2025 February Postal Match

[alacran]

Glad you got out and shot the target. You are shooting a new gun and in my opinion you did very well. I agree with your scoring except for the last target.
I score it a 26. When there are two shots in a target where only one can score, the lower score shot is the one that counts.
Hopefully we can get more entries. Including today we have three days left.

[foresterdj]

Got'cha.

Much more shooting and patterning in store for this fowler, turkey season starts mid April.

[okawbow]

Finally got around to shooting this month’s match. I dug out my .30 caliber Soddy Daisy I made 10 years ago, with a FCI 3/4” barrel and an L&R lock. Perfect light conditions with the sun behind me and shining on the target. Offhand, 25 yards. This little rifle really shoots nice! From the bench, it will put every shot in a quarter size hole.
Here are my two best targets. Third one was sighting in and getting used to the flintlock again.

[Daryl]

Zat a 46 and a 43? Cool rifle. A .30, eh?  David Rase has a .28. He shot it well, at Rendezvous B.C. - way too many years ago now.

[alacran]

Good shooting Okabow, Daryl got it right a 46 and a 43. You are now the current leader.

[bob in the woods]

I got out yesterday afternoon [ in between snow storms !  ] and shot this target again. I'm planning on trying once more before the end of the month, so did a little experiment , just as a demo
20 bore, .610 ball,  felt wad    1st shot [ lower right] is my usual 100 gr charge

shots 2 through 5 are 60 gr charge of FFg   -all off hand at 25 yards

There are many who would think that the results are pretty good for a smoothbore, considering the size of the targets, and all would definitely take a deer, however the difference that extra 40 gr of powder makes is very telling in my gun.  This becomes even more apparent as the distance increases to 50 yards. 

[Daryl]

Considering your worse shot is only 2 1`/2" from the centre of the bull, not bad. The 100gr. shot is only 1/2" to the centre of the ball.
Why the change in powder charge, Bob?
Your 60gr. shots are fairly consistent. It looks like a decent composite group of all 5 shots in 2 5/8", when superposed on one bull.

[bob in the woods]

Considering your worse shot is only 2 1`/2" from the centre of the bull, not bad. The 100gr. shot is only 1/2" to the centre of the ball.
Why the change in powder charge, Bob?
Your 60gr. shots are fairly consistent. It looks like a decent composite group of all 5 shots in 2 5/8", when superposed on one bull.

This is for fun, Daryl, so I thought I'd take a try with the lower powder charge [ 60 gr is a fairly popular load for 2o bores here ] and see how much accuracy I would give up with the lower velocity. I know from past experience that the group size really increases by the time you're at 50 yards.  My 100 gr cartridges will still shoot extremely well at 50

[alacran]

Glad to see you are having fun with this target. With my .62 smooth bore, I get similar results with the 60 grain loads except mine are consistently to the right of center. With 90 grains at 25 yards pretty much hit center.  I don't use cartridges because where I live it would be a fire hazard.
I attribute the windage difference to more time in the pipe with the lower velocity load.
I use .595 balls with 40 pocket drill.
At any rate Bob I guess I'll have to play with my .62 on this target .

[alacran]

Congratulations Okabow, you are the winner of the February Postal Match, with a high score of 46. Look forward to what you will be choosing for the March match.

[alacran]

Congratulations Okabow you are the February Postal Match winner with a score of 46.
I wrote this up earlier, but I neglected to click on Post.
Look forward to what you have in store for us for March.

[okawbow]

Thanks! I’ll think about  it a day or so.