[California Tanker]

You may be, but that doesn't mean that the weapon system is. If one works on the basis that you are using a 'replica' weapon, built to modern tolerances, as opposed to using an actual 19th century piece with its own quality problems, you still have inherent inaccuarcies inbuilt into the design. For example, black powder has a different burn time, and the ignition sequence also takes longer. Muzzle velocity is slower, and a fast, flat trajectory is going to be more accurate than a slower one. A projectile that is rammed down the muzzle will not be as 'snug' a fit in the rifling (assuming you have a rifle, not a smoothbore musket), and the shape of the projectile will also be less aerodynamic. A muzzle-loader usually runs the risk of a varying amount of powder per load, whereas a modern cartridge contains a much more consistent amount per round. In short, you need to be a better shooter just to obtain the same accuracy levels as Joe Bloggs with a deer rifle.

NTM