Sighting in

[Bull543]

This might be a stupid question, but I will go ahead and ask it. Will a 50 cal blackpowder firing 295 gr powerbelts and 100 gr triple 7 powder shoot flat at a 100 yds?

The reason I ask is where I will primarily be hunting in the woods, my max shot will not even be 75 yds. If it doesn't shoot flat and I sight in at 100 yds, won't I be low on shots under 75?

[Semisane]

I've never shot powerbelts, so this is just a guess based onmy own experience with 300 grain sabbotted bullets and 100 grains T-7.

If you sight in for "dead on" at 100 yards, I would think you would be about 3/4 to 1" high at 25 yards and 75 yards, and from1 & 1/2 to 2"high at 50 yards.

[txhunter58]

Every firearm, even the most powerful of magnums, start falling the MOMENT it leaves the barrel. The velocity it leaves at and how long it maintains its velocity, determines how "flat shooting" the gun is.

Fact: There are no "flat shooting" muzzleloaders, esp when compared to high powered rifles. However, with the load you are shooting, you have a relatively flat shooting load.

If you sight in to be dead on at 100 yards, you will beABOVE the bullseye at 25, 50 and 75 yards.

Here is a link that will get you in the ballpark: http://www.powerbeltbullets.com/ballistic.html

Just look up 295 gr. powerbelts, and 100 grains of pyrodex. Your load with 100 gr of 777 should be slightly more powerful than that (aprox 15% more).

If I were you, I would try for a dead on sight in at about 75 yards. If you do that, you will not even have to think about it from 0 to 100 yards, just aim where you want to hit, and shoot. However, if there is a chance of going out to 120 yards, sight in at 100 and you will be fine from 0 to 120.

[cayugad]

In my CVA Staghorn that I shoot 90 grains of Pyrodex RS and a 245 grain Powerbelt. It is sighted in dead on at 100 yards. The 75 yard station will normally put that powerbelt on the very top of the bullseye I am shooting. At 50 yards, about two inches above dead center of the bulls eye. At 25 yards about an inch above dead center. On a deer kill zone.. if your sighted in dead center at 100 yards, just aim dead center in the kill zone of the deer and let the bullet take care of the rest of your problems. Although it would not hurt to take a trip to the range and double check it all.

[txhunter58]

Here is another link that lets you see the trajectory: http://www.handloads.com/calc/

I used about 1800 fps for velocity (1/2 way between what the powerbelt ballistic tables gives for 100 and 150 gr of pyrodex).