200 yards "long ways down thar"
08-11-2007, 02:30 PM
#1
Boone & Crockett
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Idaho
Posts: 11,703
200 yards "long ways down thar"
I am bad @ 200 yards and the deer know it!!! Seriously, I have been shooting for a bit - finished checking zero @ 100, completed shooting the 150 yards birds - decide to shoot @ 200 got2 shots off - I know they hit the target but not sure where and while reloading the 3rd shot turn around and look over my shoulder and two deer are headed for water in the creek. Now my mind goes nuts - they must know how bad I am and do not care that I am shooting across their path -"he can not hit us anyway"
I was disappointed in my efforts this morning, part i might be able to blame on the gun, most on me, some on the weather and the draws.
This is stock Rem and the trigger pull is probably 4 lbs if not a little more which I have told myself is fine for hunting - but I am about to reduce that now. Me - I guess there are days you are just no on... Weather - i got there late and the sum was baking it way into the draw. All of my materials a lieing on the tail gate in the sun, the sabots are warming the powder is warming, the gun barrel is getting hot, and I am getting hot - all of this leads to a marginal day.
I will try the Remington again but I am going to wait the weather out.
I was disappointed in my efforts this morning, part i might be able to blame on the gun, most on me, some on the weather and the draws.
This is stock Rem and the trigger pull is probably 4 lbs if not a little more which I have told myself is fine for hunting - but I am about to reduce that now. Me - I guess there are days you are just no on... Weather - i got there late and the sum was baking it way into the draw. All of my materials a lieing on the tail gate in the sun, the sabots are warming the powder is warming, the gun barrel is getting hot, and I am getting hot - all of this leads to a marginal day.
I will try the Remington again but I am going to wait the weather out.
08-11-2007, 03:52 PM
#2
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location:
Posts: 714
RE: 200 yards "long ways down thar"
200 yards is mighty far for a muzzleloader. How did you figure where you needed to aim? When I was trying to make a gun ready for 200 yards I would shoot a test target. One group at 50 yards, one at 100, one at 150, and one at 200.
The picture below is an old test target. Then I would use the aiming points on my ballistic type reticle to find out where to aim by matching them to the groups. This one is not one of my better targets but it's the only one I still have.
The picture below is an old test target. Then I would use the aiming points on my ballistic type reticle to find out where to aim by matching them to the groups. This one is not one of my better targets but it's the only one I still have.
08-11-2007, 04:24 PM
#3
Dominant Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 21,193
RE: 200 yards "long ways down thar"
Sabotloader.. as I stated many times. 200 yards is possible for some shooterswith lots of practice, but most of the average muzzleloader shooters would have a hard time at that distance. I sure would not beat myself up over it, just adjust the distance I would be willing to shoot. Then again, maybe the next time out you will be drilling the group just like you wanted. Maybe it was just a bad day.
Having said that, with the rifle I was shooting today I can debate whether to adjust my distance to nowshooting them or club them as they walk by. I really had an off day for some reason. Granted it was windy, but I have shot in the wind before. And the distance was only 70 yards... [&o]. A long way from two hundred.
I had shot my Knight Disc the other day with excellent results. I decided to play a little more with it today and to be honest it stumped me today. When I ended my shooting session I had no idea what I did wrong. A load that was super accurate only days ago, was two inches low and spread out, all over the paper. A different load shot well today, while last time out was terrible. One excellent group was shot with a load a normally never shoot, those being my home casted 405 (423 grain actually) .458 flat point out of a knight sabot. I was shooting them with 100 grains of Pyrodex and they actually shot perfect. Other then the fact they were six inches low. Dead on mind you, but six inches low.I shot them just to prove that nothing would hit.
I even reset the scope on the range thinking I had made a mistake, and I checked the bolt tightness twice. The only thing I did different is.. I used some old Winchester very powerful primers and swabbed the bore with pure
Rusty Duck Black Off because I thought it was my mixute but had grabbed the wrong jug. Otherwise everything was the same.
So lets forget today, and put that all behind us. No need to post targets... just look forward to our next range session. I am sure it will be a one inch or better day.
Having said that, with the rifle I was shooting today I can debate whether to adjust my distance to nowshooting them or club them as they walk by. I really had an off day for some reason. Granted it was windy, but I have shot in the wind before. And the distance was only 70 yards... [&o]. A long way from two hundred.
