Flintlock Smooth Bore Round Ball Test

[@GCSimons]

I like how the recoil has a “vicious” category

[@danielboydcooper6850]

after watching this, i am saving up for my first flint lock. great and informative video. happy subscriber !

[@sethmullins8346]

I wound up going with a percussion smoothbore. A .69 musket is equal to like a 14 gauge shotgun. It has the dependability and lock time of a percussion gun, with the versatility of a smoothbore woods gun.

[@versal339]

Thank for this great info. Those 595 round balls around 300grs, at almost 1600 fps. That's an impressive thumper out to 100yds and beyond. Thanks again.

[@folday6169]

Mike, thanks for all of the excellent instruction, especially introducing me to the use of tow. Now, using tow as wadding over the powder and over the ball, 70 grains of Goex 2f, and 0.61 cal balls, I can shoot 4-inch groups at 50 yards off the bench with my Pedersoli Indian Trade Gun. Your entire series on the use of flintlock rifles and smoothbores have been excellent!

[@FXGreggan.]

Love comparative tests like this, thank you!

[@KB4QAA]

Extremely worthwhile range sessions Mike! I learned much from this. Thanks!

[@jimseaman2558]

Mike my Brother and I ordered our first ever fowler from TVM. We are excited to get them. Knowing there will be a learning curve, I found your video to be very helpful and encouraging. Thank you for making it and sharing it. Jim Seaman, Darby, Montana

[@rebeccaback3287]

I like the group's and shooting.Seems like the barbells are for the better.Great video David Back.

[@robiker416B]

Thanks Mike, I just purchased a flintlock Indian Trade Gun by Pedersoli. I’m confident this will help. By the way, no one else use tow on u tube. Thanks for that. I ordered some last fall and have been using it ever since. Much obliged

[@tyrssen1]

Very cool, Mike! The first gun I ever fired was a smoothbore "trade gun," flintlock. With patched lead balls I was hitting the square steel plate (about 2'x2') every time, at a hundred yards. I'm not a great shot by any means, but a lot of help from a gent who had won the NMLRA tournament one year (he owned the trade gun) sure helped.

[@bobnancymiller4931]

Very good video. For the record, I have read again and again that a tightly patched ball is best, but I have never found that to be true. A looser load, ie smaller ball , along with a good stout load of powder have always shot the best for me. My 20 and 10 bore both prefer a paper cartridge , with smaller than conventional sized balls. I think that the balls are actually supported/cushioned by the gas around the ball as they go through the barrel. That's why you need a good charge of powder for the best accuracy. These guns aren't rifles, and so require a different mindset . Thanks for going through the work to test this out.

[@bushcraftingmuslim]

That makes sense. Gas leakage keeping the ball centred seems very plausible to me. Just have to find that sweet spot on how small to go. Great post 👍

[@vwmountainman9701]

You know - it never gets old !! I think it's good that you show/explain the process everytime. Just as it could be the 1st ML video for an individual - it also keeps you in focus. The chant - powder / patch / ball sometimes isn't enough. Then I catch you changing things up abit. I'll stop to rewind & find that you are shooting different loads. Shot & round ball from a Fowler as example. I sometimes put on auto-play while I'm working in the gun room or leather work area. Keeps me on my toes also. Keep it up -

[@peterisaacs1344]

As usual you are a font of useful, practical information

[@paraplegichistoricalsports5700]

Mike, this props up your theory on a much latter video where you determined: the gases (from a heathy powder charge) surround the slightly undersized ball, keeping it centric all the way out the bore, versus the ball banging the sides out the bore. I can conclude the same with my 12 bore cylinder barrel's findings as well.

[@EldarKinSlayer]

Excellent video on an interesting topic. Exactly the kind of thing I like to see.

[@OurLanding]

I am trying to develop an accurate load for MLIAC competition. I have a .69 Pedersoli Revolutionaire. This video helped me a lot! thank you.

