Community
Black Powder Ask opinions of other hunters on new technology, gear, and the methods of blackpowder hunting.

what charge to use

Thread Tools
 
Old 06-03-2007 | 06:34 PM
  #1  
Thread Starter
 
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 30
Likes: 0
Default what charge to use

I WROTE TO YOU ALL A FEW DAYS AGO.THANK YOU FOR ALL OF THE RESPONSES. I BOUGHT PYRODEX PELLETS.50 GRAINS A PIECE.I DIDNT FIND ANY OTHER POWDER THAT DAY.I AM USING A WINCHESTER PLATNUM TIP BULLET.IT IS A 260GR PTHP. I LIVE IN OHIO.I WILL BE SHOOTING FROM 50-100 YARDS.I HAVE TRIED 150GR - 100GR.POWER CHARGE.AT 50 YARDS I AM ON.ALMOST HIT THE SAME HOLE.BUT AT 100 YARDS I AM AROUND A 3 INCH GROUP.I WAS USING A REST.I GUESS IS THAT OK FOR A MUZZLE LOADER OR WHAT SHOULD I DO FOR BETTER ACCURACY.THANK YOU
bear6 is offline  
Reply
Old 06-03-2007 | 06:51 PM
  #2  
Nontypical Buck
 
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 3,246
Likes: 0
From:
Default RE: what charge to use

ORIGINAL: bear6

I WROTE TO YOU ALL A FEW DAYS AGO.THANK YOU FOR ALL OF THE RESPONSES. I BOUGHT PYRODEX PELLETS.50 GRAINS A PIECE.I DIDNT FIND ANY OTHER POWDER THAT DAY.I AM USING A WINCHESTER PLATNUM TIP BULLET.IT IS A 260GR PTHP. I LIVE IN OHIO.I WILL BE SHOOTING FROM 50-100 YARDS.I HAVE TRIED 150GR - 100GR.POWER CHARGE.AT 50 YARDS I AM ON.ALMOST HIT THE SAME HOLE.BUT AT 100 YARDS I AM AROUND A 3 INCH GROUP.I WAS USING A REST.I GUESS IS THAT OK FOR A MUZZLE LOADER OR WHAT SHOULD I DO FOR BETTER ACCURACY.THANK YOU
Was that open sights or with a Scope? If open sights, that is Excellent. With Scope, I would say that is good, but not excellent. Can you get better, not with pellets since you can't adjust your load up and down, 5 or 10 grains makes a big difference. Sabots makes a big difference. Swabing for me makes a big difference, so don't swab and get good accuracy. I swab after every shot in my BP guns, in the field and at the range. In field I useTC bore butter,at range I use alcahol patch then a dry patch. So if youwant better, try firstswabbing, if that makes no difference try a tighter sabot, if that make little difference go to loose powder. You didn't say what gun you were shooting, what was it?
Chap Gleason
gleason.chapman is offline  
Reply
Old 06-03-2007 | 06:59 PM
  #3  
Thread Starter
 
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 30
Likes: 0
Default RE: what charge to use

I AM USING A SCOPE. IT IS A CVA. AND I CLEANED IT AFTER EVERY SHOT
bear6 is offline  
Reply
Old 06-03-2007 | 07:12 PM
  #4  
sabotloader's Avatar
Boone & Crockett
 
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 11,703
Likes: 0
From: Idaho
Default RE: what charge to use

bear6

I AM USING A WINCHESTER PLATNUM TIP BULLET.IT IS A 260GR PTHP. I LIVE IN OHIO.I WILL BE SHOOTING FROM 50-100 YARDS.I HAVE TRIED 150GR - 100GR.POWER CHARGE.AT 50 YARDS I AM ON.ALMOST HIT THE SAME HOLE.BUT AT 100 YARDS I AM AROUND A 3 INCH GROUP.
That Winchester bullet is an excellent bullet. I beleive you will really like how it performs for you.

If I could I would make this suggestion to you, as soon as you are comfortable shooting your rifle make the switch to loose powder it is far less exspensive and usually you will be able to taylor your loads to you gun and your bullet. I would also suggest T7-2f powder as it is cleaner and less corrosive. I shoot the same weightbullets for deer and I am shooting 100/110 grains of loose T7 - this is a very good load for me. I normally shoot a Nosler Partiton 260 grain HP which is very simular to your Winchester, but the cost of these bullets has gone sky high so I am making the switch to a Speer Gold Dot - 250 grain Bonded bullet. Lot less money and a proven performer + I can afford to shoot it at paper.

