Trouble Grouping SST's in Muzzel Loader
OK, I am at a loss. I do not know what to do next. I am going to let you guys know what I have done and hope that you can give me a direction to go in that I have not pursued yet.
The gun is a new CVA Optima Pro 1 to 28 twist. The scope is a new Red Head black powder scope. The powder is Triple Seven pellets. Distance is 100 yards.
I havebeen shooting my black powder for three days (for a total of 10 hours) trying to group the 250 gn. SST. In the past I have not really payed attention to cleaning between shots so this is how I began shooting. I cleaned my rifle very well and shot about six shots with 130 gns. and did not get under a 5.5" group. I went up to 150 gns. and did the same. I went down to 100 grns. and grouped about a 4" group. I went to 90 gns and grouped about a 6" group. After shooting up a bunch of bullets and powder I quit for the day. I did clean my rifle about every six shots.
One of my buddies told me that he thought it was the scope. Before I spend money on a better scope I decided to keep shooting. I went home and decided that I would pay close attention to cleaning my gun at the firing range.
At the firing range I cleaned my rifle well to start. I then loaded with100 gns. and a bullet and marked my rod at the depth needed to seat. My first shot was off the target where the day before I was shooting 4" grouping around the bulls. Being off the target surprised me but I chalked it up to the difference in a clean gun and one that was shot a couple times. I ran a bore snake through the barrel until I could see that it was visually clean. My next shot nearly stacked on top of the other. I thought that I was on to something. I ran the bore snake againg between shots and adjusted vertically. My next shot dropped exactly in line where I wanted it. Now I am excited. I ran the bore snake and adjusted horizontally. Now is where I got confused. The next two shots were 4.5" horizontal of each other and .5"vertical. I figured that it was time to clean the gun well again. I cleaned the gun very well and started shooting again with the same routine. With this routine I have not been able to group under 4".
Being that I am not a very experienced black powder shooter, but I am a very experienced shooter with other guns, could you please point me in my next direction.
Thanks