My best group at 100 yards

[Mike Lyons]

I know it’s nothing to brag about but it’s my best group at 100 yards from a gun I made.  Im starting to feel more confident in the gun.  I’m using Levi jeans material with spit,  60 grains of 3f behind a .490 ball.  I crowned the barrel like Daryl showed and tuned the lock.  I changed to the Jeans material after the ticking I was using looked like Swiss cheese. 

I have some 2f Swiss but didn’t get around to using it today. 

Why would my 100 yard shots be tighter than my 50 yard shots?  Is it operator error? 






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[rich pierce]

Operator luck! Nice shooting though. There are so many variables. See if you can repeat it. My eyes are full of floaters and fuzzy one minute then pretty sharp a while later.

[HSmithTX]

That is a great target.  I too would be happy with that.

[Bsharp]

Great shooting!

[Daryl]

VERY nice, Mike. Looks to be under 1 1/2".
As to groups larger at a closer distance - it happens. Sometimes it's just due to the bull/sight relationship. Generally the smallest aiming spot that can
be seen sharply, over the sights, the tighter the group.
Shooting tighter at longer ranges happens, I think, with bullet firing guns due to the rifling twist and distance it takes for the bullet to "go to sleep" more
often than with round balls, thus I would suggest it is an "aiming thing".
Those denim patches look great, Mike. They show really good compression marks by the lands.
Your rifle did well with the material you used.

[Austin]

Whatever you got going on, keep doing it!

[Mule Brain]

Is that off hand? Boy if it is, you sure can hold steady!

Either way that is really good shooting. That rifle is dialed in

Specs on that honey? 

[Mike Lyons]

Operator luck! Nice shooting though. There are so many variables. See if you can repeat it. My eyes are full of floaters and fuzzy one minute then pretty sharp a while later.

It was 100% luck.  I was shooting all over the place right before that group.  I stopped on the third shot, put the other two balls back in the bag and packed up.  As of right now, it shoots a tight group.  I remember when I started shooting flintlocks, I was lucky to get a ball on the paper at 100 yards.  I normally keep them on the paper now.   

VERY nice, Mike. Looks to be under 1 1/2".
As to groups larger at a closer distance - it happens. Sometimes it's just due to the bull/sight relationship. Generally the smallest aiming spot that can
be seen sharply, over the sights, the tighter the group.
Shooting tighter at longer ranges happens, I think, with bullet firing guns due to the rifling twist and distance it takes for the bullet to "go to sleep" more
often than with round balls, thus I would suggest it is an "aiming thing".

That makes sense.  I was using the same big black bulls on the 100 yard target as I was at 50.  I'll shoot it again this weekend and see if it changes with the 50 yard target. 

Is that off hand? Boy if it is, you sure can hold steady!

Either way that is really good shooting. That rifle is dialed in

Specs on that honey? 

No way, it was not off hand.  It's a 46" Rice 50 cal. "A" weight barrel.  It's either the "squirrel barrel" or the "southern barrel."  It has a Zorne's Classic lock and all Mike Brooks furniture including a nice cast patch box. 

[Daryl]

Mike - I suggest a 4" round bull for shooting at 50yards, with open sights. That is what I used to do my best shooting at that range.
This one:
http://www.targetz.com/targetzlib/10098.pdf

[StevenV]

Your shots are stringing up and down, that calls for more powder, maybe 65-75. I would use the swiss 2F 75 grains and can you get some .495 balls. It will tighten up even more. One more thing , you JB the barrel it will tighten the group some more. JB  is a barrel "cleaner" that works. Aside from those suggestions, that is some very nice shooting!!!! Steve

[Bigmon]

That is great shooting.  Must have great eyesight!

[doulos]

Good shooting!  That is a good 100 yard group shooting ANY Type of open sighted firearm.

[B.Barker]

I tried to use old blue jeans once and the cloth was so rotten the patches wouldn't stay together long enough to make to the powder charge. I always get new cloth now and leave the old jeans for rags. That is a very nice group you shot Mike. I would be showing it off too.

[Kmcmichael]

That group center to center is about 1 inch. You should show your groups with a ruler. I’ve never shot under 2” with a patched round ball.

[Jeff Murray]

You can eliminate some of the target bullseye size issue by shooting at a "cross" target.  Masking tape on a paper plate makes a nice consistent target.  The cross lets you see if your sight picture is drifting left, right, up or down much more clearly than a round bullseye.  You can make the cross thicker for longer ranges with an additional strip of tape going each way.  I make notes on the back of the plates for later reference.  Simple and inexpensive.

[alacran]

Statistical probability.

[stikshooter]

Mike - I suggest a 4" round bull for shooting at 50yards, with open sights. That is what I used to do my best shooting at that range.
This one:
http://www.targetz.com/targetzlib/10098.pdf

I shoot to 700 yds with Lee Shaver venier/front globe , the bull used is 6"for every 100 yds /500 requires 30 inch /Works for me @1300 FPS with 530 gr paper patch ove4 81 gr OE 1 1/2 f

[Daryl]

With double apertures, that 4" bull works perfectly at 100 meters.

[flatsguide]

[/quote] I shoot to 700 yds with Lee Shaver venier/front globe , the bull used is 6"for every 100 yds /500 requires 30 inch /Works for me @1300 FPS with 530 gr paper patch ove4 81 gr OE 1 1/2 f
[/quote]
Stikshooter, this sounds like a load for a paper patched .45-70
Cheers Richard

[stikshooter]

Yup I had to say somethin cause I too am waiting on a Woods Runner /Ed

[hanshi]

Whoa now!  That's the kind of group I'd love to be able to shoot at 50 yds!

[wolf]

i see people shooting groups like that at 25 yds. and brag! that is good shooting,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,