Confusing range session.....

Primitive Weapon · 09-25-2007, 12:25 PM

I had been shooting 24gr shockwaves on 90gr powder (both loose and pellets). I ran out and got a good buy on the Hornady SST 300gr bullets. I bought some and went to sight in again but increased my charge to 120gr. Groups at 50yds were close to the 240gr shockwaves at 50yds.....but a bit lower which I expected. The 300gr hornady's where about 1 ½ high at 50yds.

I moved over to the 100yd bench and missed the paper (8 inch shoot-n-see). Swabbed the barrell as I always do (2 wet patches, 2 or 3 dry ones, fire a cap, then run another dry patch down to remove the fouling from the 209 primer). Loaded again and again missed the paper.

I assumed I was missing low, so I aimed at the very top of the shoot-n-see (12 o'clock position) and again, a miss. Repeated the process with the same result. I was completely confused.....so I reloaded and shot at the very bottom of the target.....6 o'clock, and hit an inch high of the center bullseye. WTF?!?!?!?

I went back to 50yds and was still 2 inches high at 50yds. So I'm shooting 2 inches high at 50yds and 6 inches high at 100?!?!?!?!?!

How can that be????

nchawkeye · 09-25-2007, 01:02 PM

Unless that bullet has rockets built into it, it can't.......

Check your groups at 100 yards, bet they are 5-6 inches and the shot you took was on the outside of the group.....

cayugad · 09-25-2007, 03:26 PM

Quote:

ORIGINAL: Primitive Weapon

I had been shooting 24gr shockwaves on 90gr powder (both loose and pellets). I ran out and got a good buy on the Hornady SST 300gr bullets. I bought some and went to sight in again but increased my charge to 120gr. Groups at 50yds were close to the 240gr shockwaves at 50yds.....but a bit lower which I expected. The 300gr hornady's where about 1 ½ high at 50yds.

I moved over to the 100yd bench and missed the paper (8 inch shoot-n-see). Swabbed the barrell as I always do (2 wet patches, 2 or 3 dry ones, fire a cap, then run another dry patch down to remove the fouling from the 209 primer). Loaded again and again missed the paper.

I assumed I was missing low, so I aimed at the very top of the shoot-n-see (12 o'clock position) and again, a miss. Repeated the process with the same result. I was completely confused.....so I reloaded and shot at the very bottom of the target.....6 o'clock, and hit an inch high of the center bullseye. WTF?!?!?!?

I went back to 50yds and was still 2 inches high at 50yds. So I'm shooting 2 inches high at 50yds and 6 inches high at 100?!?!?!?!?!

How can that be????

The SST are more aero dynamic so they should fly flatter. Also you seriously increased the powder charge giving them more velocity. You might have changed the flight arch of the two bullets. While the 240 grain with the lower charge is slowing down and starting to come back to its POA sooner, the Shockwave or SST is still moving much faster and holding the trajectory longer, so it would make sense that it would be hitting higher.

Also all these muzzleloaders do is confuse the devil out of me at times. With the new load, forget the 240 grain bullets and how they did for now. Sight the rifle in with the SST's. At 50 yards were they shooting a good tight group? If they were, back it out to 100 yards. Shoot for groups again. If you have to adjust, make your adjustment to the sights at the distance you want the rifle sighted in for. Then go back to the 50 and shoot again. I do not think you will see all that much difference.

Primitive Weapon · 09-26-2007, 06:27 AM

Quote:

ORIGINAL: cayugad
At 50 yards were they shooting a good tight group?

Yes they were. Before moving out to 100yds, I shot a 3 shot group and the first 2 were touching dead center and an 1 to 1¼ inches high at 50yds. The 3rd shot was dead center, about 2 inches high.

I was satisfied at that point, did not make any adjustments, and moved over to 100yds. That's where things got all crazy. I ended up adjusting my scope to be zero'd in at 100yds. I seriously doubt I'll ever have a shot over 75yds where I hunt.

I did not have time to move back over to a 50yd target. I will go back to see where it's grouping at 50yds soon.

dmurphy317 · 09-26-2007, 07:32 AM

I shoot a similar load, 130gr of pellets and the 300SST. It averages about 1945fps and yes it is higher at 100 when 2" high at 50 by about 4" from center. Depending on your setup 6" is not unreasonable. If your sighted in at 100 you should only be about .5 to 1 inch high at 50. Good luck with it and keep us informed.