200 Yard Shots
 

I just picked up my T/C omega. 50 cal. I understand I need to work on a load to get a good group. My question is "If I get a good tight group at 100 yards with approx. 100 grains or 2 pellets and it stays tight at 200 yards is this enough energy with the 2 pellets or 100 grains to make a clean kill that far, or will I need to go with 3 pellets or 150 grains ?

RE: 200 Yard Shots
 

It depends, to some degree, on the bullet. Certain bullets have a minimum velocity at which they will no longer expand reliably. Some are as low as 700 fps and some are as high as 1200 fps. There is also an energy issue. Generally speaking, I would consider the 100 grain loads to be effective out to around 150 yards or so.

I know from personal experience thatsome sabot rounds (250 Shockwaves and 250 Barnes Expander MZ) will kill well out to 200 yards with 130 grains of pellets (two fifties and a thirty). It wouldn't hurt to try 150 grains of pellets - but in many cases the 130 grain load group better. Good luck. Roskoe

RE: 200 Yard Shots
 

I ran a couple of ballistics chartson some different projectiles... At 200 yards you can still make the bullet work but shot placement is very critical because the projectile is running low on energy.

I will say, if you are getting excellent accuracy shooting 100 grains and find that the accuracy goes down hill when you up the powder charge, stick with the accurate load. It would not hurt to try some different bullets of course. Still a hot load is no good if you can not put it where it needs to go.

Where I live I have one spot where a150 yard shot is possible. Everything else will be under 100 yards. So 100 grains of powder and a good projectile is more then enough. I will just be sure and put it where it will do the most good.

RE: 200 Yard Shots
 

A big, slow full-bore diameter conical from a ML will kill at ranges far in excess of 200 yards! Of course this is provided you know your trajectory and can place the bullet precisiely! Just read about what some of those snipers did in the Civil war with ML rifles!!!

RE: 200 Yard Shots
 

One word of advice. I have a Knight .50 cal. Bighorn. The rifle wears a 22" barrel and is amazingly accurate at 100 yards. My standard load is a 250 gr. Hornady SST and 100 grains of 777. I sighted the rifle2" high at 100 yards. I moved the target to 150 yards and I was approximately 9" low. At 200 yards I was amazed I was shooting 19" low. Just as a trial I tried 150 gr. of 777 and it only decreased my bullet drop by 2" at 200 yards. I didn't try it at 150 yards. Your rifle has a barrel 6" longer than mine and that should help with velocity. You might look to the T/C Shockwave in 200 gr. with 130-150 gr. of powder if you are truly considering shooting 200 yards with you rifle. Make sure you actually shoot your rifle at 200 and don't rely on any ballistic tables you run across.