Buddy here presents a nice relaxing vid about front stuffers n' soot burners. If it weren't for King Peter I'd probably retire from suppository rifles with their unmanly propellants - but I gotta keep up with the times lest I become a petrified old fossil like M! HAR HAR HAR!!!
He says the gun came with a target fired by the maker that is basically one hole. Our boy here would do the same - provided he wiped between the shots. His bench rest setup is a little hinky for my liking too. People buy those cheapo lead sleds, put them on rickety tables, and fire as fast as they can. Bag up properly, and take your time! You can bet the maker did. You also have to remember that the Holy Black leaves a residue in the bore and will bung itself right up if you don't keep it clean. It's messy enough that some guns will change their point of impact as that residue builds up. If you mop the bore between the shots, the condition of the bore remains constant from shot to shot and you will get much better accuracy - generally speaking. It varies from gun to gun and there is no rhyme or reason to it.
The black powder geeks out here consider that cheating though, They figure you should go at least five shots between cleaning and compensate for the fouling. This guy may be one of them... and all the more power to him. They are right, I suppose. If you are fighting the indians, or the British, or you’re getting over run by hordes of squirrels... you won’t have time to wipe!
Dr. Sam Fadala once said that the problem with black powder guns is that they are slow, they stink and are messy, and not as accurate as modern guns. The good things about them is that they are slow, messy, stinky and less accurate than modern guns. Black powder geeks celebrate the old ways and I am glad they do.
They have found charm, nostalgia, and romance amidst the stench and grime of black powder.
Petrified old fossil is about right...... If I were a horse you'd be licking me off the back of a stamp by now.
ReplyDelete