Will more powder mean less drop?
 

Right now I have about 31/2'" - 4" drop from 50 yrd to 100 yrds. Is this normal?

I am shooting a a .54 cal. Hawkens with maxiballs with 95 gr of Pyrodex Select.

If I go up in powder charge, would that decrease that difference in drop?

Thanks!

Blue Moose

RE: Will more powder mean less drop?
 

There was a friend of mine that had the same problem you're describing shooting R.E.A.L. conicals and even maxi balls. He would hit dead center at 50 yards but at 100yards he was always about 4 inches low. He was concerned about this because a lot of his shots were in the 70 yard range. I suggested to him just for kicks, sight the rifle dead on at 75 yards and then see what it does at 50 & 100 yards respectively. This was only a guess at a quick fix on my part.

He did what I suggested. The results he got were at 50 yards he hit the top of a 3" bull and at 100 yards he was near the bottom of the same bull. He felt he could adjust for an inch in difference. I told him to just aim for the top of the kill zone if it was further then 75 yards. That year he filled his doe tag at near 100 long step shotwith a perfect heart shot. I asked him if he aimed for the top of the kill zone and he admitted he had not, but for some reason that conical hit right where he wanted..

You could try add a little more powder and see if it makes the difference your looking for. You could also try adding a wonderwad. Sometimes the increase in pressure will pick that conical up a little longer. Our you could adjust your sights to match your shooting situation.

Good luck with the rifle. I will be interested to learn what you had to do to make the fix... :D

RE: Will more powder mean less drop?
 

More powder will make it shoot flatter, but at some point your accuracy will get worse. Like cayugad suggested try putting a wad of card stock under your bullet and try more powder. Also try a sight in of 2"s high at 50yds.

RE: Will more powder mean less drop?
 

I have the same set up , my .54 Hawken did not like the Pyrodex.
I now use 90 gr. 777 / wonder wad / .365 maxi ball.

I can get a 2 to 3 inch group at 100 yds,with fiber optic open sightsand a good bench rest

TC Quit making the .54-365 gr. but you can still find them if you check around.

After my supply is gone I will try the 300 gr. REAL.

Hope this helps and let me know what you do

RE: Will more powder mean less drop?
 

R.E.A.L. conicals also come in 380 grain but I find that the 1:48 twist of my .54 caliber Renegades like the 300 grain better. I make both of them actually. And they both fly well, but we hunt with the 300 grain. They sure do a number on deer. If you want to find some to try, check out http://www.blackjackhill.com/. Black Jack Hill's have a lot of muzzleloader projectiles all casted out of pure lead and their prices are reasonable... to say the least.

My Load with the R.E.A.L. conicals is 90 grains of Goex 2f with a wonder wad.

RE: Will more powder mean less drop?
 

After talking to a hunting buddy of mine, we determined that my average shot distance will be at about 75 yards. Right now I am shooting 2 in. groups 2 in. high at 50 yards and 2 in. groups 2 in. low at 100 yards. So I am going with Cayugad andleave my zero at the 75 yards and call it good. I don't think I will mess with the powder as well.

Blue Moose

RE: Will more powder mean less drop?
 

You didn't mention the bullet weight you're shooting. And I may be wrong but maybe a lighter bullet might be the ticket

RE: Will more powder mean less drop?
 

Good choice,Since Its so close to hunting season. If your like me trying to find time to go to the range is like trying to find a Bull on opening day. Good luck

RE: Will more powder mean less drop?
 

It don't matter how much powder you pour down that barrel. That bullet will hit the ground eventually. So no, more powder does not mean less drop.

Serioulsy, you already got your answers, above.

As long as you're using say at least 70 grains of powder, find the load that optimizes your rifle's potential. I increase the load until accuracy starts to fall off. With my .54 Renegade it was 110 gr pyrodex.So I settled on 100 gr. Then I sight in for 75 yds and shoot groups at 50 and 100, just to see where it hits. If I aim for the center of mass, top to bottom, on a deer that gun always seems to make a big hole in the kill zone. I don't even think about aiming high or low, but I also never seem to shoot over 100 yds.

RE: Will more powder mean less drop?
 

Mr. Moose, if you are zeroed perfectly for elevation at 50 yards, and the ball drops 3.5" - 4" below point of aim at 100 yards, just re-zero it to hit dead-on at 100. The ball will thenbe only be only between about1.75"-2" HIGH at 50 yards and all ranged between around 40 to60 yards or so, after which it begins to drop down to the 100-yard zero. (The midrange height above the line of sight inthe trajectory of any bullet is about one-half of the actual BULLET DROP below the line of the bore [NOT LINE OF SIGHT!!]at the zeroed range.)

Cayugad's suggestion of zeroing dead-on at 75 yards is also a good one!

If you sight in correctly, you will not need any more powder!