RE: Yet another newbie question
When you first start out, the very first thingyou do.. take a screw driver and make sure the sights are good and solid on the rifle. All too often people shoot all these loads, can't hit anything or group, only to find the screws holding the sights are not tight, and the sights have been moving on there own...
Next thing to remember... Starting out is not the time to move sights.. I never change the sights to the hits on the paper. I have gone as long as a year before I made final sight adjustments, and tested hundreds of loads. Forget there is even a bulls eye you are shooting at. All you have is an aiming point. Aim at that same point every time, no matter where the projectiles hit. You are trying to get a good group. To get a good group, this is where you might have to change the powder charges or even the projectiles you are trying. Some projectiles are simply not going to shoot out of your rifle. As you play with powder charge, this is where they will show up, because no matter what you do, they will not group. So forget them and try a different projectile and start with the same beginning powder charge all over again. Also remember, when you change to a new projectile do an extra special job of swabbing the barrel clean and dry. You want the next projectile to show its abilities starting fresh.
I would start with say a 300 grain XTP and 80 grains of powder. Shoot a three shot group at 13 yards. If this is a good load, it should be shooting almost a big hole if you are doing your part. Remember swab the barrel, and the same loading pressure if possible on the ramrod, remember breath and trigger control. If your rifle is spraying all over the place, your rifle needs to change the powder charge or maybe even the projectile. Move it up 10 grains. See what happens.
Move to the 25 yard line now. Again you have an aiming point. Shoot three rounds. If you aresatisfied with the load, make your first sight adjustment. Now you will note, that you can hit the bull. Now is the time to move the powder charge up if you want a more powerful load. As you increase the powder charge 10- 20-30 grains,all ofa sudden the accuracy will start to fall off. You will get fliers, and some of the bullet groups will open up. So back down a little and see if they group does not tighten up again. If they do, you know that projectiles sweet load. Write it down!!! Remember the powder charge, kind of powder, brand of sabot, projectile, weight, primer brand, weather conditions, and temperature. This will help you test other things down the road as you have a fall back load you can depend on.
Now you have a load that is grouping tight. You have moved the sights to the POI. So now when you shoot at the bulls eye you should hit the bulls eye. This is where you decide how far you want to shoot. Lets say you want to sight in for 100 yards. Then make sure the group you are shooting is about an inch above the bulls eye. And that the group is good and tight.
Now move to the 50 yard line. The groups will get a little bigger which is natural. After all, longer distance, bigger group. And if you are not shooting a 1 inch group.. don't beat yourself up. A lot of people do not shoot consistent 1 inch groups with open sights at 50 yards. See where the rifle hits at 50 yards. It should be 1-1/2 to 2 inches high. If it is, move back to the 100 yard range and see how well the rifle will do. Now it is a matter of fine tuning the load and when you have as tight a groups as you can, then make final adjustments to the sights at the distance you want the rifle to shoot.
Hope this explained your question.
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