Trade Musket shoots low...........

[Mr. 16 gauge]

................WAY low!!! I got out a few weekends ago and tried my Cabelas trade musket with some round balls that I cast. All I can say is I was extremely disappointed in the results. The balls were cast with a LEE mold (.600 round ball) and weighed so that they were within one grain of each other. Patches were .010 Ox-yokes, and I tried just about every combination I could think of: over powder wad, felt wad, patch, over shot wad, over powder wad, felt patch, patched ball,; overpowder wad, patched ball; patched ball only, ect. I tried both FFg and FFFg from 60 to 90 grains (each) and I still couldnt put a ball in the target (including the bloody backstop! ) at 50 yards! At 25 yards, the balls are shooting low, about a foot from point of aim. I am a bit distressed at this, as I did want to take it big game hunting from time to time. I know I can file down the front sight, but when I look down the barrel, there doesn't seem to be that much front site to begin with......any suggestions other than "guesstimating" where to aim above a deer's back? On a postive note, I did try the gun on clay targets and broke about half of the ones I shot at (when the gun went off....it was pretty fouled at this point), so I am confident that I can reasonably take small game with it this winter, if I get a chance to go out. Thanks in advance for any insight...........

[Gil Martin]

Sorry to hear about the range results with your rifle. If you need to raise the point of impact on the target, you could lower the front sight or raise the rear sight. If the rear sight is fixed, then a higher replacement sight should solve the problem. Just need to be sure it fits the dovetail. A competent gunsmith should be able to fix you up. All the best...
Gil

[SeekHer]

If you're saying a true trade musket, as being unrifled, than you're getting the results it is supposed to give...

You might try a stronger load of powder, maybe 105+ gr, to give you more height...

but if you're going for deer, my suggestion is take it back to Cabelas and get something like a Lyman Trade Rifle (primitive) or an in-line rifle...

I've been shooting mine with just a patched ball--greased leather or denim--and beyond 50 yds I won't trust it to kill anything...

Sorry

[Adam Helmer]

SeekHer,

Welcome to the Forum. I agree with Gil, a higher rear sight is needed. Most rear sights are dovetailed, so it is a simple matter to install a new sight.

Adam

[SeekHer]

Thank you for the welcome...

If it is a true trade gun then it does not have a rear sight and only a bead, ala shotgun, for a front sight.

Also it wouldn't be rifled, the stock would be straight not pistol gripped, probably in .62 to .75 caliber and probably have a metal dragon on the off side...if it has all of these, it is then a trade gun.

The rules of physics apply, either front down or rear up, your choice. Or both.

But the easiest way to check, is just load a heavier powder charge...if it is a .50 than 105 is no problem and charges for larger calibers can be a lot higher than that. This gives you more velocity, which means point of impact is raised as it can shoot farther now.

[Mr. 16 gauge]

Also it wouldn't be rifled, the stock would be straight not pistol gripped, probably in .62 to .75 caliber and probably have a metal dragon on the off side...if it has all of these, it is then a trade gun.

Yup, yup, yup, & yup......on all counts! It is a smoothbore .62 cal and has no rear sight, although I always thought the brass side plate was a 'Serpentine', not a 'Dragontine".

I'll try a bit heavier charge next time....I primarily bought the gun for small game, but wanted a backup gun in case something happened to my Hawken.
I suppose I could file the front sight down a bit; after all, it is only going to be a field gun.

[SeekHer]

If you've never tried them the old "Buck & Ball" loading works in a lot of circumstances...very historically correct and effective...

your .62 ball with a measure of bird shot or buck shot pellets added...

or take 3 .45 or .50 balls and ½oz of #BB bird shot as a rabbit load...you'll need over powder and over shot wads of course...

I've taken the concept and made up some home defence shotgun rounds of #2 or #4 Buck and #2 & BB bird shot...within 20 yards pattern is very dense, splotchy after 30 yards and beyond that I won't shoot.

Try them out, you'll like them and the experimenting is neat... figuring which is going to give the best pattern and at what range.

[Adam Helmer]

Mr. 16 gauge,

Since your trade gun has no rear sight, it is a simple matter to have a competent gunsmith fit one via a dovetail.

Heavier charges do not always give one a higher point of impact, at least not in some of my guns: they shoot lower. I suspect it is because of shorter barrel time and flatter trajectory. I'd bench test a heavier charge and see where it impacts after I had a rear sight to line things up. Hope this helps.

Adam