Flintlock pan polishing.

[Ugly Sauce]

Hammering a ball down the bore will increase accuracy. I did that for my hunting loads.

What was the size of your hammer for follow up shots? Must have been a BIG one!!!!

 

[.38 Special]

Hammering a ball down the bore will increase accuracy. I did that for my hunting loads.

In my experience, that is mostly true, but not always. Beyond that is the question of "how much?" I have often found that the increase is small enough that it only shows up at the bench, and dissappears when shot from field positions.

To me, it is similar to benchrest competition vs. hunting rifles: yes, benchrest techniques like neck turning will often result in increased accuracy from a hunting rifle, but does that .3" moa improvement make any real difference in the field? And is it worth the effort, in the end?

In some cases, with some people, the answer will be "yes". The follow-up question then becomes "Well, okay. But are you truly so confident in your result that you are justified in telling everyone that if they don't do it your way that they are wrong?"

 

[hawg]

What was the size of your hammer for follow up shots? Must have been a BIG one!!!!

Follow up shots weren't hammered in not that I ever needed one. It wasn't the ball that was too big. They were only .528 but the patches were thick. I just switched to a thinner patch.

 

[hawg]

In my experience, that is mostly true, but not always. Beyond that is the question of "how much?" I have often found that the increase is small enough that it only shows up at the bench, and dissappears when shot from field positions.

To me, it is similar to benchrest competition vs. hunting rifles: yes, benchrest techniques like neck turning will often result in increased accuracy from a hunting rifle, but does that .3" moa improvement make any real difference in the field? And is it worth the effort, in the end?

In some cases, with some people, the answer will be "yes". The follow-up question then becomes "Well, okay. But are you truly so confident in your result that you are justified in telling everyone that if they don't do it your way that they are wrong?"

It was more than a .3 improvement and no it wasn't enough of an improvement with off the shoulder shots. I don't see why I should have to defend myself or my statement but most of my hunting shots were braced. Either from a shooting house or propped against a tree. I made shots with my hunting load I wouldn't have attempted without a brace. Even braced I wouldn't have attempted some of them without my hunting load. I am very confident in my results but I'm not going to go around telling everybody else to do it my way.

 

[Ugly Sauce]

Follow up shots weren't hammered in not that I ever needed one. It wasn't the ball that was too big. They were only .528 but the patches were thick. I just switched to a thinner patch.

Oh I know, just flipping you...well you know, brother from another mother. I've never required a follow up shot, on deer, but my plan is to just go to a paper cartridge if it's on the ground, but not squirming and kicking, like it might get back up. If it runs out of sight, then my first reload in the block is with a normal .020" patch, but the next two are patched with a thinner patch. And of course I take my time with those. Let it bleed, let it bleed. With that bear, it was down, and looked like it was gasping it's last breath, so I reloaded from the block, but after she got up and dove in the brush, it was paper cartridges. I was fully reloaded when she made her escape.

 

[Ugly Sauce]

To me, it is similar to benchrest competition vs. hunting rifles: yes, benchrest techniques like neck turning will often result in increased accuracy from a hunting rifle, but does that .3" moa improvement make any real difference in the field? And is it worth the effort, in the end?

I'm quite "liberal" when it comes to hunting rifle accuracy. Although my Jeager will do 3-4" at 100 on a good day, (and a bit beyond, drilled a buck at 110 with it) I'm fine with any rifle (BP) that will stay on a paper plate at 100 yards. Not my ideal, but I'm good at letting animals go if I think they are out of range. (I let the nicest bear go because it was just out of reach of Bessie) I'm not a competitive hunter, just like hunting. And my lazy-factor kicks in. I be like: "dang...didn't get a shot. But...now I don't have to drag, gut, and butcher the darn thing." !!!!)

 

[hawg]

I'm quite "liberal" when it comes to hunting rifle accuracy.

The last 5 or 6 years I was able to hunt I wasn't able to drag one out. I needed a load I knew with reasonable certainty would drop a deer right there or at least not let him/her go very far. That's when I read about tighter loads and tried a few and I was sold on it. It was the last day of the season and I didn't know it but it was the last day I'd ever hunt. I was reading a book in my shooting house and I looked up and five does were in the field. The closest was about 50 yards away and the farthest was about 100. The close one was facing directly away from me and slowly grazing away. I bumped the side of the shooting house but all she did was turn her head. She got to 65 yards away and the others had gotten even further. I had bumped the side of the shooting house a couple more times but she never would turn around. I finally sighted about where her head was when she turned it, bumped the side of the house and when she turned her head I popped her. A perfect behind the ear head shot from a measured 65 yards. I wouldn't have tried it with a looser load. I'd have let her walk or spooked her off.