't he adjust the windage to the left?

Firstly, he has to establish a group that is the result of consistency, and then he moves the sights. He is a highly-regarded international champion shooter with both pistol and rifle - you can be certain that he knows full well what he is doing.

 

[11Charlie]

Well I would say that 1200 yards with a muzzle loader is impressive as hell! Iron sights to boot?

 

[RVTECH]

I assure you that both he, and I, and the long-range muzzle loaders around the world all know what we are doing.

Got it.
Never loaded anything that loose in my MLs!

 

[KKG]

tac; As always, a very cool pair of videos! Thanks for posting. Mike

 

[tac]

Well I would say that 1200 yards with a muzzle loader is impressive as hell! Iron sights to boot?

Nossir. Tang sights are used at 900, 1000 and 1200 yards, like those you see on his rifle. I only shoot to 600 yards, as my rifle is only sighted to 900yds. The military match is shot at 600 using open sights, not tang-sighted like that one. TBH I have a hard enough job seeing the target at 600.

 

[tac]

Got it.
Never loaded anything that loose in my MLs!

It's not exactly 'loose', but the weight of the range rod is enough to push it down. I'd say that 1.5 thou of an inch is a close fit, but who am I? Some people shooting a Metford rifle paper patch their bullets, but the Metford rifling is VERY shallow and the bullet very hard.

 

[11Charlie]

Nossir. Tang sights are used at 900, 1000 and 1200 yards, like those you see on his rifle. I only shoot to 600 yards, as my rifle is only sighted to 900yds. The military match is shot at 600 using open sights, not tang-sighted like that one. TBH I have a hard enough job seeing the target at 600.

Ya either way tac it is still a lot more difficult than with a high power scope. Hats off to ya sir!

 

[tac]

Here's a shot of a MLAGB guest shoot at the 600 yard Century Range ay Bisley. I'm four shooters up from the guy with the movie camera - there were around thirty other shooters on the same line -

It was not a good day for me

 

[jbett98]

Firstly, he has to establish a group that is the result of consistency, and then he moves the sights. He is a highly-regarded international champion shooter with both pistol and rifle - you can be certain that he knows full well what he is doing.

I'm not criticizing his methods, I just don't understand them.

 

[tac]

I'm not criticizing his methods, I just don't understand them.

It's the first time he has shot with this rifle. He has to establish a load that gets groups. Then he has to get groups, and then he moves the group to where he wants it. Have you watched the second video?

 

[jbett98]

Have not watched the 2nd video.

 

[thorborg]

My opine is on hold as this particular thread is of no value without Andy's insight.

 

[Andy54Hawken]

I am looking forward to watching the video...At one time I owned a English made Parker Hale two band rifle and made some fantastic shots with it ....and like a fool I traded it off...I'll get another one day.
Andy

 

[tac]

@thorborg - 'kayyyyyyyyyyyyy. Here is a formerly round 535gr Lyman flat-nose multi-groove soft-lead bullet fired from my PH Whitworth rifle, with a 90gr charge of Swiss #3 - the same way that the Confederate sharpshooters had to do when the supply of factory-swaged Whitworth bullets ran out, although their bullets were often paper patched, like the second example. It was recovered after a deliberate recovery session was undertaken to prove the point that you, for some reason, you think I'm lying about. It had travelled 600 yards into a packed earth bullet trap. Shooters have been using bullets like this since the late 1850s.

Ask General John Sedgwick if they are effective.

Here he is......after opining that 'they couldn't hit an elephant at this dis...............'





500gr paper-patched flat-based bullet - hardened lead -



Aaaaaaaaand for your delight and delectation............ALL are .451 cal -

Left to right - 1. Polisar Bros 500gr swaged Whitworth bullet. 2. Recovered. 3. Cup-based 535gr cast Whitworth bullet from a Dyson three-piece mould. 4. Recovered. 5. 500gr Metford straight-sided cup-based and paper-patched - I couldn't find any of the three I shot - they just burrowed right on through about fiive feet of packed earth. And lastly, the bullet in my first image. In each case the load was the same 90gr of Swiss #2. Every bullet went smoothly down the bore under the weight of the range rod, on top of a couple of 1mm cardboard wads made from the stuff you get when you unpack a new shirt.

 

[tac]

Ah, here's another one, this time at 900 yards...