[@mtodd4723]

I liked your video a lot , I wish I had the money to get in to it . Your videos keep me interested . Thank you for taking the time & effort to make them !

[@mr.thickey1820]

"Ach du lieber, mein schatz", senor Mike! Wunnerful test, the kind I used ta love ta do years ago!!! Would love ta get a smooth bore some day before I "croak". There's a special thrill one can get from shooting such a gun with "crude ta NO sights" to see good groups (hopefully!). Thanks for correcting your "nasty word for heck"!!! You're STILL the gentleman I know you are! Gesundtheit & pass da saurbrauten & veinerschnitzle please!!! Easy on da "veiner" but heavy on da schnitzle!

[@erichaun4529]

Like your approach and I've found the same thing with my smoothbores. The most accurate thing I've found has been powder, powder card, fiber wad, ball, and fiber wad. I think it works because the fiber wads form a sabot of sorts around the ball probably the same effect the tow is producing for you.

[@augustuswilliams1158]

Vent pick idea that works great for me. Guitar strings are wrapped in bronze wire which cleans vent very well, without damaging or enlarging hole. Pick string that is slightly undersized. Go to music store and get all of the used strings you want for little or no money.

[@pirththee]

Your shoulder must have healed well.great video.

[@lewisward4359]

Duelist, Good work. Working on my Fusil de Chasse and the video inspires me to continue. Cheers. Sounds like you like the 80 grain laid of 3F better than the 110 grain load of 2F because of the recoil. Earlier you mentioned that you would use the 2F load because of the accuracy. Working on my Fusil de Chasse and the video inspires me to continue. I'm sure I'll be experimenting with loads for my Fusil from M&D, so this was helpful. Will be finding an affordable source of tow. I finally picked up the TOW's sheet on building the Fusil. Exactly what I needed.

[@grahaml901]

another great video Mike. I watch your smoothbore videos all the time and have learned ALOT. anyway u can do one on changing, re-knapping Flint's? thanks so much

[@duelist1954]

I'll try to get one of those in.

[@UncaBill1]

Just to jump in on knapping flints.... Before shooting and on an EMPTY gun if a flint gets worn down or cracks I knap it in place by putting a forefinger under the front of the flint and tapping downward lightly with a small BRASS hammer I made, or with any brass or non-ferrous tool. Don't use iron or steel if it is on the gun so you don't make sparks. Loosen the hammer jaws a bit and run the flint up & down the frizzen carefully by hand to make it straight and have the best contact without hitting and scratching the barrel. Knap some more if it is still too jagged then tighten everything up. A quick fix is to just turn the flint over, line it up the same way and shoot a little more.Changing flints I go for the traditional, not the sawed flints, choose the best angled side for a good swipe of the frizzen, that ends up pointing into the pan, line it up as above and go for the longest swipe possible. Sometimes you need a thinner or thicker leather on the flint to make it reach to the frizzen as soon and as high up as possible. Poking the touchhole can speed up ignition. Priming only up to the bottom of the touchhole also speeds it up. I learned this by trial and error and put over 3,000 rounds out my Tennessee rifle, Brown Bess and others with very few glitches. It goes off like a percussion gun.

[@fdmackey3666]

I'm referring a friend down home to this video ASAP! He has been having a devil of a time trying to get his new flintlock ready for primitive weapons season and you may have just answered his questions as to "Why?...Why won't this thing shoot like I want it to?".

[@josephbarnes8000]

great video !!! that guy before me talking bout the markers is not very considerate. lot of work went into this video. great information. thanks !!

[@johnharrington4757]

1521 fps is very impressive for a smoothbore! These rifles look like so much fun.

