What is your 100 yd pattern?

Huge,
I shot a one inch group last weekend with my muzzleloader for the first time. I was very surprised to say the least, but it can be done! I shoot 160Grain power point, (no longer available) using 90 grains of powder. I shoot a White Custom muzzleloader with a Sightron 1X scope.
I used to use a red dot, and I was presented with a shot at 80 yards on a dandy of a buck 3 years ago. However, when I found the buck in my sight picture and centered my red dot on the buck, the dot covered from the bottom of his belly to the top of his back. AT 80 YARDS! Unfortunately I was not sure where my bullet would hit, and elected not to take the shot for fear that I would make a bad shot and not recover the animal. I went home that night, purchased the sigthron 1X scope and mounted it up. I will never use the red dot again for that reason. Some say they really like it, and I am sure that is the case, but I don't think they can get quite the precision as a pair of fine cross hairs. At 100 yards, I can line my cross hairs with the up and down center lines of a target, and place three holes within 3 inches everytime. I could never do that with the red dot. I sortof just hoped for a Vital grouping...which is not good enough for me to feel comfortable shooting an animal.
To that end, let me tell each of you something that I learned when I did my research on my 1X scope. I tried several out, and compared each. I am a FIRM advicate of the Sightron, and let me tell you why.
1st: Lifetime, no questions asked warranty. (Lots of corrosion possible with muzzy's)
2nd: Price was much less than others
3rd and most important: The feild of view on the Sighton is HUGE compared to others. I mean, not even close!
4th: Customers feedbacks. (This is why I am giving mine) I have hearn nothing but good about their 1X scopes!
I beleive you can pick one up for just over $100.

Who sights in at 100 yards?

I kind of get a kick out of this every time I read about the wind blowing and three hundred yard kill shots with muzzies.

In Utah it is illegal to use a magnified scope above one power...! The human eye on average can see at 1.5 power. The dot on most red dot scope will cover up a 4 inch dot at 100 yards, even if it is a fine dot setting. Even with a fine peep open sights I would question someone shooting groups at 100 yards much under 4 inches.

My all time best is a 3 shot group, just under 4 inches at 100 yards with a red dot 1 power scope on a White Super 91 .45 caliber. I shoot a 460 grain No Excuse conical and 85 grains of Clean Shot BP substitute.

I find that it is much more advantageous to target practice at 60 yards with a 3 inch dot. I have a much more defined sight picture and I takes most all of the guess work out on holding the sight picture.

So unless you are shooting with your 3 X 9 scope on your muzzle loader, you are most likely just kidding yourself and lying to the rest of us when you say you shoot under 2 inch groups out of the old smoke pole at 100 yards with open sights.

Just my thoughts from many rounds at the range....Goldtip

I don't know if this is good or bad

Cross hairs make all the difference for me.

With a traditions Pursuit LT .50 Cal, I run a cabelas hollowsight style red dot that has a crosshair setting that I use instead of the dot. The dot does cover too much, but the crosshair works rather well. It cost me around $70. Shooting a 250 grain Hornady SST saboted bullet, I group just under or just over 2 inches at 100 yards depending on how shaky I am that day. I tried powerbelts in the 295 grain flavor with poorer results-4 to 5 inch groups, and the Hornady XTP 230's with results in between the two loads mentioned before. I tried some barnes that I can't even remember the size that shot horribly as well. Like 8 inch groups. All these loads were shot with 100 grains of pyrodex-that is 2 50 grain pellets. I have loose powder that I have had for a while, but have yet to try it out. I have a pile of TC Shockwaves in 200 Grains that I have been itching to try out at the range, but have not found the time yet. So, for me accuracy has been acceptable with the hollowsight crosshairs. However, I am thinking about getting a 1 power scope anyway because I am constantly checking the dial on the hollowsight when I am in the field to make sure it hasn't accidently been bumped into the on position. I keep picturing myself pulling up for a shot on a big buck and realizing that the battery is dead in the sight. Can't shake it. Also, During the middle of the day it is difficult to see the red crosshairs. Both of my brothers have the TC 1 power scope on top of TC Omegas that shoot between 2 and 3 inch groups consistently. So, maybe I will check those out.

I recognize that this is an old topic, but I thought I might chime in.

I shot 535 grain No Excuse Conicals and 110 grains of Pyrodex RS out of my TC Firehawk .54 caliber. This combination (although it kicked hard) would consistently group 5 shots touching at 100 yards with my peep sighted TC Firehawk.

Finally, I decided I wanted a rifle with a removable breech plug and faster twist "cause they were supposed to shoot more accurately". I bought a Knight Wolverine 209 (Bighorn) with a 26" barrel in .50 caliber. I bought the stainless steel version and decided that since I was going modern, I would go modern all the way. I purchased a Burris 1x scope to top it off.

What I found was interesting. At 50 yards I could drill the target with extremely tight groups, but at 100 yards I struggled getting any kind of consistent tight groups. I tried different bullets and found some shot better than others, but what I realized was that the scope's crosshairs covered the entire 6" Shoot n c black dot at 100 yards. I was struggling with getting the same sight picture on each shot and the groups suggested that was an issue. So after using the gun to kill a deer the first fall, I decided that I would try a peep again as that is what I was used to shooting.

I installed a Williams peep on my Knight and instantly my groups improved. I shoot the Barnes Spitfire 285 grain with 100 grains of loose 777 powder and a CCI 209 primer in my little red disc. My groups are consistently in the 1 1/2-2" size with five shots. Usually I have shot three shot that cut into each other and then have a shot or two that lie slighter out of the group. I have had a few groups that were SCARY accurate and even outshoot scoped centerfire rifle shooters on occasion.

So, what was the difference to me? The peep sight. I love how much easier it is to line up the exact same way every shot. That has been the key to my success in shooting my MLers over the years.

Have fun!

Firehawk