Assistance with Accuracy

[99whip]

Fellas,

I'm shooting a Pietta 1851 Navy and not getting the accuracy or groupings I'd like.  I am by no means an experienced shooter with c & b so I'm sure my technique is not refined and that's part of it.  I have about 100 rounds through this particular gun, which tends to shoot to the left, sometimes high, sometimes low, but mostly left.  The attached images are from earlier this morning from bench-rest at 25 yards, I just aim at the red dot.  One target was shot with 15G, the other with 20 G of FFF, felt wads, some COW filler and .375 round balls.  The round balls shave a nice ring of lead upon seating.  I also have Treso nipples installed and have never had any ignition issues.





Just seems like my groups are all over the paper.  I load five, and most of the time hit the paper on all five.  But one will be 3 inches high, the next 3 inches low, etc.  Is it just inexperience?  I have heard of some guys reaming the cylinder chambers to make them more consistent, I guess a next step is to measure the bore and the chambers?

I could use some tips?

Thanks,

Whip

[Captainkirk]

First and foremost: are you using a rest from a bench? It is imperative to determine whether it's the gun or the shooter...or both.
Generally I start off using a padded rest from a bench, beginning with my minimum load (on a Navy, usually 15gr 3F or sub) and working up to my maximum (again, on a Navy, 25gr 3F or sub) and changing the target with each increase. At the end of round one I narrow down the best group and work with that load.
It could be the gun, but work through this step first.
Also, when you ID your best load you can experiment with doubling wads or using fillers (COW, etc) to bring the ball closest to the forcing cone. On some of my guns it makes a difference, others don't seem to care.
If it does appear to be the gun I suggest you go through Pettifogger's tuning process to weed out the variables:

http://blackpowdersmoke.com/colt/index.php?topic=115.0

Keep us posted on the results of your testing and we can work you through this. Anyone else feel free to chime in!

EDIT: rereading you post I see you are already using COW. First suggestion is to try without it.  Also see you are shooting from a BR...good. You are halfway there.

[G Dog]

That's good advice.  If the problem persists, consider using some .380 ball -- that may tighten the patterns.  With Piettas I get tighter groups with .380 than with .375’s. 

Good luck and keep shooting.

[ssb73q]

Hi 99whip, that's some good advice from the Captain, determine whether its you or the gun.

All the Pietta 1851s I own, right out of the box, will produce groups the size of your red dot. However, most BP revolvers group high.

Looking at your shot spread, it appears that you may be having an issue with trigger control. IMO don't worry about the load, 20gr, no filler, felt wad, and 0.375-0.380" ball should produce 2-3" groups @25yds from a rest. Once you are convinced that the revolver shoots accurately, practice will bring the rest home.

In the early 1970s I purchased a Colt Gold Cup .45 ACP 1911. The reason I bought it was to prove that I could shoot the pistol after being awful shooting the 1911 in the Navy. Since the Navy I learned to shoot revolvers accurately. I took the Colt to the range and began blasting away, but rarely hitting paper @25yds. I was becoming convinced that my Colt was a lemon. The guy in the stall next to me was shooting an accurized 1911 and was killing the center of his target. I told him that I was convinced that my 1911 was sick. He offered to test it for me. I gave him the pistol and two magazines filled with match wadcutters. He didn't take any time punching 14 rounds through the X-ring. He didn't say anything, but just handed my 1911 back to me and smiled. Since that experience, that 1911 has been my most accurate semiauto handgun. It just took practice, practice, and more practice.

Regards,
Richard

[99whip]

Thanks for the encouragement.  In my long experience teaching the game of golf it was almost always a student's bad swing and lack of practice as opposed to a club issue.  So I'm inclined to think this is shooter related. I also have small hands and always seem to be fidgeting to find the best feeling grip.  I'll keep hacking away at it and see what I can do to whittle the groups down.

I do have some .380 balls, I'm curious though the .375's I was using shaved a perfect ring of lead, would a .380 potentially fit the bore a little better?  Only way to find out is test it, right...?

[ssb73q]

Hi 99whip, 0.375" ball are excellent in the Pietta. The only proof you need is to shave a lead ring. I understand that the Uberti 1851 sometimes likes the 0.380" ball better.

Regards,
Richard