[@Pavia1525]

Great video. I too have come to the conclusion that bare balls work better in my 62 cal smoothbore than the patched RB. I have a Pedersoli Indian Trade Musket. I get tighter groups with 90 to 110 gr of FFg, a half inch lubed wad, .600 ball, and an over shot wad to hold it in place. Patched RB is just so so. I think someone mentioned that the charge going off makes the ball fit to the bore without a patch. Makes sense. BTW, I also have great success with making paper cartridges in the same manner as you would a Charleville or Bess. I think loading the paper wrapped ball mimics the similar effect as with tow or a wad. Give it a try. All the best!

[@markzimmerman7279]

I'm a believer that's why softer lead shoots better Pavia 1525,same principal as a compression bullet.from balls I've recovered they always have a nice long around where contacting the barrel

[@scottpatterson7798]

I have a early English Trade gun I was able to shoot 2 inch groups at 50 yards using 2fg .600 lead ball lubed round patch 80 grain load . Also a few of my groups were 5 and6 inch groups using this same load . I think just me where I point the gun. Almost all my shots did stay on the 100 yard small bore rifle target . I think I will stay with this load . great video

[@davidhintz1806]

good to see lots of videos again

[@MercyMinister]

Good information, Mike. I have a smooth rifle I have to test. Your data will be helpful.

[@Rumblestrip]

I've seen strings like what you got with the .595s, wound up being off center patch. I cut them at the muzzle and it stopped. Just a thought. Balls tend to follow the slim side or the strings on pillow ticking in my experience. Great video though, much appreciated, wanting a Fusil at the moment.

[@Chiefs500]

I am going to try this comparison with my gun. It is a Fusil de Chasse I built from a Pecatonica River parts set.

[@yourredcomrade717]

the reason for the results is because the higher charge with a bareball allows the gases that escape around the ball help center it. similar phenomenon have been accomplished to increase accuracy in airsoft guns. if you have a good rear sight, i could get 2 to 3 inch groupings at 75 yards using a 58 smoothbore with a 575 ball, 80 grain charge of 2f and just a wad to keep the ball in. no patch.

[@benbateman2085]

Great video! I primarily shoot a 20ga smooth bore so this video gave me some ideas to test at the range. I have two smooth bores that I shoot regularly. One has a longer barrel and it tends to shoot a bare .60 ball the best with 110 gr 2f load. The shorter barreled one tends to shoot either a patched .58 ball with 80-90 gr 2f load or a bare .60 ball and 90gr 2f load about the same. I'm going to do more testing though. Maybe there is another load combination that will work as well. The heavier loads in either gun have pretty stout recoil.

[@duelist1954]

I have found with two 20 ga flinters that the heavy powder charges shoot bare balls the best.

[@helmutshotthesheriff1942]

Thanks very much for this very good work sir...👍🍻

[@douglasmaccullagh7865]

Thanks, Mike. I just bought a fowler in 20 gauge. It will be interesting to learn what load it prefers.

[@joyceread2333]

Mike; I still shoot my original 1842 Harpers Ferry Musket; it has a sweet load of 110 grains FFG Giex and a .682 round ball paper patched lubed cartridge. This load is what is specified in the 1862 ordinance Manuel. David Read

[@alanparadis5061]

Very interesting! Cool test!

[@richstone2627]

Spec yer gonna have to file on yer sight to bring them groups up. Good video. Thank you

[@bobnancymiller4931]

My smoothbore loves either paper cartridges or bare ball & tow loads I haven't had any success in finding a patched ball load to equal these What is strange for a rifle shooter's experience, is that a looser ball /barrel fit ie smaller ball was more accurate in every single combo I tried Smoothbores are much different than rifles !

[@jj-ve9wy]

Mike, thanks for doing so much of the leg work for us. I was wondering if loading the patched R/B as if you were shooting shot (employing cards) would tighten the groups .??

[@54freerider]

Im watching all of the adds I was told it helps to watch the whole thing. I bought a sxs perdersoli 12ga shot gun. I have shot #5 shot I made through it and it does better than I expected. Im thinking of trying a bare .690 in the .704 barrel and a patched .690 in the .724 barrel. Have you done anything on video like that before. Just asking Ill go back through all of them and look. Keep them coming. I love em.

