Versatility of a .62cal/.20ga Smoothbore

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roundball

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Amazing what a difference 48 hours and a change in weather can make.
After Sunday night’s rain, the heat and humidity Monday AM was like a steam bath.
Birds were definitely not flying like they were on the Saturday morning opener.
Only got 8 shots Monday, missed 2, put down 6, couldn’t find 1, brought out 5.
But that was enough to add a “notch” to “The Settler”…my 20ga Early Virginia.
She’s now taken Squirrels, a 10 pointer, Does, a Turkey, and Doves.
No question a 20ga Flintlock is a very versatile hunting gun.

The black powder Dove load I tried today was:
70grn measure of Goex 3F black powder
1/2” Circle Fly lubed cushion wad
(bare bore - no shot cup)
90grn measure of #7.5s
2 Circle Fly over shot cards

090312-DDovesChristened20gaEarlyVirginiaFlintlock.gif
 
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LOL...yeah, a little brain-check there...habit of adding a decimal point when writing numbers about ball diameters and patch thicknesses in thousands of an inch...I'll see if I can go back and edit
 
That's an awesome gun. I'm wondering why you went with double set triggers for a smoothbore, is that common?
 
"...That's an awesome gun. I'm wondering why you went with double set triggers for a smoothbore, is that common?..."

Probably not all that common but I use DSTs on smoothbores for 2 reasons:

1) Mine are actually configured as "Smooth Rifles"...stock architecture, rear sight, etc, etc...because for my hunting purposes almost all my targets are stationary like deer, turkey, squirrels, etc...even using shot loads...compared to the occasional flying target like doves.
And truth be known, even using the set trigger for doves and trap targets works just fine anyway...I just back out the adjusting screw 1/2 turn so it's not quite such a hair trigger.

2) I want all the trigger assemblies on all rifles and smoothbores to operate exactly the same way so it's all second nature, don't have to remember which gun I have or what kind of trigger it has, etc.

That's just my preference...
 
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That's a handsome rifle! Great figure on the wood. I've been thinking of adding a .62cal smoothbore Trade Gun to my collection, for exactly the versatility you demonstrated.
 
Your flintlock is like a piece of artwork! Very attractive!

What type of patch is used to shoot round balls? Or do you shoot hollow base mini's?

TR
 
The .62cal Virginia has a .620" bore, and I settled on the following for my most accurate deer load:

110grns Goex 2F
.022" Oxyoke precut / prelubed patch (labeled .020", measure .022")
.600"/325grn cast ball

Devastating on deer...
 
My smoothbore barrel experiences have been that with thorough load development and good velocity...a "smooth rifle" with it's rear sight...is darn near like shooting a rifle.
IMO, I've also found that high velocity is key to keeping the PRB under a good head of steam for as much of the distance to the target as possible, to minimize the slow-down-knuckleball effect.

The example below is my first deer load development sight-in session, 50yds, from a hunting position leaning against a range support post to simulate a tree, no bench. (3" aim point sticker on a paper plate)

081810Re-CheckZero50yds.gif

A10121062cal10Pointersomedarker.gif
 
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Your 50 yard shot group is very impressive. It is better than I can shoot with my scoped crossbow at that distance! No wonder the deer are in trouble when you load up your flintlock.

Where do you buy your flints?

TR
 
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I've always been told a smooth bore was worthless far as accuracy because it "bounced down the barrel", but seemed to me that patching a roundball tight would eliminate that. Neat thing about a smooth bore is that I'd reckon fouling wouldn't affect accuracy as much shot to shot. Do you have to swab the bore occasionally or just shoot shot after shot without swabbing?

That accuracy is pretty impressive and totally useful at 50 yards for deer/hog or hell, whatever considering the size of the ball. :D My Cabela's Hawken Hunter Carbine has a rifling twist of 1:24, very fast, and I can either shoot a 240 Hornady .44 sabot or my preferred load, a 385 grain Hornady great plains Minie and get 2" at 100 yard groups, but I have to swab the bore every other shot to do that. If I don't, I won't hit paper by the fourth shot. I have a cheapy CVA Plainsman 1:48 rifling that I got for RB and played around with conicals. It shoots about like your smoothy at 50 yards with all I've tried. I'm really impressed by the smooth bore accuracy with that big ball. Thanks for the experienced info.
 
I always found Tom Fuller's Black English Flints to have the strongest sparks, longest flint life, and best reliability...and there are several BP suppliers who sell them, such as Track of the Wolf.
In my case I contacted Tom Fuller in England several years ago and bought a large bulk order directly from him to last me.

If you and/or a few folks want to go in together and make a similar bulk order, there's another Black English Flint supplier in England with great prices and here's his contact info:

Owner 'Will Lord' has run a flint business for years same as Tom Fuller did, and sells direct to customers.
He provided an example price I asked for below and prices include shipping to us here in the U.S.

Excerpt from his Email in June 2012:
< SNIP >
100 x $154.00 (includes shipping)
I'll quote larger orders according to the volume requested.
Thanks again, all the best
Will Lord
www.beyond2000bc.co.uk

Hope this helps...
 
MCgunner said:
patching a roundball tight would eliminate that.
Click to expand...
Agree

Neat thing about a smooth bore is that I'd reckon fouling wouldn't affect accuracy as much shot to shot. Do you have to swab the bore occasionally or just shoot shot after shot without swabbing?
Click to expand...

My results have always been best with a tight fitting PRB, using a thick patch lubed with Natural Lube 1000, that requires a short starter.
I do all load development and sight-in work from a clean, cold barrel every time and I do wipe between shots during the occasional hunting load practice sessions to operate in the same circumstances for every shot.

But week in / week out year round for casual range plinking sessions I use a smaller caliber, reduced powder charges, and Hoppes PLUS BP liqdid lube that lets me shoot a 40-50 shot session without having to wipe between shots at all to save time...
 
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Have you tried stuffing it with modern, hollow-base foster slugs at all? I'd be very curious if performance changed at all with a conical, rifled slug.
 
MachIVshooter said:
Have you tried stuffing it with modern, hollow-base foster slugs at all? I'd be very curious if performance changed at all with a conical, rifled slug.
Click to expand...
No, sure haven't...a 325grn soft lead ball will take most anything on the continent.
as an example, I shot a buck straight in the chest at about 40-50yds with this .600”/325grn round ball.
It traveled the full length of his body and stopped, bulging the hide on the back side of his right ham, dropped in his tracks.

112107cast600ballsideview.gif

112107cast600flattenedview.gif
 
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No, sure haven't...a 325grn soft lead ball will take most anything on the continent.
as an example, I shot a buck straight in the chest at about 40-50yds with this .600”/325grn round ball.
It traveled the full length of his body and stopped, bulging the hide on the back side of his right ham, dropped in his tracks.
Click to expand...

Oh, I wasn't really thinking lethality; I would expect the 325 gr. ball and a 328 gr. foster slug at the same velocity to have the same effects on game animals.

I was wondering more along the lines of accuracy. I could be wrong, but it seems to me that the slug would fly a little straighter. But then, the accuracy of your round balls on that pie plate looks plenty good for 100-125 yard shots, and judging by the photos, you probably aren't presented with many long shots.
 
Got it.....no, never considered conicals or slugs out of the smoothbore...while I'll never be confused with a 'purist'...(like my Gore-Tex & Thinsulate)...I do try to stay with some of the most traditional basics like using patched round balls as the settlers did.
 
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