250-yard Flintlock Rifle Shooting

[duelist1954]

I've always been interested in re-creating the long-range shooting accomplishments of America's Revolutionary war era riflemen, and this year's Historic Camp at Springbrook gave me the opportunity to shoot at 250-yard distant targets with a flintlock rifle.


In the video you'll see long range shooting, as well as the rifle, the load and the aiming techniques that got the job done.


I hope you like it. Let me know what you think.

 

[arcticap]

It's impressive that both barrels of the swivel breech shot so close to the same point of aim.
I wouldn't have expected both barrels to impact that close to each other.
And it also shows that you're hold was pretty steady even though it looks like you're moving a bit.
Good shooting for someone who is not a spring chicken!

 

[duelist1954]

They don't need to be regulated, they each have their own sights, and each barrel is sighted in separately, so the should hit in the same spot, if I could hold that well...obviously I can't...LOL

 

[Rob Starline]

Real problem is being able to see well at that distance. I can shoot my muzzleloader out to 100 yards, but I hold no illusions of being able to hit anything out to 250 yards, plus the hold over would need to quite high.

 

[Armored farmer]

A great video, thanks for posting.

I host a BP shoot every year at my farm. I have a 22inch clanger set at 250 yds. I call it the Ephraim Kibby challenge to recreate his shots on the advancing British line at the battle of New orleans.
We finally found the aiming point last year, and a few of us rang it. The ball didnt drop as far as I thought it would, but the wind had about as much effect as gravity.

 

[Ephraim Kibbey]

I call it the Ephraim Kibby challenge to recreate his shots on the advancing British line at the battle of New orleans.

So I know about my 5th great grandfather's military exploits during the American Revolution and later as chief of Mounted Spies (Scouts) with Simon Kenton for General Anthony Wayne's Legion in Ohio at the Battle of Fallen Timbers. I know about his role as guide to the Benjamin Stites party to the Symmes Purchase area of Ohio and the founding of Columbia in the Northwest Territory which grew into Cincinnati, Ohio. I know about his survey of the part of the National Road from Cincinnati to Vincennes, Indiana where he returned a mere skeleton of the man who started out. I know about his being accused of being part of the Arron Burr plot to attack the Spanish Colonies, succeed from the US and start a new southern country and his vindication in the courts. I know he was elected as a representative to both the Northwest Territorial Congress and the first Ohio Congress. I know about him being the first Post Master of Deerfield, Ohio now called Lebanon, Ohio. But...

What's this you are telling me about him being on the line with Andy Jackson at the Battle of New Orleans?

This Ephraim Kibbey died in 1809 but he did have a son Ephraim born December 12, 1795??? That would have made him about 19 at the battle.

Thanks,
David

 

[Armored farmer]

So I know about my 5th great grandfather's military exploits during the American Revolution and later as chief of Mounted Spies (Scouts) with Simon Kenton for General Anthony Wayne's Legion in Ohio at the Battle of Fallen Timbers. I know about his role as guide to the Benjamin Stites party to the Symmes Purchase area of Ohio and the founding of Columbia in the Northwest Territory which grew into Cincinnati, Ohio. I know about his survey of the part of the National Road from Cincinnati to Vincennes, Indiana where he returned a mere skeleton of the man who started out. I know about his being accused of being part of the Arron Burr plot to attack the Spanish Colonies, succeed from the US and start a new southern country and his vindication in the courts. I know he was elected as a representative to both the Northwest Territorial Congress and the first Ohio Congress. I know about him being the first Post Master of Deerfield, Ohio now called Lebanon, Ohio. But...

What's this you are telling me about him being on the line with Andy Jackson at the Battle of New Orleans?

This Ephraim Kibbey died in 1809 but he did have a son Ephraim born December 12, 1795??? That would have made him about 19 at the battle.

Thanks,
David

Sir, I beg your pardon....
I must have had a brain lapse.
The famous rifleman of the battle of New Orleans, and the inspiration for my challenge, was EPHRAIM BRANKS.....not Ephraim Kibbey.
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sou...FjABegQIBBAB&usg=AOvVaw0wJv8Tp-1xGI1n_ISonzd_
I think when I was typing my post, I meant Ephraim Branks, but Ephraim Kibbey rolled out instead.
My apologies, however, now I am interested in the exploits of your 5x great grandfather. I have read extensively about that era, a d Simon Kenton in particular.

 

[Steel Horse Rider]

Mike: Were you shooting a muzzle stuffer? I never saw you load from the front end. I don't think I could hit a standard sheet of plywood at 250 yards with my Brown Bess but it is a smooth bore shooting a .730 diameter ball.

 

[Ephraim Kibbey]

My apologies, however, now I am interested in the exploits of your 5x great grandfather. I have read extensively about that era, a d Simon Kenton in particular.

Have you read "Bayonets in the Wilderness" Anthony Waynes's Legion in the Old Northwest by Alan D. Gaff 2004?
There is also a small pamphlet about his life that I found at the Cincinnati Public Library.
Ancestry also has many original documents digitized.

 

[duelist1954]

Mike: Were you shooting a muzzle stuffer?

Yes, a flintlock

 

[ThomasT]

Thanks Mike. Like always, great video.

This was a good lesson on the war of 1812. I have watched it a couple of times.