I had shot my Knight Disc the other day with excellent results. I decided to play a little more with it today and to be honest it stumped me today. When I ended my shooting session I had no idea what I did wrong. A load that was super accurate only days ago, was two inches low and spread out, all over the paper. A different load shot well today, while last time out was terrible. One excellent group was shot with a load a normally never shoot, those being my home casted 405 (423 grain actually) .458 flat point out of a knight sabot. I was shooting them with 100 grains of Pyrodex and they actually shot perfect. Other then the fact they were six inches low. Dead on mind you, but six inches low.I shot them just to prove that nothing would hit.
I even reset the scope on the range thinking I had made a mistake, and I checked the bolt tightness twice. The only thing I did different is.. I used some old Winchester very powerful primers and swabbed the bore with pure
Rusty Duck Black Off because I thought it was my mixute but had grabbed the wrong jug. Otherwise everything was the same.
So lets forget today, and put that all behind us. No need to post targets... just look forward to our next range session. I am sure it will be a one inch or better day.
08-11-2007, 04:48 PM
#4
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: southwest Ohio
Posts: 1,047
RE: 200 yards "long ways down thar"
I think the hot weather can really magnify a lot of small errors. Barrels don't cool down like they should, and it's hard for me to concentrate on sight picture & trigger squeeze with my sweaty hands slipping off the gun and sweat dripping into my eyes.
Thankfully I ran low on bullets yesterday, so now I'm going to have to wait a few days before I can try the inline again.
Oh - and as far as the deer, last year I had a feeder about 50 yardsbehind the shooting bench.Shooting one dayand a doe walked up to the feeder and was eating while I was shooting. Guess they don't have much fear of the noise of gunfire.
Thankfully I ran low on bullets yesterday, so now I'm going to have to wait a few days before I can try the inline again.
Oh - and as far as the deer, last year I had a feeder about 50 yardsbehind the shooting bench.Shooting one dayand a doe walked up to the feeder and was eating while I was shooting. Guess they don't have much fear of the noise of gunfire.
08-11-2007, 05:05 PM
#5
Typical Buck
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 882
RE: 200 yards "long ways down thar"
I tried 200 yard shot a few months ago from the bench with my t/c thunderhawk. I was impressed with group
let see: I am 3" over center at the 100 yd. target and 17" low at the 200 yd target 4 shots group size a soft ball group thought the gun did well.
My load was 85 grains of triple 777 and a 375 buffalo SSB I would say if you held daylight a tad over the deer shoulder it would drop in the boiler room
I don't know if I would take a shot that long but maybe a buck that scored higher then 150 class may change my mind.
let see: I am 3" over center at the 100 yd. target and 17" low at the 200 yd target 4 shots group size a soft ball group thought the gun did well.
My load was 85 grains of triple 777 and a 375 buffalo SSB I would say if you held daylight a tad over the deer shoulder it would drop in the boiler room
I don't know if I would take a shot that long but maybe a buck that scored higher then 150 class may change my mind.
08-11-2007, 09:32 PM
#6
Boone & Crockett
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Idaho
Posts: 11,703
RE: 200 yards "long ways down thar"
Wolfhound76
That is basically what I was doing.... I shot a 100 yard target (posted on the two man targets that someone left) then up andto the right 3 pigeons at 150 yards. Then in the leftpicture 3 pigeons @ 175 and a target @ 200.
I have a bushnell Elite 3200 with a Ballistic Reticule and I was working my way out to that 200 yard target.... but,after getting home and taking the Rem down to adjust the trigger I think I found the problem with my erratic shooting.... The Remington is not a floated barrel it is set in the glass stock - well it was a mess when i set the action and barrel back into the stock after adjusting the trigger it would not set down in the forend - I had to snap it down and in.... that set off alarms.... spent some time cleaning up the the stock and now it sits really well. I really do not want to free float it unless I have to. But as big as mess as the stock/gun fit was - I really can see apart of my problem...
I want to get out and shoot again but I do not know when and where I get the time...
That is basically what I was doing.... I shot a 100 yard target (posted on the two man targets that someone left) then up andto the right 3 pigeons at 150 yards. Then in the leftpicture 3 pigeons @ 175 and a target @ 200.
