Novelty shoots- best caliber?

[bob in the woods]

Nice discussion around our table this week re novelty shoots. Break a 3/8th dowel, cut a string, axe with 2 clay disc ,  bottle caps, snuff the candle etc
The last one we had was at 25 yards. I won by 1 point, but it was tough because although I hit the dowel with my .40, I didn't break it. The axe [cut the ball] was pretty close too, but I did just barely break both clays.  2nd place was taken by a voyageur shooting a .62 smoothbore!!  3rd was a .50 rifle
I'm interested in other's experiences at these shoots. Seems bigger really is better. But then my buddy says 
that a centre shot is a centre shot no matter what cal. 

[SCLoyalist]

While a center shot is a center shot,  the extra diameter of a larger ball obviously gives you a little more margin for error.    That said, if I had a 36 that was a tack driver, and a 62 that was only good for a 'minute of deer', I'd go with the tack driver, because the difference between the 62 and the 36 is only going to be (.62-.36)/2=.13"  (or approx 1/8").   That's what, 1/2 minute of angle?

[RonT]

There was a match at a wayback Eastern that involved a Goldenrod weed stem and three yarn knots spaced about 6" apart.  The object being to cut the weed between the knots.  Woooooeeee!
R

[Roger Fisher]

There was a match at a wayback Eastern that involved a Goldenrod weed stem and three yarn knots spaced about 6" apart.  The object being to cut the weed between the knots.  Woooooeeee!
R

Yes, bigger is better on those up close narrow/small targets; this does not apply in (at least my choice) to women however .

[Daryl]

Hmmmm - for novelty shoots, I like either the .58's, or the .69.  Card cuts, string cuts, briquets, string-bean cuts, knocking the shotshell out of the coroplast sheet- only the base of the rim's showing (shot close, so you haved to aim high, over the rim) - larger wins for me, every time. Cutting cards along with all the other novelty targets are usually much more difficult with a .32, than either of the noted calibres.  There is a difference between a .32 and a .40 as well, even though mathematically, there seems to be little - every additional fraction of an inch helps. BTW- the larger sized ball advantage works all the way around the ball on some targets, as in hitting.  Splitting, hitting or cutting objects, would be larger both sides as an advantage.

We shoot our trail often - generally every Sunday unless it's too cold. Last year, we missed only 2 Sundays all winter. It is surprising how many shots appear to be "barely" misses, and how many appear to "barely" hits which barely move the targets- yet a hit is a hit- scores the same as a centre hit.  Novelty targets alng with the regular gongs are much easier - for me and my sloppy shooting, with the Double Barreled .58, the Musketoon, or the .69 English styled gun, than they are with the .45, .40 or .32. The shorter barrels are no hindrance - for some odd reason.

[RonT]

The local club has a pig shaped gong at 50 or 60 yds.  As I found out much to my chagrin it also has a ~2" hole on the "kill zone".  Sometimes it's good to be just a tad off.
Rt

[Daryl]

HA! - with a flinter, I can usually aim at the hole, and by the time the gun goes off, it has moved or I've flinched it over onto hard steel.

[Buzzard]

Nearly all novelty target are "large caliber friendly"! Splitting a ball on an axe blade is one notable exception where a perfect, center hit is required.

[bob in the woods]

Thanks for the input folks. I think I'll try my .62 Edward Marshall this weekend.

[stuart cee dub]

How many shots at your shoot ?
If you are using a large caliber rifle there is no need to use a huge powder charge .You can shoot and longer better with less pounding with a smaller charge if the shots are close .

What gun do you shoot the most ?
Sometimes that is a good reason to pick a lighter caliber rifle .I find I do better keeping to one gun as I am not trying to recall what the proper sight picture is for that  particular gun. I shoot a lot of novelty matches and take my standard shootin ' gun which is about to get retired for my most recent  build a new standard shooting iron ,this one is a fifty .I am still trying to build the perfect all around gun ,the one gun theory .
Regards,
Stuart 

[chapmans]

Stuart,
   Good luck with that!!
 Steve

[bob in the woods]

One gun!!!  But then I wouldn't need multiple molds, shelves filled with boxes of different sized balls, many bags, chargers, books filled with notes, etc etc;  well, you get the picture. Most of the tack driver rifles I've owned were sold off in moments of weakness/stupidity.  So I continue to learn the secrets of those I have, until their time to leave comes.   

[Daryl]

I would have to say, that this rifle, in a 20 to 14 gauge comes closest the the best all-round rifle there is. Of course, this is a personal opinion, and everyone is entitled to theirs as well.

It is being held by my late hunting and fishing buddy, Brad Hall.

[northmn]

The arguement could go on ad nauseum.  I got into a shoot off once where two of us cut a playing card.  I ahd a 40 and he had a 32.  Center hits are center hits.  But larger bore generally do give an advantage.  Problem is that a bigger bore kicks more and can cause fatique easier as well as flinching.  While I can shoot a bigger bore accurately, I find that I can pinpoint best with a smaller bore.   Big bores take a little more practice.  Some however use them with very light powder charges for this type of shooting.  45's and 50's still make pretty good all around guns.

DP

[Daryl]

Absolutely - I use very light charges in the rifle that Brad is holding in the picture.  3 drams (82gr.) for plinking to 50 yards and even 100, however for serious work, it gets 140.  That mens there are never more than a dozen or so shots on a trail walk that are the heavy loads, so it's quite easy to shoot without to much fatigue.  Practisw, does help.

[76 warlock]

I used a .58 Sharon Kit and figured if I could shoot a !" group I could cut a card every time and I won alot that way.

[Pete G.]

Splitting a ball or a card does not require a center hit; it merely requires a hit. In theory if you are shooting at an axe blade with a 50 cal you have about a 1 " latitude. In reality it is probably slightly less, but you get the idea. Bigger is better (even with some women, Rodger).

[Daryl]

The hardest part of splitting a card, if getting the card's edge square on to you. This is why there are som many partical cuts - card was on an angle and bll missed part of it.  I do not believe it needs to be a centre-of-the-ball hit, either.  A hit full width of the card at 1,000fps , close or more is a cut card. Damp cards can move.

 I suspect multiple cards would be easier to get in a proper line - but the shot centreshot pulled off on "Impossible Shots", was more difficult due to the wind."  It was blowing him and the cards - nasty - a good shot was made- .58 cal flinter.

I find cutting a card much more difficult with the .32 than the .58's, .62 smoothbore or the .69 - it's the easiest - get one virtually every time with it.

[bob in the woods]

Bigger is definitely better. After trying my 10 bore, even though I have more work to do with it, there is a lot of leeway with that large ball. A lot of the folks at our match were surprised that a .62 smoothbore did so well last time. I wasn't. Range was only 25 yds. 

[Daryl]

I've got my .62 down to an inch at 25 yards.  It's 50 and beyond I have trouble with it shooting well.

[Leatherbelly]

Daryls,
  That .62 will shoot real good at fifty. The wingnut behind the buttplate needs to be tweeked!