[@thepretender4640]

"You can wrap a rock in a leaf" best line ever

[@jeffreyrobinson3555]

vegan demon funny you should say that. I won a smooth bore shoot, but I had forgot patching for my North west gun. I did just grab wild grape leaves near the range and shot winners that day

[@mr.thickey3959]

Hey, “BEEKA MIKE”! “Ach du lieber, mein schatz”! Have to make a comment BEFORE watching all the video. This video shows the making of a “PERFECT DAY AT DA RANGE”!!! A “Heavenly day” you could say! 1. A beautiful gun; 2. a fine shooting range; 3. gorgeous weather (sunny & hopefully not too humid!); 4. AND those wonderful BIRDS a chirpin’ in the background!!! Those birds are what really make this day great to me!!! Who cares really what groups this gun makes (almost!)! It’s a great shootin’ day to be alive! Thanks for makin’ my sort of “down day” an ending joy & for simply just YOU BEING YOU! At 82, wish I could be along side you to do some fine shootin’! With my deteriorating health & no longer having a shooting range to enjoy anymore, I doubt if I’ll ever get to shoot my beloved muzzleloaders again. But at least through YOU I can relive some of my “glory days” at the range via my kitchen table!! As this video is sort of old, you’ll probably never get to read my comments to you. Love ya, you ol’ “goat-teed bamboozler” you! My name is Ron.

[@duelist1954]

Thanks for the nice note Ron.

[@Bruckzone60]

thanks again Mike for your time and analysis. i just wonder if the skin material is part of the accuracy problem. soft hide being so flexible, is it rounding under upon firing and letting the ball jump past on one side as it travels down bore, giving the dramatic flyers? would love to see this test done with laundered pillow ticking. i do agree the 2f is the way to go. love my trade gun.

[@duelist1954]

I don't know. I know that the thickness isn't uniform, which may have an effect. I'll probably re-do the test with ticking.

[@blackpowdershooter44]

Great video!

[@ROE1300]

👍 Extremely interesting!

[@IndianOutlaw1870]

Hope to see you at Dixon's this year.

[@duelist1954]

Indian Outlaw so plan to be there on Friday

[@lisar3006]

Have you ever tried a 12GA rifled slug in a 69Cal smooth bore for hunting. I saw a follow at the range once using rifled slugs in an 1842 musket with pretty good results. I am a traditionalist when it comes to BP firearms and never tried it myself.

[@deanerichardson8930]

Love to see these type videos, very informative. What is the diameter of the punch for 20 ga.? Have you found the same results in a rifle?

[@geneslodysko6150]

Mike, can you explain how and why to choose FF compared to FFF. I thought the wisdom was to use FF on .54 cal or larger. But I've noticed you use either. Is one cleaner then the other? You mentioned a comment about "pressures", can you explain?

[@duelist1954]

Gene Slodysko I generally use 2Fg for .54 and bigger, but I do a lot of experimenting. I have found that big charges of 3Fg show smaller marginal increases in velocity as the charge increases, but recoil keeps getting much sharper, which are signs of high pressure. Conversely, increases in 2Fg continue to produce large marginal increases in velocity, with little change in recoil...hence, lower chamber pressures. If you are going for high velocity loads in big bore Muzzleloaders, 2Fg will get you there with a lot less pressure, and generally more accuracy.

[@geneslodysko6150]

@@duelist1954 thanks!

[@mencken8]

I always enjoy having closed captioning translations: fusil de chasse = fizzy ass.

[@MercyMinister]

Mike, any thoughts on loading a smooth rifle - bare ball or patched RB?

[@swamprat9018]

Mr. B, what I'm seeing is the heavy bare ball loads is flatting the ball to the bore diameter better and is the reason you getting better accuracy with it. I was shocked at the patched balls did not do better than they did, I was wondering if a screw on the rifle may have loosened up or something.

