Will more powder mean less drop?
#1
Spike
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: CO, USA
Posts: 84
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
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
#2
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...
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...
#3
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Michigan USA
Posts: 174
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.
#4
Spike
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: NY
Posts: 67
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
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
#5
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.
My Load with the R.E.A.L. conicals is 90 grains of Goex 2f with a wonder wad.
#6
Spike
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: CO, USA
Posts: 84
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
Blue Moose
#9
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 2,445
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.
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.
#10
RE: Will more powder mean less drop?
ORIGINAL: Blue Moose CO
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
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
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!
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