- Joined
- Jun 8, 2018
- Messages
- 289
- Reaction score
- 50
Yesterday I went to the range to check rifles prior to an upcoming hunt. I always bring at least 2 so if one has an issue at least I can get the other ready. Well … my trusty custom flintlock has repeatedly put the ball right on the bullseye at 100 yards. Yesterday it would do no such thing! I have the rear sight orientation scratched in and it did not move. However, the impact moved up and left significantly. I have the same swaged balls, pillow tick patches from same material made the same, same powder (Goex FFFg) same primer (Goex FFFFg). Flint was new. After 12-shots with a poor group and high and left I packed that one up. My CVA Mountain Rifle Flintlock uses the same exact load and components as Trusty. It put two balls touching and one less than an inch out at 100-yards. That one will be going on the hunt.
Today, I brought my sons .50 percussion conical shooter w/optics (Its a sidelock carbine we built). I have the load written down on the target we shot with it last. Shoot a Hornady PA Conial over 80 grains Triple 7 FFFg. This one shoots a three shot group that is ok, but coincidentally high and left. The wind is not blowing that way, in fact there is hardly a puff of breeze today. I move the scope and put two shots touching just a bit too far right. I move it back left just 3 clicks. That shots goes somewhere off the paper. And repeat, and repeat. OK, I got to 25-yards. Low and right. I move it to hit the 12 O'clock on a 1" circle at 25-yards. Back to 100-yards. No hole on paper. I shoot at all 4 corners of the paper looking for a hole somewhere....but there is nothing. Back in the case. I pull out my CVA Hawken .54 caliber. It uses the same load as the other two .54 flintlocks in the above paragraph. First two shots touching just an inch and a half left, third one another 1/2 inch left of those. Move the sight right slightly. Hit the bullseye at 3 O'clock. Next shot 9 O'clock. Those are on a 1.5" round circle and they are inside it at those respective clock positions. 3rd shot 7:30 O'clock on the bullseye circle line. This one is good to go hunt.
At home I thoroughly clean the two misbehaving rifles and check everything. Nothing is "out of whack". No loose screws of parts, visible damage, substantial dirt or new pitting. Nothing obvious. I just cannot figure out what went astray. Both rifles are bedded and have a few tweaks to keep them consistent but apparently they weren't working yesterday and today. I put the bore-sighter in the scoped sidelock and moved the crosshairs where they are bore-sighted in hopes of seeing a hole next time I shoot at a target. Maybe tomorrow I can get back. I will use the scoped rifle at 25 and if consistent go to 50. If it groups, I will dial in at 100 again. The other rifle will wait, I cant mess with two tomorrow if I can even get there. I want to take two on the hunt Sunday and Monday (and maybe Tuesday morning).
Such is life, I just cannot figure what has caused two rifles that were sighted in perfectly to suddenly throw ball outside of the sights and not in a group. Hmmmmm…...
Today, I brought my sons .50 percussion conical shooter w/optics (Its a sidelock carbine we built). I have the load written down on the target we shot with it last. Shoot a Hornady PA Conial over 80 grains Triple 7 FFFg. This one shoots a three shot group that is ok, but coincidentally high and left. The wind is not blowing that way, in fact there is hardly a puff of breeze today. I move the scope and put two shots touching just a bit too far right. I move it back left just 3 clicks. That shots goes somewhere off the paper. And repeat, and repeat. OK, I got to 25-yards. Low and right. I move it to hit the 12 O'clock on a 1" circle at 25-yards. Back to 100-yards. No hole on paper. I shoot at all 4 corners of the paper looking for a hole somewhere....but there is nothing. Back in the case. I pull out my CVA Hawken .54 caliber. It uses the same load as the other two .54 flintlocks in the above paragraph. First two shots touching just an inch and a half left, third one another 1/2 inch left of those. Move the sight right slightly. Hit the bullseye at 3 O'clock. Next shot 9 O'clock. Those are on a 1.5" round circle and they are inside it at those respective clock positions. 3rd shot 7:30 O'clock on the bullseye circle line. This one is good to go hunt.
At home I thoroughly clean the two misbehaving rifles and check everything. Nothing is "out of whack". No loose screws of parts, visible damage, substantial dirt or new pitting. Nothing obvious. I just cannot figure out what went astray. Both rifles are bedded and have a few tweaks to keep them consistent but apparently they weren't working yesterday and today. I put the bore-sighter in the scoped sidelock and moved the crosshairs where they are bore-sighted in hopes of seeing a hole next time I shoot at a target. Maybe tomorrow I can get back. I will use the scoped rifle at 25 and if consistent go to 50. If it groups, I will dial in at 100 again. The other rifle will wait, I cant mess with two tomorrow if I can even get there. I want to take two on the hunt Sunday and Monday (and maybe Tuesday morning).
Such is life, I just cannot figure what has caused two rifles that were sighted in perfectly to suddenly throw ball outside of the sights and not in a group. Hmmmmm…...