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Muzle loader gun (not web) site set-up question?
andersk
Member Posts: 3,627 ✭✭
I've been shooting BP for a few years now, but I'm still pretty much of a rooky. My first BP gun is a T/C Omega 50 and I love it. It is VERY reliable, but it just doesn't look like a BP gun! [:D] The men at our club are the more primitive type! [:I]
I'm left handed, and I'm going to be building a kit gun to get more into the whole thing!
I'm wondering ... what is the best site configuration for a gun that is going to be used mostly for target shooting and BP Shoots at our club? [?]
Should one consider a peep site basically for hunting? [?]
What do you think about the "Buckhorn" rear site? particularly for target shooting? [?]
Why is the rear site usually put such a long ways down the pipe! [?]
Is .50 calibre the best way to go? [?]
Given a choice between a 27" and a 32" barrel ... which would your choose? I'm thinking longer the better, right? [?]
I'm left handed, and I'm going to be building a kit gun to get more into the whole thing!
I'm wondering ... what is the best site configuration for a gun that is going to be used mostly for target shooting and BP Shoots at our club? [?]
Should one consider a peep site basically for hunting? [?]
What do you think about the "Buckhorn" rear site? particularly for target shooting? [?]
Why is the rear site usually put such a long ways down the pipe! [?]
Is .50 calibre the best way to go? [?]
Given a choice between a 27" and a 32" barrel ... which would your choose? I'm thinking longer the better, right? [?]
Comments
The longer the barrel the longer the sight radius the more velocity(within reason).
I hate buckhorns they may look neat, but they are worthless for aiming.
My next gun will be a 40 or 45 with a 42" long 13/16" barrel. Nice and light with a long sight radius.
I prefer flintlocks, though I only have one now.
There is at least one account of a rev. war marksman killing a British officer at around 300 yards, Kentucky windage and elevation, with a hand made rifle and patched round ball. That was the battle of Saratoga.
As I see it, the challenge is emulating the people who made their livings with a hand made gun and powder made from charcoal, local sulphur and potassium nitrate derived from their own urine. Their guns started out in small calibers, too, with long barrels to get the most of a small powder charge. As the barrels were shot nout they grew in caliber as they were rebored and rifled.
Oddly, and as an aside, despite the advent of percussion actions, many mountain men carried flintlocks as the ignition system could be found in creekbeds after a year or two away from civilation.
As for the question of sights, the last time I shot in BP competition, there were classes for open iron and any iron sights. Some guys competed with open sights in any iron sight matches and did very well.
But the point is not to focus on either rear or front site, right? You just line them up with the bulls eye sitting on top of the line. (That is how I've been shooting my Winchesters for years.)
Being able to get a clear site picture does become a problem for us older folks. That is why sometimes a scope is the only alternative for hunting. (That would be in order to get a good clean kill.) I can still see OK, but even at 50 yards and the occasional 100 yard shot at our club BP shoots ... well, let's just say, there are times when it is clearer than others!
I wish I could try a peep site just to see how they work for me now. Seems like it is not a popular rig at our club. Last time I used one was when is was still a kid ... OK, I'm still a kid - just an older one![:D]
I've seen some buckhorn sites and looked through, and man alive, that is wierd!
As for the gun, being a lefty ... I've pretty well decided that I'm going for a Hopkins & Allen under hammer in .50 calibre.
Yo Perry Shooter ... you do have a good point, and at 61 my eyes just ain't what they usta be!
But the point is not to focus on either rear or front site, right? You just line them up with the bulls eye sitting on top of the line. (That is how I've been shooting my Winchesters for years.)
Being able to get a clear site picture does become a problem for us older folks. That is why sometimes a scope is the only alternative for hunting. (That would be in order to get a good clean kill.) I can still see OK, but even at 50 yards and the occasional 100 yard shot at our club BP shoots ... well, let's just say, there are times when it is clearer than others!
I wish I could try a peep site just to see how they work for me now. Seems like it is not a popular rig at our club. Last time I used one was when is was still a kid ... OK, I'm still a kid - just an older one![:D]
I've seen some buckhorn sites and looked through, and man alive, that is wierd!
As for the gun, being a lefty ... I've pretty well decided that I'm going for a Hopkins & Allen under hammer in .50 calibre.
Try practicing with a clear front sight post or blade, fuzzy rear sight and fuzzy target ball. You can adjust back and forth between the front sight and the target, but you'll get better groups with a clear front sight, according to some folks.
It has worked for me, when I apply it right.
BTW, my eyes are getting to be not so good also. With out some sight black, it is getting harder for me to get that clear front sight and for crying out loud, the thing is only 8 to 10 inches farther out than my hand...
I'm a day late and a dollar short in posting here....but I thought that I would anyway.
I'm left handed, been shooting flintlocks for 20 years. I would never consider building or buying a left handed flintlock...I know you aren't considering that...but just figured I'm make the comment.
The best sight configuration for your gun is the one that YOU see best with. I've been shooting with a buckhorn rear sight and a silver blade front sight and I shoot just fine. It's not hard to shoot with a buckhorn. It's the same dang thing as any iron rear sight cept you have the ends of the sight extended into a buckhorn.
If you can't shoot well with open sights, and you want to go BP hunting, then get a peep setup for hunting and then do your competition shoots with open sights. I personally hunt with open sights. They are fine for shots up to 150 yards if you know how your gun shoots at those distances.
Rear sights are positions far enough down the barrel so that they don't end up a blur in the way of your sight pattern. If you shoot A LOT, you will end up eventually not even paying much attention to the rear sight. It will more or less just be a quick reference for the front sight and your focus will be on the target. My current gun, a 12ga smoothbore doesn't even have a rear sight. Just line the front sight up with the center of the barrel.
I started with a .50 cal flinter. I personally like a bigger bore. If I were starting with a rifle, I think that I'd start with a .54. It provides just a little better punch. I wouldn't ever take a .50cal up against bear or elk, but it does just fine for deer.
The longer the barrel the better....you are right.