Accuracy of rifles

[mmppres]

In my experience black powder is more of a stabilization of a ball or slug with slow burning powder over a long barrel. Which when spinning gives it more accuracy in theory. Were with smokeless powder its a fast burn an the whip of the bullet down the barrel needs more control. If the barrel is attached to the wood stock it sorta throws off the accuracy. This is my own opinion. I have seen some accurate muzzle loaders shoot groups that center fire rifles only can dream of.

[pocketshaver]

well dreyse realized/discovered that the charge of black powder combusted back to front, and used the ENTIRE barrel as a combustion chamber. Typically wasting powder by tossing it to burn outside of the barrel. LOTS of muzzle loaders have seen that. Its why I don't use 3 pyrodex pellets, last one loaded ALWAYS burns outside the barrel and acts like a tracer. First time that happened it scared the crap out of me.

Although more powerful then most front loading rifles of the period, dreyse and chassepot were more powerful and seemed to have better accuracy. They did use the same bullet technology that every one else was adopting to muzzleloaders.

I guess a better test example would be what would be more enherently accurate, a P53 Enfield Rifle muzzleloader versus an identical P53 that was turned into a snider

[Patrick Chadwick]

I guess a better test example would be what would be more enherently accurate, a P53 Enfield Rifle muzzleloader versus an identical P53 that was turned into a snider

It was tested at the time. I don't know where the results are, but have the impression that the difference wasn't great. I may be wrong, have to get searching....

[Ridolpho]

It was tested at the time. I don't know where the results are, but have the impression that the difference wasn't great. I may be wrong, have to get searching....

One of the requirements set out in the original competition (for a system to convert the P53) was that accuracy would be as good as the P53. How good was that? During the testing a benchmark average Figure of Merit for several P53's was 1.19 feet at 500 yards. For any not familiar with it, the FOM of a "group" is the average deviation of all shots from the calculated MPI. With on the fly ammunition changes (by Boxer) during the testing the Snider was just able to meet the requirement. I have data from a comparison test between Snider and Martini from several years later that has the Snider managing a 1.0 ft FOM at 500 yards, only fractionally behind the Martini. So, the answer is that conversion of the P53 family of rifles to breechloaders left accuracy unchanged. Modern Snider shooters seem to have improved short range accuracy of the Snider by using larger diameter bullets that are "forced" onto the rifling. The Boxer Snider ammunition used a bullet that, while larger in diameter than the P53 service bullet, still required expansion of the bullet upon firing to take the rifling.

Ridolpho