[@duelist1954]

Pretty unlikely. If it did it must have magically tightened itself back up because the second patched ball group and the 10th patched ball group were both 3 inches in diameter.

[@agnieszkalenska7827]

hey i have a question what powder should i use for charleville? f3 or f4 ?

[@urbanredneck968]

Thanks for a great video Mike. I was wondering what you think about roughing up the surfaces so you would be shooting "chewed round balls". I heard this is a way to decrease the group size in smoothbores. Is that true?

[@SBSATS]

I see that your round ball dia is .610......do you or any of your viewers have a use for a mold that throws a. 620 ball? Have one looking for a home.

[@bulow453]

Kind of wondering how your personal range thing turned out in the dispute with the town council.

[@duelist1954]

Here is the latest update: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qInciGyoj6ilacU

[@donkeller2489]

Have you ever used a hollow base bullet in a smooth bore. I built a swedge for making bullets. It is still in the test phase.

[@duelist1954]

No

[@johnndavis7647]

I wonder if patch failure is causing those wide flyers? Would another patch material or lube stand up to heavy charges better? Tallow and goat skin should be a great combination but could the tanning chemicals have weakened the hide? Chamois might work Its planed to a uniform thickness. That would help loading consistancy. Would it hold up to the friction and pressure? Maybe. Thanks for all you do. John Davis jax fl

[@bdlit7165]

Just curious. Was raw wool ever used? If not why?

[@duelist1954]

yes it was

[@megadeth22885]

out of curiosity.. assuming you read this, i would like to see you shoot some 5 shot groups at 100 yards with a smooth bore musket using patched round balls.. i want to see what kind of groups you can get consistantly at that distance

[@duelist1954]

megadeth22885 I’ll add it to the to-do list

[@megadeth22885]

@@duelist1954 thanks, i seen your video titled "Flintlock Smooth Bore Round Ball Test" where with the right load you had for it you seemed to be getting 3 to 3.5" groups at 50 consistently, so i was wondering what it could do at 100.. smooth bores have a reputation for very bad accuracy (12" at 50 if you listen to some people), yet none of them seemed to have any first hand experience and seemed to be going on military loads, which as you know were undersized for easy loading, to compensate for fowling with a heavy volume of fire, and because with volly fire it really didnt matter.. but hunters used them too, so i was curious about its limits

[@bullhippo9023]

Do you have any thoughts to share on the India Muskets ?

[@duelist1954]

If you mean the modern-made reproductions made in India, I think they are fine for re-enactors who shoot blanks. I know some people use them for live fire, but I don't trust the strength of the barrels, which are made of seamless tubing, rather than being forged

[@bullhippo9023]

Thank you for your input, yes I was referring to the modern reproductions made in India that people are using for live firing. I spent some time looking at them online and read a lot of conflicting info. Do you know of anyone making reproductions other than pedersoli? I have an interest in an 1795 Springfield design or some similar.

[@duelist1954]

@@bullhippo9023 just some custom builders. I would recommend Adam Barnes for that model.

[@cretins]

What's this toe or tow stuff your using as patches and is it easily make-able?

[@duelist1954]

Tow is flax fiber. try the woolery.com

[@raylocke282]

Did French Coureure de Bois and French Canadian Metis hunt deer with smooth bores at long range Mike ?

[@duelist1954]

100 yards or so

[@billmazzocco5275]

Since your using a smoothboore with a bead front site. What is yiur point if aim? Do you have your bead sight right on center or are you using 6 o'clock hold?

[@duelist1954]

Center

[@ettorerusso5712]

Mike, What would you recommend for a 75 caliber Brown Bess Musket???

