Long range lethality

[northmn]

There was discussion on the American Longrifle site concerning the shot made by a colonial rifleman in which he hit an aides horse at 400 yards and killed it. This was a statement on record made by a British artillery officer whose estimate of distance is respected. Many felt that a round ball would not have enough left to do much at 400 yards. I set up a test with my 54 shooting in to very wet saturated newprint, like we used to use for bullet expansion tests. With a load of about 22 grains of 2f, whcih was chronographed a couple of times to give about 550fps (an estimate of the retained velocity at 400 yards for a round ball) It penetrated about 5 1/4 inches of wet pack. This is enough to do a surprising amount of damage. Since this took a little work thought I would share here too.

Northmn

[docone31]

Your efforts are appreciated by me.
I was suprised at how far a R.E.A.L. went when I dry loaded it, and then put in some Pyrodex P in the nipple hole. I did not even know it went out of the barrel! I did it twice.
I had heard about that shot. I believe I saw it on a program once.
Great shooting!
That ball did some damage light fired!

[Nobade]

If you want an eye opener, try firing that 54 ball with a slingshot. Complete penetration of a person's skull is not too difficult at short range. A ball fired from a rifle would indeed be deadly at quite long ranges.

[10 ga]

I dropped a .69 minnie on my toe once. OUCH!! Of course it was straight out of the mould and HOT too.

[Baron von Trollwhack]

Legends of wondrous RB shots are the products of myth and miracles. While such a shot and its results probably happened, all else about the circumstance is suspect. IMHO, BvT

[flmason]

If you want an eye opener, try firing that 54 ball with a slingshot. Complete penetration of a person's skull is not too difficult at short range. A ball fired from a rifle would indeed be deadly at quite long ranges.

That's an interesting thought. Had a design for a crossbow in mind that would toss a bullet instead of an arrow, LOL! Or maybe even something based on a speargun design, to be a little slimmer.

So think a .45 of .50 caliber ball from a sling would take a rabbit or squirrel?

(Just for fun, been thinking about getting a sling and beaning the rabbits around here with paper wads or paper arrows... got dozens and dozens of them where ever there's irrigated landscaping. Can't really shoot and eat them in town. Against the law, and would make the bunny people crazy, LOL! Anyway, might make them leary of people, which from a bunny perspective ain't a bad thing to be.)

[HWooldridge]

When I was a small kid, I cast round balls in an old 1860 Army Colt mold and shot them out of a slingshot. That mold dropped a diameter around .460 and the ball would easily penetrate 3/8" plywood at 10 feet. Buns and squirrels didn't stand a chance.

I think the tough part at 400 yds is hitting anything with a round ball - even if the target is horse sized. However, it likely would penetrate if the animal was unfortunate enough to get hit.

[flmason]

When I was a small kid, I cast round balls in an old 1860 Army Colt mold and shot them out of a slingshot. That mold dropped a diameter around .460 and the ball would easily penetrate 3/8" plywood at 10 feet. Buns and squirrels didn't stand a chance.

I think the tough part at 400 yds is hitting anything with a round ball - even if the target is horse sized. However, it likely would penetrate if the animal was unfortunate enough to get hit.

I'd tend to agree with you on the RB issue. The trajectory is so rainbow-like.

Here's a chart comparing 7.62 Nato to .45-70.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cf/.45-70vs.308.png

80+ inches vrs. less than 20 inches maximum altitude aimed at a 1600 yard point.

And the .45-70 uses a conical...

Here's a Youtube video where a guy is shooting 400+ yards with an inline... tremendous amount of trajectory allowance. 16 feet worth.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RkEmiMx1jRA

I have no idea how one could practically aim a 400 yard shot with a round ball without being a great judge of holdover. The above video was using a sabot.

On a range like the one in the video, you can of course pick something else to aim at higher up the hill.

[Baron von Trollwhack]

Our Brit friends have a liking for the slingshot and RB for small game. There are several forums. I understand there has been a recent tightening of legislation there to increasingly regulate swlingshots and shot. BTW, the 45 RB and a slingshot is noted as an assassin's weapon. BvT

[eaglesnester]

During the United States war for independence from G.B in 1776. A U.S. Yankee sniper made a 300yard + kill on British General Simon Fraser. I do believe he was shooting a flintlock long rifle. Do not know the caliber, but he was for sure shooting a ball, as minies and such had not been invented yet. The sniper took 3 shots do do the job. The first shot was a ranging shot. The second shot was a close miss, and the third was a hit in the Generals abdomen and he had just had a big breakfast which did not help matters for the General. Needless to say the General soon expired from his bullet wound. This incident is well documented and can be looked up.

Cheers & Tighter Groups: Eaglesnester

[freedom475]

I sure don't want to start a big flamesession... And this is a truthfull story!! But I had a situation this year that allowed/required that I take a shot with a Rem 58 C&B 44 revolver at a wounded whitetail at just over 200yrds.(went back with a range finder)..

This 147gr ball leaves the barrel at 930fps....The ball hit the deer near the last rib and traveled forward through her lungs and broke a rib just behind the off shoulder. The ball was nicely moulded around the rib that it broke. I heard the ball hit home and told my buddy "Got her!!" He just shook his head and said "Whatever"...She jumped to her feet and ran 30 yards and died.:holysheep His jaw just dropped (as did mine) Penitration and Lethality was Plenty.

In MT )least in the County where I live) the slingshot in your pocket is a concealed weapon :groner: Yep same as a 1911 as far as the law goes. But I shot a badger with mine (wrist-rocket) about 12 times and couldn't kill it.. two good ones right in the forehead too...