[Bears Butt]

I was given some advise on the old DWR forum about increasing my charge from 80 gr. to 105 and then to zero it out to 100 yds. I had zero'd it using the 80 gr. at 50 yds and have used that for a number of years with success.

I burned out my old barrel on my TC Renegade and TC replaced it with a new one. I shot my usual load last year after only popping 2 conicals at a rock about 50 yds away; hit the rock both time and figured all was well. When the muzz season came on last year, I missed 3 different bucks at ranges varying from 50 to nearly 100 yards. That is not my usual style. My hunts are generally one shot ordeals.

Anyway, my son and I hit the range Monday, and useing a bench rest and sandbags, I tried the 105 grains at 100 yards. I didn't even hit the box the target was on! I have no idea where the conical went! I shot again! Same thing. My son was having the same thing happen to him and even looking through binoculars, I could not see where his bullet was going either.

So, long story short, he dropped to 90 grains, I dropped to 100. Both of us hit low. He uped his to 100 and hit right in bull. I had to raise my rear sight, but my last two conicals were an inch apart dead on!! I'm happy now.

By the way: 100 gr. FFg "real" blackpowder, Hornady Great Plains, hollow point/hollow base 425 gr. bullets! CCI # 11 cap. My next shot should fill my tag! Come on Sept. 26th! *()*

 

[Spry Yellowdog]

Bears Butt
Sounds like my expearence in changing things up using so called good advise.
Can you tell me where I can get some old FFg?
I cant find it anymore and had to start using Pyrodex in my old Thompson.
It always loved it's diet of black powder and solid lead.

Spry

 

[Bears Butt]

Spry, It's really getting hard to find here in N. Utah. Try calling Kents Sporting Goods in Ogden, no guarantee, but they might have some. The second best chance would be calling Smith and Edwards in Far West.
The laws that were put into place a year or so ago has really put pressure on the sales points. Restrictions include, they can only have 25 pounds of powder on the premesis at any one time. And then it has to be stored in a vault outside of the area where customers are. Not only have most business' quit carrying it, but it has driven the price up as well.
If you are not able to find any, I'll sell you a can of mine. All I have is FFg, so if you need FFFg, I might be able to find a can from one of my cronies!
I'm headed for the hills Tuesday morning, so if we need to get together we will have to do it soon.

 

[sagebrush]

i will be using 250grn t/c shockwave bullet over 80 grs, this year. In the new Omega have. normally I shoot a 54 cal 348gr pwrbelt with100grs.

 

[Bears Butt]

Sage, I shoot a TC Renegade and I'm not sure what the twist is, I think 1:28. It shoots roundball excellent and the caliber bore lead bullets pretty good. I was going to try out the powerbelts but some of the guys said they wouldn't shoot in my rifle.

Got any advise?

 

[sagebrush]

bears butt
I shoot the pwrbelts in a knight (black knight) one of the first to come out, plain jane as they come. will not shoot sabots very well tried pwrbelts and wah-la. It took me 3 yrs to find what this rifle liked. i do beleive most inlines are 1:28 twist. the powerbelts are as close to caliber bore as the lead bullets. so I really do not see why they would not work. Oh they do come in lead if you want them that way
here is a link for some info on them http://www.powerbeltbullets.com/

From reading some of your post you already know what is going on. About the only way I could give you any advise. would be if we both went out shooting too watch each other.

 

[Bears Butt]

That sounds like a good idea. My shooting will begin in earnest come Wednesday morning and hopefully end with buck meat in the freezer (even the liver). I guess we could meet somewhere after the hunt. I'm not a member of any gun club or anything but I know of a gravel pit in Willard that is always open and you can pace off to just over 100 yds.
I have a shooting bench and sandbag etc. Let me know after the muzz hunt!
Good luck on your hunt as well! Bag a wall hanger!

 

[.54]

Cmon' Bears Butt
This is the original post off the old forum.
So before anyone gets dogged for bad advice read the post.
It's a ballistics chart that I copied and I stated that in that post.
I can't see 5 grains making that big of a difference either.
I mean yeah a bit but a few feet?
Anyway Good luck on the hunt!
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Bears Butt wrote:
You guys are full of facts! So help me out here, I'm not a ballistics guy, don't really care about how fast a bullet is going etc, but I'm interested in knowing just what my bullet is doing after I pull the trigger. You guys will know all the "stuff".

I hunt with 100 Gr., FFg blackpowder, and a Crisco lubed Hornady Great Plains bullet, Hollow point, Hollow base with a weight of 425 gr. Sighted in zero at 50 yards. (I think that's all that's needed?)

What is my bullet's speed, retained energy, drop etc. at 100 yds????

======================================================================

BULLET 54 caliber, 425 grain , Black Powder = 105 grains FFg

Muzzle 50 yds. 100 yds. 150 yds. 200 yds.
Ft. per Sec. 1400 1244 1123 1036 972
FootPounds Energy 1849 1459 1189 1013 892
Traj: 100 yds zero -0.75 2.4 0.0 -9.3 -26.6
Now I did steal this info off of a chart I had Don't think Im a ballistics pro or nothing.
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[Bears Butt]

It was you who gave me that info and I thank you again for it. The Hornady bullet box has that same info in it. Between your advise and theirs, I tried it, but BELIEVE ME, my son and I had the exact same thing happen, in two different brands of muzzleloaders. Two shots out of each gun, at 100 yds. and to this moment neither of us know where any of those 4 bullets hit! I've been shooting muzzleloaders for 30 plus years and like you, have thought 5 grains wouldn't make a hill of beans difference either way. But...I'm sticking with my 100 gr. load for this years hunt. At least with that, I hit the bullseye with my last two shots after tweaking the sights one last time.