My Muzzleloader will not stay sighted in

[tugboat]

Hey guys...It's been a while since I've posted anything but every time I have, you guys seem to be a big help so here goes. This past Saturday's events have me somewhat scratching my head. A good friend and myself was hunting this weekend. A huge buck walked in front of my friend about 100 yds away so he shot at the deer but missed. This is the second deer that he has missed in 2 yrs however he's a crack shot. We both shoot T/C muzzleloaders. His being the omega, mine being the encore pro-hunter. When we got back to the truck talking about "the one that got away" he just couldn't believe that he missed. We set up a target and his gun was way off. Not even hitting paper. I shot at the target and mine was off as well. Way OFF!!! It make no sense because 2 weeks prior we were dead on. Both of us use 150 grain of powder, 250 grain sabot, and use the Nikkon omega BDC retacle scope. After talking with a few people over the weekend, they have had the same problems. One guy swears that it will never been on. I re-sighted it in saturday evening and shot it again last night and its off again. Has anybody had this problem before?
Thanks Edited November 12, 2012 by tugboat

[JWC]

It's hard to experiment with a muzzleloader because of loading and cleaning, cleaning and loading.

Outside of obvious loose scopes and stuff, I always figured many things could affect accuracy, how hard you pack the load, charge measurements, sabot tightness, and things like that. The deal could be your gun don't like shooting super clean. Pop a cap to foul it a little, load it and shoot it. It may like that.
You don't say what powder you shoot but if it's pellets the volume could vary or you could be busting them when packing them down. I never liked the things. I've gone to Blackhorn 209, the stuff's awesome. Or it could just be your bullets. To say they will never be accurate all the time is kind of silly imo. With enough experimenting with it I think you could have near 100% confidence just most people just don't want to jack with shooting them that much cause theyre such a pita.




check out maxmuzzleloader.com it has some good tips in the articles section.

[gregintenn]

Are you getting a group, or just firing one shot? I'd shoot three and check the group size. I'd first look at the scope mount, and if it is secure, I'd suspect the scope.

[DaveS]

I would reconsider the use of 150 grains of powder pellets. Believe this or not, when it comes to muzzleloaders "more is not always better", try less. Shoot three shot groups, adjust, swab and shoot another group. Muzzleloaders shoot best with the right combo of powder and bullet. Shooting preformed pellets is letting someone else control your loading and shooting. You control it!

I have been shooting muzzleloaders for the last 45 years. Everything from Hawken Rifles, Flintlock Rifles and even those new fangled Inlines. I occasionaly compete with my Flintlock Kentucky Rifles in which I custom built myself. I'll hunt with them when I'm in the mood and use the "Inlines" at other times. My two inlines and one of my "Kain'tucks" is .50 caliber. The "Kain'tuck" shoots a .490 round ball patched with a 0.15 patch greased with hawg fat combined with 80 (eighty) grains of 3F black powder. Deadly accurate at 100 yards.

The two inlines are CVA's. One is the Apollo and it shoots 80 grains of 3F powder under a TC 240 grain .45 XTP bullet and ignited with a #11 cap. The next one is the CVA Wolf and it shoots 80 grains of 3F powder under the same bullet as described for the Apollo. It is ignited by 209 primers. Both these rifles are dead on at a hundred yards! When I'm target shooting, I will fire 3 shots, swab and repeat the process. In the rare instance that I would adjust the scope, it is done on a clean (three shot) barrel. I can go out right now, shoot it, it will be dead on. Put it away for a month and shoot it, it will still be dead on.

Most of my co-workers and shooting friends have found success in going to "loose" powder and/or cutting down on their pellet numbers. Just something to think about. No offense, but I wouldn't shoot pellets if they were free. But a pound can of 3F is worth a hundred bucks in my book!

Experiment with different powders and loads with different bullet weights. Find the magical combo! No matter how long you leave your muzzleloader inactive, it should shoot exactly as it did the last time you shot it. If it's not, review your loading technique.

I hope this helps you out!

Dave S Edited November 12, 2012 by DaveS

[tugboat]

Thanks guys...
I do use pellets... I just called the dealer that I bought the gun from and he stated that I should try the same thing Dave said...Go with loose powder. If I didnt want to do that, Drop down to 2 pellets. I used to use 100 grain of powder with my remington ML and was deadly accurate...I think the loose powder is what I'm going to try.

Thanks for the help guys!

[DaveS]

[quote name='tugboat' timestamp='1352741511' post='844332']
Thanks guys...
I do use pellets... I just called the dealer that I bought the gun from and he stated that I should try the same thing Dave said...Go with loose powder. If I didnt want to do that, Drop down to 2 pellets. I used to use 100 grain of powder with my remington ML and was deadly accurate...I think the loose powder is what I'm going to try.

Thanks for the help guys!
[/quote]

You're welcome. Keep us updated!

Dave S

[tugboat]

Just thought I would give everyone an update...Dropped down to 100 grain using pellets and I'm consistantly 1/2 high at 100 yds putting holes on top of one another. Before I adjusted anything, The 150 grain load was 2 inches off what is was from Sunday and 1 shot wasnt consistant with the other. I'm consistant and exactly where I want to be now...Thanks again everyone for the help!

[DaveS]

[quote name='tugboat' timestamp='1352822902' post='844832']
Just thought I would give everyone an update...Dropped down to 100 grain using pellets and I'm consistantly 1/2 high at 100 yds putting holes on top of one another. Before I adjusted anything, The 150 grain load was 2 inches off what is was from Sunday and 1 shot wasnt consistant with the other. I'm consistant and exactly where I want to be now...Thanks again everyone for the help!
[/quote]

Glad it worked out for you. Also remember, to load it exactly the same each time!

Dave S

[samson7x]

My brother shoots a T/C and was having the same problems with pellets @ 150gr. He dropped down to 100 and it is as accurate as can be now.

[ttocswob]

I have an couple of older CVA's I shoot a 250+ grain REAL cast bullet over 90 grains Pyrodex. Shot a deer Saturday, hit high (shooter error!) Went thru both shoulder blades and spine, she dropped like a rock.

In other words, lighter loads are [b]plenty[/b] for whitetails.

[tugboat]

[quote name='samson7x' timestamp='1352843664' post='845033']
My brother shoots a T/C and was having the same problems with pellets @ 150gr. He dropped down to 100 and it is as accurate as can be now.
[/quote]

After some random research since my last update, This is a pretty wide spread issue. Most everytime I read the complaints most people are shooting them until they hit the center of the target and the putting there guns up. Not shooting a second and third time. I have always used 100 grain for the most part until I got this gun and I only went to 150 because "those guys on TV use it!" .lol. I learned my lesson for sure.

Also, went hunting yesterday morning, bagged a coyote that was hot on a yearling's trail. Much more confident in the muzzleloader after that.

[rockman6]

I use 120 grains of pyrodex in my TC renegade and found that it can loosen the rear hunting sight. I have to tighten it once in a while.