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ETipp

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Located this site yesterday and have read quite a bit. Some great information to be had here. Although I have one of the first Knight rifles, I never use the thing. Owned several trad smoke poles and that's where its at for this ole boy. Not much into target shooting but I am a die hard hunter. Have a .50 caliber New Englander I purchased in about 2004-2005. Killed one elk with that year it and haven't ML hunted since (been into the archery gig) but my "want bumps" are itching big time to use the ole smoke pole again. However, some things has changed.

After breaking out my old smoke pole a few days ago, I was less than pleased to find that, due to my deteriorating vision, the fixed sights were fuzzy. To the degree that anything other than close up shots, under good light conditions was going to be challenging at best. This did not settle well with me. I entertained the thought of installing a scope but just cannot make myself do it. For me, it simply takes the tradition out of traditional ML. So, after some head scratching and digging through my ML box of goodies, I found a Williams peep sight that I had installed after I purchased the smoke pole but went back to the stock sights, for whatever reason. I'm thinking it may have been due to having difficulties getting good accuracy out of round balls. Removed the sights, installed the peep on the rear. I had already installed a fine fiber optic bead on the front years ago. I am pleasantly surprised that I can see both very well. In fact, so well that I can actually see how to shoot with both eyes open with ease, even during low light conditions on smaller objects 80+ yards in the woods behind my house.

Now then, before I get the cart ahead of the horse here, I will add that I have not shot this combination yet. But its on my short list of things to do.

The recipe I was using in my New Englander is 80 grains of FFF with hand molded 370 grain Maxi Balls and magnum caps. It was shooting that combination pretty darn accurately, to the best of my memory. Try as I did, I could not get round balls to hit accurately to save my life. So the tried and true ole Maxi Balls saved the day.
 
Thank you for the reply.

I tried several thickness of patches and maybe even some other round balls a few thousands different in dia. (490" and 495") ?

Tried different powder charges as well. However, that was many moons ago so I may give it another go. Never tried a wad between the powder and the patched ball. That might just work.
 
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