In my book a 3" group @ a 100 with open sights is right where you want to be... and the more you shoot the tighter it will get.


sabotloader is offline  
Reply
Old 06-03-2007 | 07:23 PM
  #5  
Nontypical Buck
 
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 3,246
Likes: 0
From:
Default RE: what charge to use

ORIGINAL: bear6

I AM USING A SCOPE. IT IS A CVA. AND I CLEANED IT AFTER EVERY SHOT
If you want better groups and your swabing and using a scope, then get tighter sabots or switch to loose powder. They should go down REAL hard, not pounding down with a hammer, but a lot of force. I just found this out this weekend. I was shooting a TC Shockwave and a Hornady SST 300g.TheSST uses an thinner MMP 24 sabot and the TC uses a thicker MMP12 sabot, youcan see my groups on the Savage 10ML thread on this forum, currently active thread.In mymind thethinner sabot loaded just right, but that is NOT what the gun said from an accuracy POV. The tighter the SABOT the tighter the group is what they say over on the Savage 10 MLForum.

So eitheradjust your charge by going to looseor get tighter sabots. I had to use two hands to get my bullet down my barrel, and putalmost my entire weight into getting the bullet down the barrel. If it was a dirty barrel in a BP gun, I know I could NOT have done it. But those are the two options open to you, if the gun is capable of shooting better. What does the manual on the gun say? I just got a Savage 10MLII and the manual says thatwith a XTP bulletwithblack MMP12 sabot and 44g of AccurateArms will produce 1.5 inch groups. I was able to duplicate that, so I said "I have an accurate factory rifle". You may want to try the factory load and see what the gun is capable of then experiment with other loads and bullets, you then have a baseline of comparison for the factory accuracy of your rifle. Just a suggestion. If you wanna stay pellets, you only have the sabot option in my mind or maybe switch primers, they all have a bearing on accuracy.
Chap Gleason
gleason.chapman is offline  
Reply
Old 06-03-2007 | 07:24 PM
  #6  
 
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 5,180
Likes: 0
From:
Default RE: what charge to use

Which cva? I'd give the TC maxi hunters a go or the great plains bullets. Those have shot excellent out of the cva's i own.
frontier gander is offline  
Reply
Old 06-03-2007 | 10:12 PM
  #7  
Fork Horn
 
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 123
Likes: 0
Default RE: what charge to use

gleason.chapman not that its a big deal but unless they have changed sabots in the last few weeks the shockwaves come with a thinner sabot than the sst's
bdeather is offline  
Reply
Old 06-03-2007 | 10:59 PM
  #8  
cayugad's Avatar
Dominant Buck
 
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 21,193
Likes: 0
From: Wisconsin
Default RE: what charge to use

While many might tell you that you can improve on a 3" group at 100 yards, there are many out there that secretly are tickled to death when they shoot a 3" group. Scope or no scope.

Second, you're just getting used to the load and the bullet. Maybe even the rifle. It will get better with practice. I too would suggest some loose powder. Start with 90 grains of loose and work from there. Also do not be afraid to try other projectiles.

I never shot the Remington you speak of but I have sure heard a lot of good things about them. So keep up the swabbing, practice, try some loose powder, and don't be surprised when the groups start to shrink.
cayugad is offline  
Reply
Old 06-04-2007 | 05:12 AM
  #9  
Nontypical Buck
 
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 3,246
Likes: 0
From:
Default RE: what charge to use

ORIGINAL: bdeather

gleason.chapman not that its a big deal but unless they have changed sabots in the last few weeks the shockwaves come with a thinner sabot than the sst's
I believe the box I have is 5 years old, so that may make a difference. I will look tonight on the bottom of the sabot at the MMP number.
thanks Chap
gleason.chapman is offline  
Reply
Old 06-04-2007 | 06:56 AM
  #10  
sabotloader's Avatar
Boone & Crockett
 
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 11,703
Likes: 0
From: Idaho
Default RE: what charge to use

Chap

I was shooting a TC Shockwave and a Hornady SST 300g.TheSST uses an thinner MMP 24 sabot and the TC uses a thicker MMP12 sabot, youcan see my groups on the Savage 10ML thread on this forum, currently active thread.
Easy thing to do, but I think you are reversed on your suggestion...

SST's use the HPH-12 (thicker)
TC's use the HPH-24 (thinner)
And of course the newer Shockwaves use the thinner yellow super-glide which is equivelent to the MMP-3p-EZ load sabot.

On the MMP site I believe Del recommends the 12 for Savages...


sabotloader is offline  
Reply


Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2026 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.