[@UncaBill1]

My Brown Bess (in the photo) shoots very well with a .715 swaged ball, 100 grains FF and a .017 pillow ticking patch. The issue load papered cartridge back in the British Army was 110 grains, 10 of which went to the priming pan, with no patch but the paper the cartridge came in. Soldiers were not supposed to aim at anyone in particular just fill the air with lead. The bayonet lug can serve as a THICK front sight. If you can line up the slot on the barrel tang screw to run fore & aft you have something of a rear sight if you are able to make your eyes work right. I won a club rifle match with a smooth bore, my first shot, by hitting the surprise explosive torpedo behind the bullseye at 50 yds offhand. No one else hit the bull with rifles! They thought I was shooting some kind of exotic ammo. Ha.

[@lightweight1974]

West shore? what part of PA are you from Mike? Sunbury area here.

[@duelist1954]

Light Weight I'm half way between Harrisburg and York.

[@Pavia1525]

duelist1954.. If you ever get to Lancaster in Fall or Spring, the Historical Miniature Gaming Society (HMGS) hosts a convention where we reenact all kinds of historical battles in miniature on the tabletop with awesome painted figures and terrain. French and Indian War, Rev War, Napoleonic, ACW... all kinds of black powder eras. Come check it out...

[@stevebuckskinner5482]

When trying the two different powders did you also use the same powder for your priming?

[@duelist1954]

I primed with 4Fg

[@danphariss133]

Priming powder variations mean nothing other than finer powder is a little faster to generate heat and ignite.

[@Platos_Rave]

Is that a Caldwell chronograph? If so how do you like?

[@duelist1954]

No. It is a Chrony F1

[@mwmwmwmwmmdw]

watching your videos makes me really want to get into black power. does anyone know if indoor ranges usually allow black powder to be fired?

[@douglasmaccullagh7865]

My local indoor range does not allow any black powder. Their exhaust fans cannot clear the smoke. The outdoor ranges have no problem with black powder.

[@herbertbrown119]

I’ve been shooting muzzleloader a for forty years and I’ve never even heard of an indoor range that allows it

[@peterriboni3889]

Mike do you think using sheep's wool as a wad instead of towe for bare ball loads would make any difference??? only asking because sheep's wool has a natural lubricant.

[@duelist1954]

No. I think it would work fine, but I don't think the results will be much different, except for moister fowling.

[@RabidMortal1]

Any speculation on why the 90gr FFFg load was so bad? Hard to believe that an increase in 19fps results in such a dramatic difference.

[@duelist1954]

RabidMortal1 I would say that it is because pressure rises dramatically with large loads of 3Fg, which leads to inconsistent results...or, it could just be bad shooting

[@danphariss133]

Shooting for accuracy without a rear sight is basically guessing. Having 2 -3 together and then flyers blowing the group is just smoothbore shooting and in my experience they throw fliers at the least opportune moment. Like when hunting. Need to test different patching as well. My 50 cal smooth rifle shot best with a heavy ticking patch and a 480 ball. But it would do about 3 1/2 - 4 1/2" at 50 yards. with 2-3 close and then 2-3 fliers. best load was 110 gr of FF. I was shooting 5 shot groups BTW. AND is the patched ball will thumb start its not that tight though rifles load easier than SBs will. So try some linen and cotton patches. If you have a .620 bore then a .600 or .610 should work if you adjust the patching to fit. Setting out to use a specific patch then changing the ball size to give the required fit is silly or at least backwards. If it shoots a given ball size with a wad why not try that ball size with a patch? Varying the PATCH thickness as needed.

[@win1885]

It's possible the heavy 110 gr charge, bumped the ball up to better fit the bore. But that doesn't explain the success of the 80 gr. charge. Sometimes there's no rhyme or reason why a given load works and another doesn't.

[@taylorman1949]

I'm thinking of buying a Pennsylvania Long rifle from Sitting Fox with a 32 gauge smooth bore (.50 cal). They claim its very accurate a shorter ranges. What are your thoughts on a 32 gauge smoothbore?.

