A Virgin No More

[Semisane]

Friday evening I had my first range session with the recently acquired/refinished TC Hawken with its (virgin) 1:28" twist .50 caliber Green Mountain Long Range Hunter barrel and Vernier tang sight.



All I can say is - - WOW! And it's not a virgin any more.

Figuring a 1:28" twist ought to be a sabot shooter, I started with 95 grains of GOEX FFFg under 250 grain .452 XTPs in Harvester short black sabots

With a target at a mere fifteen yard sight in distance, I eyeballed the barrel to point at the bull and adjusted the sight to look about right. After the first shot I adjusted the sight again.

The second second sight-in shot hit pretty much center of bull. So I put a fresh target out at 25 yards and took a shot. It hit near the bottom of the bullseye and pretty well centered. That was good enough, so I took a second shot.

WHAT??? Did I miss the entire target?? When I walked out and checked the target I found the second shot went through the same hole as the first one - but about 1/16" to the right side. I think I've got a winner! I took one more shot at 25 yards. Here's that target.




I normally shoot five-shot groups, but I didn't see anything to gain by shooting more bullets at 25 yards. So I put a target out at 50 yards and took three shots. Here they are.



Fifty yards / iron sights - I can live with that. Let's get serious and go for five shots at 75 yards. Here's target #3 out of the (former) virgin.



That's good enough to make me happy. I suspect shot #1 off to the left like that was my fault.

Dare I try 100 yards? Well SURE! That tang mounted peep sight and fiber optic front sight is really working for me. It's like my old bi-focal eyes just got thirty years younger.

So I raised the rear sight a little and took five shots at 100. Here's target #4.




Hoo-HA! Haven't had many 100 yard groups like that without a scope in quite a while.

This gun is a shooter. You just know that one shot outside of the bull was my fault, and not the gun or load. I was just amazed that the first load I picked shot so well, and can't imaging improving on it much (if any).

I would hunt with the 250 grain XTP with confidence - but would have even more confidence with Gold Dots. So I just had to try five GDs at 100 yards. Here's the fifth and final target of the day.



YEAH - I'm da man!
( I wonder how tight this gun would shoot with a scope? )

[50calty]

Those are some nice groups. I say you got the load the gun likes!!

[bronko22000]

Shooting like that is fantastic Semi. Now if you go putting a scope on that and I personnally will drive down there and kick your A$$ up over your head. You need at least one honest rifle in your arsenal.
Nice shooting

[sabotloader]

Semi

Wow!!!! that is cool, but I honestly think you might be in violation of a few of your original 'Muzzeloading Rules' that you so dutiful pointed several months ago...

[kb1]

if i shot open sight groups like that i'd be smiling for weeks.
nice job semi.......karl

[cayugad]

That is some fantastic shooting there. You can not ask more out of a rifle then that. When you can shoot like that at 100 yards with a new barrel, it is a real confidence booster. I would suspect with that sight you could even extend the range further. Very nice shooting boss.

[HEAD0001]

I think you have a rifle that is absolutely begging for a heavy cast lead conical. That should easily be a 200 yard rifle with a good heavy conical and an LRF. I really like what you put together there.

What rear vernier did you use?? And how did you mount it?? Is that a blade on the front?? I would bet that a little taller bead would tighten your groups up even a little bit better.Tom.

[Semisane]

Don't worry Bronko. You won't have to make that long drive to kick my butt. This one will stay virtuous.

Sabotloader, I may have violated one or two of the laws of muzzleloading - but I was visited by the god Chutengood (The happiest and kindest muzzle loader god. May he smile upon you.) I think I could kill a couple of your clay birds with this one.

Thanks much Cayugad. I do plan to try some longer range shots with it one day. But for now I'll just look at target #5 every few days and keep grinning.

Dang it Head. Now you're telling me I'm going to have to buy my very own laser range finder? So far, I've just been borrowing one from a buddy now and then.

What rear vernier did you use?? And how did you mount it?? Is that a blade on the front?? I would bet that a little taller bead would tighten your groups up even a little bit better.

Don't know who made the vernier. I bought it years ago and it's not marked. It's never been on a gun before. The mounting holes fit perfectly on the TC tang (which has the extra threaded hole between the two main tang mounting screws). The front sight is the red fiber optic that comes on Green Mountain drop in barrels. What advantage would a taller bead provide?

[lemoyne]

Good shooting. Semi
Smear lead all over the inside of a good shooting barrel, YUK

[HEAD0001]

Personally I do not like the fiber optic front sights. But there is some personal preference involved in that decision.

IMO a taller bead does a couple of things. First it is higher away from the barrel so it will stand out better from the barrel. Personally I like a white bead. Second a taller bead allows more light around the bead which in turn makes the peep sight easier to use in lower light conditions. And that is important on a hunting rifle-as I am sure you know. I would bet that if you went with a taller white bead that you would shoot the rifle even a little bit better, and have a better view in lower light situations. Just an opinion. But it is the way I do mine. Tom.