Monday. Winter Doldrums

Re: Monday. Winter Doldrums

Is it because the longer sight radius made them more accurate?

Beautiful weapons, those.

~Dan.

Re: Monday. Winter Doldrums

Jed Clampett would shoot flies with a Kentucky rifle.

Din't think of that but not what I was looking

for. The length of the barrel had a definite advantage other than that

Re: Monday. Winter Doldrums

I'm not a gun collector but I have always loved the beauty of the KY rifles. I have fired a couple of them belonging to a good friend. He goes on those rendezvous events. I seem to recall him saying that the long barrels could reach out further to rest on tree branches for steady support...or something to that affect. Maybe that's the reason?

Beautiful weapons those!

Tommy

Re: Monday. Winter Doldrums WAG

The longer barrels are more accurate at longer ranges than the shorter ones? The hunter had only one shot to kill his target...or he was either hungry or dead. (depending on his target)

You're on the right track but why?

WAG

I'd guess that due to the slow burn rate of black powder that a longer barrel gave the powder more time to burn and deliver full force. The bullet would have more muzzle velocity, therefore greater accuracy and knock down power.

Basil

Re: You're on the right track but why?

A longer barrel does not move as much as a shorter one.

Re: Monday. Winter Doldrums

To stabilize a round ball, which was much easier to cast and prepare than a conical bullet, a long, slow twist to the rifling is required. Twists of one turn in 60 to 72 inches (or longer) were required. The longer barrel allowed a longer contact with the rifling to stabilize the ball.

The ball was patched with thick cloth, usually mattress-ticking or other light canvas that allowed a tight seal between the projectile and the bore. This tight seal, created during loading, made for significantly improved accuracy, which, as long as the shooter did his part, would put meat on the table.

The ball, once loaded, became more of a short cylinder with rounded ends, but capable of remarkable accuracy. In the right hands, it is comparable to modern breech-loading firearms.

FNelson

Under sunny skies in eastern Missouri.

Re: Monday. Answer

Lots of red herrings in my original question. The woods weren�t a problem as the trees had no lower branches like the woods of today. The woods were essentially clear under the canopy except for the rather substantial trunks. Over years the canopy grew and the stuff underneath failed and died and what was beneath was only recent deadfall. There was little brush as we know it today. It would have been like walking through an endless building supported by pillars. The barrels normally didn�t get caught on stuff as there was little to catch on. They were carried cradled across the chest also. As to the straightness of the barrel, it was steel folded around a mandrel. Then it was bored separately after the hole was established.. I�m no gunsmith but the information I got was that the barrel was built to enclose the bore. The bore was not drilled as you would through the end grain of a dowel. The bore was straight as anything made today. The length of the barrel was and advantage three fold: 1. to permit the charcoal powder to burn completely thereby giving the ball more speed. Basil is on target. 2. the more time in the barrel allowed the slightly undersized ball to heat and expand to fit the rifle grooves and thereby gave it more spin as well as more velocity. It also didn�t destroy as much meat going through it when it hit. Frederick is the winner here 3. Because of the heft of the long rifle no chances were taken. The owners did use whatever means necessary to steady the rifle. Branches, sand piles, boat gunwales were all used if they were available. One shot one kill or you would never see that game again what with the noise and smoke and time to reload. Congrats to Tom and Robert on this part. Good work all.