Charleville 1777 flintlock pistol cal.69 at 25meters

[flibuste]

This is a ASM italian replica.

A lot of work was necessary to get it shooting.

After a lot of effort here is the result

2 handhold at 25 meters, aiming one meter below the paper ;

40grs BP, cornmeal and patched cal.65 ball.

Out of 19 balls, 17 are in the paper




A lot of fun

PS : this pistol is very similar to the AN IX tested here (actually the AN IX replaced the 1777 as French cavalry service pistol ) :

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=726695

 

[MattShlock]

Nice gun as usual. Now, HOW do you aim a gun like that one meter below the paper? LOL!

 

[flibuste]

HOW do you aim a gun like that one meter below the paper? LOL!

There are no sight but the barrel is round like a pipe and the idea is to align both ends of the barrel with the muzzle being only slightly visible (like a rising sun) on top of the tang.


I have also tried to shoot duelist at 25 meters :






14 balls out of 15 punched the paper !!!!!!!

The reason for this unexpected good accuracy is mainly that the lock works without any delay ( a ventliner has been installed notably)..........

We are ready for the bicentennial of Napoleon sage ; Austerlitz, Waterloo etc......!

 

[MattShlock]

But aiming three feet below the paper!?

 

[goon]

Low velocity means that the gun can recoil a lot before the ball leaves the barrel. That could account for having to aim so low.
But I've also fired exactly zero rounds out of flintlock smoothbore pistols, so...

 

[1KPerDay]

Cool stuff!

 

[BigG]

So aiming at knee level will get a chest hit. OK...

 

[MattShlock]

Right!? That's not really aiming anymore... Sight picture needs to be rethought, or SOMETHING.

 

[whughett]

Low velocity means that the gun can recoil a lot before the ball leaves the barrel. That could account for having to aim so low.
But I've also fired exactly zero rounds out of flintlock smoothbore pistols, so...

Well now I am confused. Here I was thinking recoil was the result of the projectile and cases "leaving the muzzel". The "opposite but equal thing"

 

[goon]

With rifles, recoil doesn't really have any effect on movement until the bullet has left the barrel.
With handguns, the barrel starts to rise while the bullet it still traveling down the barrel. Usually, a lighter and faster bullet will impact lower and a slower, heavier bullet will impact higher.
Usually. (Handguns are tricky things to figure out sometimes)

The slower round spends more time in the barrel as the gun is rising, so the point of impact is usually higher.

This is true with cartridge guns and should be true with BP too.