Scope question

[Triton X2]

My buddy started using the powder pellets that Jim Shockey uses and there is less buildup and less clean up than ever before. I agree with most of the guys here in that you should only be using 2 deals of powder. Oh, and quit dropping it out of 20foot tall trees. I do know you can use too much powder and it causes it to be real erratic.

[hunting170]

Warmouth said:45-70 was originally loaded with 70grns of black powder, and was used to kill off all the buffalo.

Yeah...that, and the Indians stampeding them off a cliff.

[TwoTigers]

BTW, what type of slug you shooting? I use a PowerBelt and they are great. I think the weight is 298 grains/ Hollow Point. Of course the balance between powder/slug weight is something you can play with as well as type of slug/sabot. I started with the PowerBelts and didn't change. I don't shoot enough for the added cost to make a difference. MuzzleLoader shooting isn't something you should lose sleep over- find a good combination of components and stick with it. My box of pellets (about empty)is about 3-4 years old too- they don't change much unless you store them in high moisture conditions. I shot mine about 8-10 times last Sunday while sighting it in, without cleaning between shots and got it to hit the bullseye the last two shots after I adjusted the scope. I had to run about 15-20 solvent patches through the barrel it to get it clean after that though.



And another thing- did you season the barrel correctly after you got it?

[Showme]

If you are using more than 110 grains of powder in a .50 caliber black powder gun you are just wasting money and shoulder wear.

I hate to agree with ODF (which by the way, it is nice to see you posting regularly again ), but when I shot round ball and patch through my .50 I used 90 grains of black powder. When I went to a 265 grain .44 caliber hollow point sabot, I went to 100 grains. Have shot both Pyrodex powder and pellets through it with good accuracy at 100 yards. Paid attention to the ballistics at 150 yards when I first went to them, but don't anymore. My longest shot is just at 100 yards where I hunt, so I don't worry about these folks who max it out for those 225 yard blackpowder shots.

It also surprises me that you worry about that. Being the purist bowhunter, I wouldn't think you would be interested in long range at all.

[kingfisher]

I would have to agree with dabs.
I use 85 gns. of pirodex in my round ball gun(TC-Hawkin) with very good accuracy at 100 yds and at 80yds im shooting a 4 inch group with this 18 yr. worn out old rifle.
In my Rem. 700 im shooting 100grns. of pirodex pellets and 240 grn.night hollow points and at 80yds. i can cut the bullet holes if i hold steady enough.
The rem. is a 1 in 20 twist and the TC is 1 in 48.
Never saw a need to scope either rifle but i also cant recall ever shooting a deer outside of 100yds and when the hammer drops i rarely ever miss.
From 1987 to 98 i only hunted with the ml because of tag restrictions.
Thier is alot of variables when using ML equipment that you need to understand first before your gonna get great accuracy.
For instance when shooting my TC with powder and balls-i had to find the right patch thickness along with the right type of patch material and lube in order to get the load worked out correctly and this took time.
But with the in-line things were alot eaiser.
Remember this though-probably the most important factor with either gun is to have consistant loading pressure every time on the stick-your accuracy will be alot better when you master this aspect.
And your welcome PS.

[lonepine]

i agree, carry on.

[PoisonSnake]

Well, I had this thing deadly with 150g of Pyrodex and a 215g Precision sabot up and until either TTTim borrowed it or I dropped the gun. Probably a combination of both. Yes, I did season the barrel as they indicated I should do. I do know that with the 150g of Pyrodex I was not getting a complete powder burn. You could see some of it burning on the ground after the shot. So, decreasing the powder charge should help. Also, going to regular powder, although a pain in the donkey, should give me a more consistent burn. You would not believe how meticulous I am with respect to cleaning this gun. That barrel looks like a mirror once I am finished. I had hoped maybe to shoot the gun this afternoon and at least get it squared away at 50 yards. Doesn't look like that will happen. So, I'll worry about it this weekend.



Also, I'm going to the vast open spaces of Iowa to hunt. That is why I'm thinking I may need to be able to shoot umpteen hundred millions of yards with this thing.

[Outdoorsfool]

Dave - A load of 85 grains with, I believe, a 190gr bullet at about 50 yards did not create a pass-thru shot on a deer this fall (see the recovery thread). While I don't doubt what you're saying, I won't shoot less than 80-85 grains.



PS - Loose powder ain't no bigger pain in the azz than carrying that box of pellets...especially if you "invest" in 3 or 4 speed loaders and you can load them just as fast as those pellets. Just make sure you get the powder in the gun before pushing the bullet down.



Dabs - There's finally somethings worth posting about over here. BTW, did you see I even posted over there awhile back?

[Triton X2]

some of the sabots can be squirrley. I cant remember the name of the new type of bullit that is out on the market but my buddy says they are more consistent than the sabots. May give him a call and see what they are called.

[Great White Hunter]

Powerbelts are the only way to go....sabots stink.

[Warmouth]

Good luck with it PS, I would be leary of using a 215grn bullets, seems light, but good luck with it. Sight it in 1" high at 50yds and call it good.

If you're wanting to stretch the distance for IA, gow with a heavier bullet, up to 300grns or so, and sight in 2" high at 100yds, imo.

[Outdoorsfool]

That's a good thought Dave...unfortunately it didn't work out that way. We had it sighted in about 2" high at 50 yards and pretty much dead center. According to the ballistics/trajectory chart PS had it should have been about 4" high @ 100 and dead-on @ 200. But when we shot @ 100 yards it was all over the target. Strangest thing I'd seen. I think the majority of shots were high-right, but we had some high-left and some dead center left and right.

If I had to bet, I'd bet on the side of too heavy a charge. 100-120 grains underneath that 215 bullet ought to reach out and touch some Io-way deer.