Flintlock and patched roundball performance

[Formidilosus]

The goal is to see how much performance can be gotten out of an 18th century rifle using patched round balls. Accuracy, distance, speed- everything. I started shooting with a couple caplocks with PRB’s in the thread below to see what baseline I could expect.

Patched round all day


To start I am most interested in what size 10 shot groups can be consistently gotten at 100 and 200 yards (and farther), what distance can a 10-15” target be reliably hit, and how many shots a minute can be achieved.



Finally got in the Kibler Woodrunner kit that was ordered back in November. This will be the rifle that I start off this process with.











To go from box to fully assembled and ready to fire took a couple of hours including watching videos of it, with @longrangelead help. It’s a slick kit, and the rifle feels great. It’ll get shot, then taken back apart and the metal and wood finished. Then the testing/learning in earnest.

 

[Steve O]

Subscribed…

 

[HighUintas]

Looks good. Are you doing the finishing work yourself?

 

[HighUintas]

Also, if you're still going to put a leaf sight on:

Only two places I know that have them in stock.
https://www.buckridgeflintlocks.com/product-page/english-folding-leaf-rear-sight

https://thegunworks.com/shop/custom-gun-building-parts/sights/rear-sights/rear-sight-folding-leaf/

Also, I know Ron Scott had some for sale on ALR for a time not too long ago that he made (very nice looking), so you might reach out to him. I can't remember if there were 2 or 3 leaves but he could probably do 3 if asked

 

[Wrench]

Stock up on Swiss powder now and start with a pile of different patches. Speed and accuracy don't go together with mine....but if I run a barely moist patch between shots....it's incredibly consistent.

Sights make such a difference. I can pound nearly moa groups at 300 with my long range hawken and yet barely see the target at 100 with my traditional silver blade/filed notch rig.

 

[RockAndSage]

The goal is to see how much performance can be gotten out of an 18th century rifle using patched round balls. Accuracy, distance, speed- everything. I started shooting with a couple caplocks with PRB’s in the thread below to see what baseline I could expect.

Patched round all day


To start I am most interested in what size 10 shot groups can be consistently gotten at 100 and 200 yards (and farther), what distance can a 10-15” target be reliably hit, and how many shots a minute can be achieved.



Finally got in the Kibler Woodrunner kit that was ordered back in November. This will be the rifle that I start off this process with.

View attachment 1018055


View attachment 1018056


View attachment 1018057



To go from box to fully assembled and ready to fire took a couple of hours including watching videos of it, with @longrangelead help. It’s a slick kit, and the rifle feels great. It’ll get shot, then taken back apart and the metal and wood finished. Then the testing/learning in earnest.

Looking forward to watching this thread. What caliber did you get yours in?

 

[RockAndSage]

Also...any plans on building a set of these you shared photos of?

Post in thread '72,500 shots with 9 misses'

Oct 22, 2025

Had no idea about the data and volumes here...it's super interesting, but frustrating to learn. Especially in wondering where we'd be if those trajectories hadn't been derailed...

It’s a tragedy.

Remember, it was “chootin squirrels with muskets…

Flintlock hunting rifles with real adjustable aperture sights. Almost every period original flintlock and percussion hunting rifle in this museum had adjustable apertures-




Real shot group sizes-

• Formidilosus

• 
• 
• 

 

[Formidilosus]

Looks good. Are you doing the finishing work yourself?

Mike and I will, yes.

 

[Formidilosus]

Also, if you're still going to put a leaf sight on:

Only two places I know that have them in stock.
https://www.buckridgeflintlocks.com/product-page/english-folding-leaf-rear-sight

https://thegunworks.com/shop/custom-gun-building-parts/sights/rear-sights/rear-sight-folding-leaf/

Also, I know Ron Scott had some for sale on ALR for a time not too long ago that he made (very nice looking), so you might reach out to him. I can't remember if there were 2 or 3 leaves but he could probably do 3 if asked

Appreciate that.

 

[Formidilosus]

Stock up on Swiss powder now and start with a pile of different patches. Speed and accuracy don't go together with mine....but if I run a barely moist patch between shots....it's incredibly consistent.

Appreciate that. I’ve got 26lbs of Swiss, need to get more.

Sights make such a difference. I can pound nearly moa groups at 300 with my long range hawken and yet barely see the target at 100 with my traditional silver blade/filed notch rig.

