First to set the stage- I'm always on the look out for a way to improve accuracy of my competition load for my Civil War arms and as such, I'm frequently at the range testing various combinations. Part and parcel to making this type of load development meaningful, a testing methodology has to be employed meaning changing one variable at the time, test, record, analyze. The targets are always a certain style and size and shot on clean target backers to see any flyers or (hopefully not) keyholing.
Well today was a "Shazam!!!" moment-
Range conditions at the time, overcast, 55F, dead calm. 5 shot group from Parker Hale P58 "2 band" Enfield. First shot was a cold bore flyer, not that uncommon that impacted dead on 3in high. The next 4, well look at the pic. One hole at 1/2in right of point of aim with 4 successive shots through it. Yes there were witnesses, one of whom was watching the group develop through a spotting scope.
To decide if this was a fluke, I place another target at 100yd. Conditions were similar but we had developed a bit of a cross wind downrange. First shot cold bore was about 4+in high and the next 4 went into a vertical spread of about 1in. The horizontal component was about 5in. This bullet isn't known for holding it's own in the wind since it only weighs in at 360gr and we had a variable crosswind at the range. So factor out me trying to "dope" the wind with a post and notch iron sights, this group could well have come in at 2moa or less if we exclude the first shot.
For comparison, here's a group shot from the same gun, different day, but is my current competition load at 50yd. Again, post and notch iron sights, Civil War era percussion musket, "minie" bullets, real black powder.
Well today was a "Shazam!!!" moment-
Range conditions at the time, overcast, 55F, dead calm. 5 shot group from Parker Hale P58 "2 band" Enfield. First shot was a cold bore flyer, not that uncommon that impacted dead on 3in high. The next 4, well look at the pic. One hole at 1/2in right of point of aim with 4 successive shots through it. Yes there were witnesses, one of whom was watching the group develop through a spotting scope.
To decide if this was a fluke, I place another target at 100yd. Conditions were similar but we had developed a bit of a cross wind downrange. First shot cold bore was about 4+in high and the next 4 went into a vertical spread of about 1in. The horizontal component was about 5in. This bullet isn't known for holding it's own in the wind since it only weighs in at 360gr and we had a variable crosswind at the range. So factor out me trying to "dope" the wind with a post and notch iron sights, this group could well have come in at 2moa or less if we exclude the first shot.
For comparison, here's a group shot from the same gun, different day, but is my current competition load at 50yd. Again, post and notch iron sights, Civil War era percussion musket, "minie" bullets, real black powder.