Muzzleloader sight in help

[parecido]

Hey guys I've got a strange problem and I hope someone can help. My setup is a TC pro hunter fx with a Nikon inline xr scope. I'm shooting 105 gr of blackhorn 209 with a 290 Barnes TEZ bullet. I've got it sighted in dead ass at 100 yds with groupings of about an 1" to 1 1/2" . My problem is when I move to 200yds I'm not even on the paper. Any ideas on what's going on? Could it be the scope and it's focal plane? It's a 3-9 magnification and I've got it on 9 power. Could it be the gun? Maybe the bullet is tumbling or something ? My hunt is coming up here soon, the beginning of October. Any help would be much appreciated! Thanks guys!

 

[hntbambi]

I answered your ML room copy of this question. You should be 12" or 6 MOA low at 200 yards if you are dead on at 100 yards.

 

[Edpre]

Trick for you if you don't find it quickly - set targets at 50 yds, 100 yds, 125, 150, 175, 200, etc. Set them on 4' square cardboards or 1/2 plywood sheets, especially the ones over 100. Take 2 or 3 shots at each, allowing your gun to cool down between shots. Key is, put ALL targets up, and take ALL shots before you even look. Make NO corrections until ALL are shot. When you're done with a dozen or 2 groups at increasing yardages, take a walk and you'll get a very good picture of what is going on. Far more times than not, you'll find that the gun (and you) is shooting fine, except a little high, low, right or left. Since it increases with increased yards, sometimes you'll miss the paper completely and all it would take is a little adjustment.

 

[NMPaul]

I agree with both above posts. Take a chance and save some time and put out a 150 yard target. I think you are going to find the bullets are dropping faster than you thought.

 

[mickeyelk]

Sight in at 4 inches high at 100. You'll be 8 inches low at 200. That's what I did with mine. I didn't use the same ammo but the powder is the same.

 

[NMPaul]

My 2 MLs are set almost exactly where Mickeyelk has his set.

3.5" high at 100
4" low at 200

For elk that works. Antelope, need to be a little more fine tuned.

My groups are 2-2.5" and again for elk and a max 200 yard shot that works.

After 200, they drop like a rock.

I know there are some guys with specialty MLs doing some other things, but, with the standard Omegas and such, my experience is that is about max distance.
MLs do not kill that well IMO anyhow, so over 200 you are gambling big.

I am using 130 gr pyrodex. (tried the Buckhorn 209 and saw no appreciable difference) I wet and dry clean between every shot anyhow. That and I like the rotten egg smell. Brings back some good memories.
I use the Barnes TEZ (280 grain????)

Good luck on tuning your stinky smoke pole, I hate doing it myself. Will shoot a couple rounds through mine before the seasons starts. Wife killed a nice bull at 165 yards last year, again that is about max imo.

 

[hntbambi]

Muzzleloaders kill critters just as dead as centerfire rounds when the bullets are put through the vitals. I shoot an Omega with 85.0 gr by weight of BH209 and a 300 gr SST. I limit elk to 250 yards but for deer I won't hesitate to shoot at 300 yards.

 

[fishfurlife]

I would be no help in the conversation as I am still a fan of iron sights on smoke poles.

 

[hank4elk]

LAST EDITED ON Sep-16-12 AT 04:35PM (MST)[p]LAST EDITED ON Sep-16-12 AT 04:30?PM (MST)

Ditto Mickeyelk advice.Paul's right they drop like a rock. I had the same problem with my Omega and Nikon BDC scope.It did the same thing when I first was shooting it,but I had it set at 4.5x power. I was told they have to be set at 9x power.I set it to 9x, zero 4" hi @ 100 2"grps and hit 4" groups @200,4" low. So I just dial it up for longer shots if I have time. I'm shooting 100grns BH 209 w/250 Barnes TEZ.
4 weeks til my bull hunt and I'm amped as usual,good luck to you.

 

[parecido]

Hey guys, thanks for all your input! I ordered some more TEZ's this morning and will head out to the range saturday to see if i can get this thing figured out. I'm thinking that 200 yds will be my absolute max range for an elk. My hunt is in 52 so i'm hoping to be able to close that distance down to around 100 or so. Thanks again!

 

[crazyelk]

parecido,

My guess is that you are pushing just over 1,900 feet per second with your selected load combo. That is the pretty much the same load combo we have been using for elk for several year with great success. Instead of 105 gr. by volume, we use 100 gr. volume or 70 gr. of BH209 by weight. We usually run about 1,900 feet per second. Maybe going doing to 100 grains will help. Never needed anything else with the Barnes 290 TEZ for elk.

Here is the ballistic data that you might want to consider. We pretty much sight in to be 2 inches high at 50 yards. With your estimated ballistics, this should put you about 2.7 inches high at 100 yard and zero at 150 yards. At 200 yards you should be hitting about 6.8 inches low.

Here is the ballistic table that should be fairly close with your set up. Let me know if I can be of further assistance. Shoot me a PM.


Yards Trajectory in inches
25 +0.6
50 +2.0
75 +2.8
100 +2.7
125 +1.8
150 0
175 -2.9
200 -6.8
225 -12.0
250 -18.5
275 -26.4
300 -35.9

 

[bjn7f0]

NMPaul touched on it but I want to reemphasize it when you're sighting in and taking multiple shoots. Let your barrel cool between shots and run a wet patch between each shot.