The Rifled Musket by Claud Fuller presents firing test data against a 10 x 10 target for the .58 musket under four conditions:
Ten men firing 5 rounds apiece by volley
Ten men firing 5 rounds apiece by line
Ten men firing 5 rounds apiece in skirmish
One man firing 50 rounds from a rest position (targets 76-78)
Hits by volley/line/skirmish
100 yards: 48/50/50
300 yards: 23/29/29
500 yards: 12/19/21
Hits by single man at rest
100 yards: 50/50
300 yards: 50/50
500 yards: 43/50
The benefits due to single firing by one man, at rest, over ten standing men is quite remarkable.
While the skirmish shooters from a standing position at 100 yards placed shots over an 8’ by 8’ area, the man at rest placed all hits within a 24” by 24” box just above the target center.
Ten men firing 5 rounds apiece by volley
Ten men firing 5 rounds apiece by line
Ten men firing 5 rounds apiece in skirmish
One man firing 50 rounds from a rest position (targets 76-78)
Hits by volley/line/skirmish
100 yards: 48/50/50
300 yards: 23/29/29
500 yards: 12/19/21
Hits by single man at rest
100 yards: 50/50
300 yards: 50/50
500 yards: 43/50
The benefits due to single firing by one man, at rest, over ten standing men is quite remarkable.
While the skirmish shooters from a standing position at 100 yards placed shots over an 8’ by 8’ area, the man at rest placed all hits within a 24” by 24” box just above the target center.