Sonny from St. Louis

[sonny from st. louis]

I have been involved with guns all of my life. I just enjoy shooting but old age is taking toll. I just can not shoot like I use to. At the club, we do more talking than shooting. I like listening and learning form other shooters. I am retired from Boeing after 46 years and 4 months. That was a good ride but I want to do something else like shooting. Everyone seems to have little tricks of the trade that makes everything easier. That is what I am after.

 

[michiganmuzzy]

Welcome Sonny! What MLs do you shoot?

 

[sonny from st. louis]

I have several, the two that I am using the most is Cabela's Hawken caplock and flintlock rifles. I bought them several years ago and never really use them. Now that I am retired, I am enjoy them and learning to use them. I can not shoot a lot without pain. I do the best that I can. I have worked on too many jets in the past.

 

[deermanok]

Welcome from Oklahoma.
Shooting off a bench with some sand bags or similar to rest your gun on plus using lower powder charges should help.
Best of luck.

 

[ElDiablo]

Welcome from Las Vegas!

 

[Neumonic]

Welcome from St. Louis.

 

[sonny from st. louis]

I do shoot off a bench. My latest activity is finding a good velocity for my 54 cap lock rifle. I use my chronograph and fired a series of 5 shot groups and compared the velocity. I found out a lot about loading the rifle. I did get a standard deviation 8 ft/sec with one of the loads. It did take a lot of work to get that low of standard deviation.

 

[deermanok]

I do shoot off a bench. My latest activity is finding a good velocity for my 54 cap lock rifle. I use my chronograph and fired a series of 5 shot groups and compared the velocity. I found out a lot about loading the rifle. I did get a standard deviation 8 ft/sec with one of the loads. It did take a lot of work to get that low of standard deviation.

The 54 is a good caliber.
My own is probably the best shooter I have.
With the .530 patched ball and 70 grains of Triple 2f by volume or 80 grains of black powder it will put em all in pretty much the same hole at 50 yards.

 

[sonny from st. louis]

My rifle is a Cabela's Hawken Caplock rifle. The rifle is rated for black powder only. It has a maximum charge for FFg of 100 grv. I used the law of diminishing returns and determined at 80 grv was a good charge. I went back to the range and fired a 10 shot group to determine a good velocity average. I have now calculated a projectile trace for my patched round ball. My next trip to the range will test my calculations for accuracy. I might add being retired I do not let shooting dominate my life. I work in short vacations to make my wife happy. I think everyone knows happy wife happy life.

 

[gman57]

Welcome from NC, enjoy the forum

 

[HC]

To the brotherhood

 

[Patrick McChristy]

Welcome Sonny, I am west of St louis

 

[sonny from st. louis]

Thanks to all who welcomed me. I am trying to learn to use the site.

 

[UndeadPoet]

Welcome, from North Carolina! Sounds like you are taking a scientific approach. Enjoy!

 

[sonny from st. louis]

I purchased an Oehler 35P chronograph back 1987. I have really enjoyed testing ammo. I also have an Oehler Ballistic Explorer program to calculate projectile traces. I am a member of a private club. When I go to shoot people will come over and see how fast the bullets are going. When my wife and I travel, we go to historic site to learn about the battles and if we are lucky see a reenactment. I enjoy talking to the people and learning about the guns and cannons.

 

[michiganmuzzy]

My rifle is a Cabela's Hawken Caplock rifle.

Those Cabela Hawkens were made by Invest Arms, i believe, and had some of the best looking wood stocks. Good quality guns, ive had a couple and really liked them. Im kind of keeping lookout for one of their sporterized Hawkens in .45. Shorter barrel, checkered wrist and forearm, rubber butt pad and, by some accounts, came with a faster twist bore.

 

[sonny from st. louis]

I am happy with my Cabela's Hawken rifles. I have both the cap lock and the flintlock rifles. When I got the ball/patch combination worked out, the accuracy is very good. I have the powder charge worked out and the projectile trace calculated. I have calculated the projectile trace using both G1 and GS drag functions. My next step is to test fire at 25, 50, and 100 yards. This will create the actual projectile drop. I will compare the actual drop to the calculated drop to find which drag function to use. I think you can tell I am into ballistics. I have been working with trajectories since I was 16 years old. As I went through school and college my math got better and the calculations got more accurate. I do use the Oehler Ballistic Explorer program for my calculations. No need for hand calculations anymore thank God.

 

[Jitterbug]

Welcome, Sonny!

Lots of great folks, here!

 

[sonny from st. louis]

I have had a lot of good replies. I hope to find a lot of good information from this forum. Thanks guys

 

[BuffaloSoldier]

Welcome, I'm in Potosi, SW of you.