HELP! What shall I do?

crazedbowhunter · 08-10-2007, 06:27 PM

I was shooting my flintlock at a target today and noticed I was consistantly 12" low at 30 yards. How can I make it impact higher? I am shooting 100 gr. of FF black powder with a 200 grain roundball. My gun has non adjustable iron sights. Help appreciated.

Thanks

nchawkeye · 08-10-2007, 06:33 PM

To raise point of impact, file the front sight down...

Is this a new (to you) rifle, you sound suprised that it's hitting low...

Are you sure you are using the proper load?? Or have you changed anything about your load combo???

Check all this our (even fresh powder) before you start randomly filing.

cayugad · 08-10-2007, 06:35 PM

If this is a new experience to you shooting flinters, give it another range session before you panic. First off consider the sight picture you are taking. Some people bury the front sight into the rear sight, other hold a level line, try playing with that aspect.

You might have to change out sights on the rifle if it does not come around. What caliber and model rifle is this?

crazedbowhunter · 08-10-2007, 06:38 PM

My rifle is a CVA Hawken riflein 50 cal. I have had the rifle for a couple if years but never really looked to see where it was shooting.

nchawkeye · 08-10-2007, 06:44 PM

Good, you had me worried..

Heck, You're just getting started....

btw...Make sure to check out your patches after the shot...

cayugad · 08-10-2007, 06:47 PM

CVA Hawkins are nice rifles.. since it does not have adjustable sights, first work up a load that shoots a nice tight group before doing any filing. I like to have them shooting a ragged hole at 25 yards. After that since it is shooting low, like nchawkeye said, you will have to lower the front sight. Just make sure your ready to do this group wise,because there is no going back.

Take a plastic milk carton and cut a chunk of that plastic and make a slit in it. Put that over your front blade. That way, when the file slips off the sight when your adjusting it (which it always seems to do) you will not mark up the barrel. Do a very little at a time and then shoot. If it needs more, do so, but be sure your test shooting it.

sabotloader · 08-10-2007, 10:11 PM

crazedbowhunter

If you are not ready to file the front sight down quite yet you could just raise the location of the front sight blade in the rear sight. I use this same method to make long range shots from my sidehammers... raising the location of the front sight in the rear sight lifts the muzzle of the barrel, which of course will raise your point of impact. This will also give you an idea how much you might haveto file off.

I would not do any filing until you have developed you final best load and projectile.... or as another alternative get an adjustable rear sight. Lyman makes an adjustable rear sight that looks really old. This would allow you to shoot different loads as you develope them.

frontier gander · 08-10-2007, 10:22 PM

Deer creek will sell an old style adjustable rear sight for your hawken. Just tell them what you have and that the rear sight you would like, is the rear sight off a cva mountain rifle.
I have them on both of my rifles and love them. Keeps it looking traditional and isnt bulky.