Haha. Fortunately I can see standard irons pretty well currently- but I’m sure will need to go to aperture sights at some point.

 

[Formidilosus]

Looking forward to watching this thread. What caliber did you get yours in?

50cal

Also...any plans on building a set of these you shared photos of?

Post in thread '72,500 shots with 9 misses'

Oct 22, 2025

Had no idea about the data and volumes here...it's super interesting, but frustrating to learn. Especially in wondering where we'd be if those trajectories hadn't been derailed...

It’s a tragedy.

Remember, it was “chootin squirrels with muskets…

Flintlock hunting rifles with real adjustable aperture sights. Almost every period original flintlock and percussion hunting rifle in this museum had adjustable apertures-




Real shot group sizes-

• Formidilosus

• 
• 
• 

Not yet. Eventually, I’m sure I will.

 

[HighUintas]

Also...any plans on building a set of these you shared photos of?

Post in thread '72,500 shots with 9 misses'

Oct 22, 2025

Had no idea about the data and volumes here...it's super interesting, but frustrating to learn. Especially in wondering where we'd be if those trajectories hadn't been derailed...

It’s a tragedy.

Remember, it was “chootin squirrels with muskets…

Flintlock hunting rifles with real adjustable aperture sights. Almost every period original flintlock and percussion hunting rifle in this museum had adjustable apertures-




Real shot group sizes-

• Formidilosus

• 
• 
• 

Thanks for posting this. Not sure how i.missed that. I need to go to that museum

 

[EdP]

Modern reproductions of 18th century flintlocks have barrels machined using modern machinery and steels. No reason they cannot be extremely accurate with the proper ball, lube, and patch combination plus consistent charges of quality powder.

I have found some of my flintlocks, those with long barrels mostly, do not group well when shot off a rest. I assume barrel harmonics are the reason. Don't get discouraged if you don't get good results at first but try different support arrangements. Of course check your shot patches for burn thru or other problems that affect accuracy.

 

[HighUintas]

Modern reproductions of 18th century flintlocks have barrels machined using modern machinery and steels. No reason they cannot be extremely accurate with the proper ball, lube, and patch combination plus consistent charges of quality powder.

I have found some of my flintlocks, those with long barrels mostly, do not group well when shot off a rest. I assume barrel harmonics are the reason. Don't get discouraged if you don't get good results at first but try different support arrangements. Of course check your shot patches for burn thru or other problems that affect accuracy.

Possibly a discussion for another thread, but I would guess with really long barrels the accuracy would be highly impacted by shooter's recoil control since the ball would be in the barrel so much longer.

1.7 vs 2.3msec for 30" vs 44". I don't know how much difference it would make but I'd think it would have an impact. Probably harmonics too.

 

[87TT]

.

 

[Formidilosus]

Well, it works beautifully.

Point of impact is quite high. First shot creased top right shoulder on cardboard holding center. Drifted sights and held bottom of white paper. Drifted too far, and hit the tape on the left. Drifted back a bit, then held below paper. 11 o’clock in the black.





10 rounds. Hard to hold consistently below paper.





Also, no flinches.

Pre ignition-


1st spark-


Full sparking-



Ignition-



Post ignition, full recoil-

 

[BAKPAKR]

I think I would wear shooting glasses.

And, make sure you don’t use flammable beard oil.

 

[Formidilosus]

I think I would wear shooting glasses.

I will, just didn’t have them with me this time.

 

[lhbackcountry]

following so i feel worse about my muzzleloader

 

[RockAndSage]

Well, it works beautifully.

Point of impact is quite high. First shot creased top right shoulder on cardboard holding center. Drifted sights and held bottom of white paper. Drifted too far, and hit the tape on the left. Drifted back a bit, then held below paper. 11 o’clock in the black.

View attachment 1018401



10 rounds. Hard to hold consistently below paper.
View attachment 1018410




Also, no flinches.

Pre ignition-
View attachment 1018411

1st spark-
View attachment 1018412

Full sparking-
View attachment 1018413


Ignition-
View attachment 1018414


Post ignition, full recoil-
View attachment 1018415

I'm not sure what would be more difficult not to blink or flinch through - a 470NE, or a random flintlock. But that's some ninja-level $h*t right there. Respect.