still having problems with .36 cal accuracy??

[Bigmon]

I think my original thread may still be on here regarding shooting accuracy of this 36 cal, 42" GreenMountain flinter.
It was seemingly shooting fairly consistant off sand bags so I went a squirrel hunting Friday evening.  Saw nothing then and Sat saw a couple but didnt get a shot.
Then yesterday went to a place where I know there to be Fox Squirrel.
First thing I saw was a nice buck at about 60ft, just staring at me.
But it aint flintlock season so I kept going.
Anyhow the first Sq I missed my gun hung a little, probably due to being loaded from Friday to Monday.
But the second one was a clean miss and a quick fire??
So today I drew a couple sq on a big box and moved it around the yard shooting a various distances,
Also shot a as small of bulls eyes as I could see to shoot at.
The long and short is the gun just isnt consistant.
It's low, it's high, it's left the right.
Then three cutting the same hole then one six inches off.
I aint the greatest shot in the world, but I aint terrible either.  And this is all off sand bags.
Powder charge dont seem to matter as either do swaged or cast balls.
All equally inconsistant?
Any idears???

[hanshi]

That happens to me way too often.  It's mostly due to my dominant eye being some fuzzier than it was when I got the cataracts removed.  The rest is due to the perversity of the universe.  I empathize.

[smallpatch]

Look at your patches.  They should be completely intact, reusable.  If you've got holes, or shredding, you need to look at your patch, ball and lube combo, or roughness someone in the rifling or muzzle.
Till you get that figured out, you'll have no consistency.

[rsells]

I agree with small patch.  Take a look at the patches and see if they tell you anything.  Ball, patch, and lube combo can sometimes be an issue.  I had one rifle that I thought was cutting the patches when I loaded it.  However, I finally saw that my short starter had a sharp edge around the OD and was cutting the patch material when I initially started the ball and patch.  In this instance, the starter was very close to the bore diameter.  I made a smaller dia starter that I use to load the rifles since that instance.   I sight in each rifle I make before the owner picks it up.  I have picked up an issue now that I am older.  There is not much variation in the vertical spread of the shots, but I now have issues with the horizontal spread of the shots sighting the rifles in off a rest.  I have to mentally think to either shoot with both eyes open every shot or have my left eye always closed.  If I mix the procedure I seem to have the horizontal spread on the shots.  My eyes have changed a bunch over the past two years, and I never really thought it made much of a difference until I started trying to figure our what was going on.  Getting old is a bummer for me, but better than some other options. Having the correct patch ball combo and good control of procedures during loading and shooting are key, especially shooting a flint.  Good luck, and enjoy shooting.
                                                                                          Roger Sells

[Daryl]

I agree with small patch.  Take a look at the patches and see if they tell you anything.  Ball, patch, and lube combo can sometimes be an issue.  I had one rifle that I thought was cutting the patches when I loaded it.  However, I finally saw that my short starter had a sharp edge around the OD and was cutting the patch material when I initially started the ball and patch.  In this instance, the starter was very close to the bore diameter.  I made a smaller dia starter that I use to load the rifles since that instance.   I sight in each rifle I make before the owner picks it up.  I have picked up an issue now that I am older.  There is not much variation in the vertical spread of the shots, but I now have issues with the horizontal spread of the shots sighting the rifles in off a rest.  I have to mentally think to either shoot with both eyes open every shot or have my left eye always closed.  If I mix the procedure I seem to have the horizontal spread on the shots.  My eyes have changed a bunch over the past two years, and I never really thought it made much of a difference until I started trying to figure our what was going on.  Getting old is a bummer for me, but better than some other options. Having the correct patch ball combo and good control of procedures during loading and shooting are key, especially shooting a flint.  Good luck, and enjoy shooting.
                                                                                          Roger Sells

I-too have a sort of cross dominant eye problem with sights and both eyes open Roger.  I'll be sighting with both eyes open and all of a sudden, I'm looking at the side of the rifle.  I HAVE to close that left eye when shooting right handed and right eye when shooting left handed.  I used to practice often shooting weak hand, as when hunting bunnies when wearing showshoes, you have to or pass up bunnies on your right side - or shoot left handed.  The OFF eye always has to  be closed. 

I would say that 1" at 50 yards is a decent group. 1/2" is fantastic, but will require careful load development and 'proper' bench technique.

[Fyrstyk]

It may not be an eye issue at all.  Check the bedding of the barrel, any loose pins or wedges.  The barrel must sit in the barrel channel evenly for the entire barrel length.  Any tight spots will cause the shots to be off the main group as the barrel heats up.  I had a problem with a long rifle one time at the range on a summer afternoon.  Groups started wandering back and forth over the target over time.  It came to my attention that when the sun was shining on the barrel the groups would wander (due to warming one side of the barrel).  When the sun went behind the clouds the barrel cooled and the groups were centered again.

[L. Akers]

Verify your sights are tight in their slots.

[Bigmon]

My first suspect is my diminishing eye sight.  They have changed allot over the last couple years.  It is pretty fuzzy, but off sand bags I think I am keeping pretty good control?
My patches look fine, my ball starter is actually wood, and not causing the problem.
I started out shooting at about 20 yds and put two out of thtee in a 1" bull.
Moved back to about 35 yds and the problems started?
I dont think the gun was too dirty although I was not cleaning between shots.  I really never di before.
But I am using wonder lube on these patches.  I used to always use moose milk that I made and I never had a cleaning  or loading problem.
Which I am not having now either.
But I think I'll try some moose milk on my patches next time.  Just to see.
But I dont like moose milk when hunting caise I dont want to let it in the barrel.
If I happen not to fire the rifle I'll let it loaded till I do, maybe a few days??  Thats ok with wonder lube but no good with moose milk.  IMHO.
Thanks guys for the help.

[Daryl]

 Track's mink oil or Neetsfoot oil for hunting and/or a water based lube for target shooting only.

My .32 and nor my .36 both load easier with the 50th shot, no wiping and using mink oil,

than they do with the first one in the clean barrel. That may be due to the residual WD40 in the bore

from the previous cleaning. But - loaded at NO time is difficult. With the small bores, there is so

little lead in the ball, so easily manipulated, that loading tight combinations is too easy- without a starter.

A good smooth crown works well. This is the muzzle of my .32.  I use the starter nub (starter on the right in the picture) to push the ball and

patch down into the bore. No hitting necessary.  That was an 8 ounce denim patch (.018") and a .320" ball - bore size.

[hanshi]

I've been checking the fired patches again as I've been working with cotton canvas duck, and frankly, I was a bit amazed.  Most of the patches looked unfired with only a few showing any fouling smudge near the center.  The only giveaway was the fraying around the edges.  This was with either Mink oil or Hoppes.  With a Rice rb barrel it does great and doesn't foul as some say about the little .32.  Squirrel-head size groups no problem.

[Daryl]

hanshi - I agree - due to the ease of loading even really tight loads with the hickory rod,

these little ones are likely the easiest to load and shoot all day, of any rifles or smoothbores I've ever had.

[bob in the woods]

Just a thought-  I would double check for build up in the bore ;   as I have never had any luck with the so called "wonder lubes" over time. Especially in the smaller bores. After a while, they needed a good going over /cleaning with a brush to get rid of the build up. Go back to your liquid lube or mink oil, and see if that helps.

[Bigmon]

That's what I is gonna do.
Next time I gets time.

[Curt Lyles]

Bigmon      try switching to a different round ball maker if you are buying off the shelf .I had the same problem in a GM 32cal and i about pulled my hair out trying different combos.some casters use a 5 ball mold and that could be your problem also try coconut oil as a patch lube and that should help too .