LAST EDITED ON Oct-07-02 AT 09:11PM (MST)[p]kicker: Shooting nothing but .54's I will give you a little insight. First of all the bullet he sold you is a good bullet for muleys, but is too light for elk. Your powder is okay, but when it's gone I would recommend that you switch over to Pyrodex 777 ffg. It is a much hotter powder and will give you much more consistent results and a lot more bullet velocity.
Second suggestion: When all of the sabots are gone buy some CVA Power Belts or some Big Bore Express Black Belts (same bullet, same company, just different colored gas check). For deer buy a 245-295 grain bullet and for elk 348-444 grains. Behind them you should be loading about 100 - 110 grains of 777 ffg.
Start your sighting in process at 80 grains of powder and shoot a 3 shot group. Run a spit patch between each shot. You don't care where the group is on the target. What you are trying to do is get the tightest group possible, okay? DON'T CHANGE YOUR SIGHTS UNTIL I TELL YOU TO, OKAY. Now shoot a 3-shot group at 90 grains and go through the same procedure. Now shoot a 3-shot group at 100 grains and go through the same procedure. Now shoot a 3-shot group with 110 grains of powder. Clean the rifle and set it aside. Which bullet/powder combination gave you the tightest group? Now load that combination and shoot another 3-shot group. Still just as tight? NOW MOVE YOUR SIGHTS TO MOVE THE GROUP INTO THE BULLSEYE. I suggest you do this starting out at 50 yards. Then on the next trip to the range move the target out to 100 yards and MOVE THE SIGHTS TO PUT THE GROUP ANYWHERE FROM 1 INCH TO 3 INCHES ABOVE THE BULL. The choice is yours.
Try to get some RWS Dynamit-Nobel percussion caps for the nipple. The model number is No. 1075 PLUS. They are the best on the market and they come in a little plastic can for about $6.00 for 100 of them.