[@duelist1954]

taylorman1949 It should be fine with patched balls out to about 75 yards...with shot it will be limited to fairly close range

[@cindycressler1239]

I mostly shoot 2f goes pre made paper cartridges made with news paper “ actually Dixie gunworks old flyers. 80 gr.

[@Man-jf6lz]

why the second ball of tow?

[@darrellgoodman9585]

To keep the ball from rolling out the end of the barrel .

[@uarbor70]

Is your bore .620 or .625 ?

[@duelist1954]

.615”

[@keithj73]

Boom stand back yah !

[@mrrick682]

After watching your videos I have come to the conclusion that I'm going to buy a TVM. I'm not new to BP but I am new to flintlock should I start with a fowler or rifle???

[@duelist1954]

You're the only one who can answer that question. It depends on what interests you more, and what you plan to do. If you just want to plink and target shoot, a rifle will probably suit you better. If you want to hunt deer-sized game, or bigger, go with a rifle. If you want to hunt small game, or a mix of small and large game, then go with a smoothbore.

[@mrrick682]

Thank you sir for your time look forward to more videos

[@RustyJoe]

Why did you decide to use only goatskin patches. Cloth patches are what most folks use, and that is what patched ball loads have gained their reputation with. Cloth is more consistent in its thickness, and compressibility, than hide.

[@carolynraffl8271]

Thanks for the data. However I’d like to know your barrel ID. Thanks.

[@duelist1954]

Coleraine

[@carolynraffl8271]

@@duelist1954 well thanks, but I mean internal diameter.

[@carolynraffl8271]

Bore dia.

[@duelist1954]

@@carolynraffl8271 0.615”

[@carolynraffl8271]

FYI. My Pedersoli shotgun bores are .629 and .609. No problem loading a .595 ball and a .020 patch even after 5 rounds without cleaning.

[@Coopaloop-gg3kw]

now the same experiment needs to be done comparing a dimpled (chewed) ball to these results.

[@thompsonjerry3412]

1.5 f ?

[@M.M.83-U]

1:32 yep

[@hawkenrifles]

Muy buen video.

[@grahamlackland7458]

hey mike. I'm having trouble with my tvm fowler with slow ignition. yours looks fast, any advice? Maybe a video on how to speed up ignition? Thanks so much.

[@barrydavidson6249]

Graham Lackland When priming always remember that less is more! It only takes a very small dab of priming to get lightning fast ignition.

[@hypoSPEED666]

3 inches is the best....I'd be happy hitting the target at 50 let alone get 3 inch groups haha

[@user-ku5xo1ph9l]

Idk Mike if you group is one foot below point of aim even if it’s tight is not very good Please school me

[@duelist1954]

A good load is repeatable, shot to shot. That is accurate. Once you have that, hitting what you want is a matter of sight movement.

[@caveman4771]

Now we know what why there's no documentation of people patching roundballs in fowlers cause the accuracy is poor

[@christophhaupt2520]

Did you ever try over powder wad combined with a patched ball? The gentleman on this website home.insightbb.com/~bspen/SmoothboreLoads.html uses a hard card overpowder wad, 1/2 cushion wad followed by patched .60 ball. Love your Flintlock videos!! Best regards!

[@johnstacy7902]

why can't I goto wal mart and just buy this gun

[@aceelectriccompany1181]

I guess they don't make them in China

[@MrExplorer1965]

Ill save you some time. FFg and patched round ball.....

[@garybusler6891]

No

[@1murder99]

Put a rear sight on that thing. This is not 1670.

[@bushwhackedonvhs]

1murder99 Rear sights were not commonplace until rifling became common, and generally they were only really popular on rifles. A musket with balls is essentially like a smooth bore shotgun shooting slugs, it's not gonna be terribly precise, no matter what you do, and putting on a rear sight ruins the historicity of the piece.

[@bushwhackedonvhs]

1murder99 I'm sure that if mike just wanted to get accuracy, he'd go for a modern inline muzzleloading rifle. That's not really the point of what he does.