I have a bushnell Elite 3200 with a Ballistic Reticule and I was working my way out to that 200 yard target.... but,after getting home and taking the Rem down to adjust the trigger I think I found the problem with my erratic shooting.... The Remington is not a floated barrel it is set in the glass stock - well it was a mess when i set the action and barrel back into the stock after adjusting the trigger it would not set down in the forend - I had to snap it down and in.... that set off alarms.... spent some time cleaning up the the stock and now it sits really well. I really do not want to free float it unless I have to. But as big as mess as the stock/gun fit was - I really can see apart of my problem...
I want to get out and shoot again but I do not know when and where I get the time...
08-12-2007, 06:41 AM
#8
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location:
Posts: 714
RE: 200 yards "long ways down thar"
Ok. I was just wondering how you figured for the drop.
I floated my Omega barrel since it was so easy to do. It has 2recoil lugs and is prettyeasy to work with.It didn't really improve accuarcy at 100 yards but made it more consistant. Of course I later sold the laminate stock and have a synthetic now. I like plastic stocks better than wood. I feel more confident hunting in bad weather with them. But having made a 200 yard shot I'm not trying to do it again either.
I floated my Omega barrel since it was so easy to do. It has 2recoil lugs and is prettyeasy to work with.It didn't really improve accuarcy at 100 yards but made it more consistant. Of course I later sold the laminate stock and have a synthetic now. I like plastic stocks better than wood. I feel more confident hunting in bad weather with them. But having made a 200 yard shot I'm not trying to do it again either.
08-13-2007, 06:17 AM
#9
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location:
Posts: 3,246
RE: 200 yards "long ways down thar"
ORIGINAL: Ridge Runner
I have a TC thunderhawk stailess lam. thumbhole I purchased in '93, the rifle has always shot well and through the years I've taken more than a few bucks with it, in the beginning all we could use were peep sights and in '96 took a real nice 8 point at about 90 yds with peep sights, the load I shot for years was 110 gr of P pyro behind a 260 gr MML lead sabot. when scopes were allowed I put a 2x7 simmons BP scope on it and in '03 I took another nice 8 at 165 yds.
summer of 04 I purchased a cva optima pro in 45 cal, mounted a burris 3x9 w/BP on it and started working on a LR blackpowder load, I tried every type of 45 cal bullet I could buy, and nothing would give me acceptable accuracy with more than an 80 gr charge. I gave up!
First morning of va season of '04 I helplessly watched a 130-140 class 10 point feed for an hour, he was at 230 yds. On my way home I was thinking that there had to be something I could do to extend my Range.
On arriving home I took the burris off the CVA and mounted it on my TC, headed to my bench to sight it in, met my bro-n-law, what ya doin? he asked, I replied sighting in my muzzleloader, here he said, the mrs got me the wrong bullets so shoot these up.
He retrieved a blister pack of bullets from his truck and handed them to me, They were traditions, 250 gr, T-shok XLR's, really a cool looking bullet, poly tip, very pointed so I figured I'd give them a whirl, loaded one with 200 gr of pyro pellets, and put the gun on the bench and sent one down range. impact was 7" left and 1" high, adjusted the scope to POA and fired 3 rounds, they made 1 ragged hole, put a target up at 230 yds and used the second hashmark down on the BP for an aiming point. 2" low, that'll work I thought.
I measured my drop at 230 yds, chrony'd one shot and ran these numbers through my ballistic computer, and integrated the drops to the BP reticle, I now know with certainty that I can kill a deer out to 275 yds with this rifle, and the last day of the 04 season I took this buck at a lazered 208 yds, bang/flop, POI was just behind the onside shoulder just high enough to break the spine and offside shoulder, the bullet exited so didn't recover it.
RR
I have a TC thunderhawk stailess lam. thumbhole I purchased in '93, the rifle has always shot well and through the years I've taken more than a few bucks with it, in the beginning all we could use were peep sights and in '96 took a real nice 8 point at about 90 yds with peep sights, the load I shot for years was 110 gr of P pyro behind a 260 gr MML lead sabot. when scopes were allowed I put a 2x7 simmons BP scope on it and in '03 I took another nice 8 at 165 yds.
summer of 04 I purchased a cva optima pro in 45 cal, mounted a burris 3x9 w/BP on it and started working on a LR blackpowder load, I tried every type of 45 cal bullet I could buy, and nothing would give me acceptable accuracy with more than an 80 gr charge. I gave up!
First morning of va season of '04 I helplessly watched a 130-140 class 10 point feed for an hour, he was at 230 yds. On my way home I was thinking that there had to be something I could do to extend my Range.
On arriving home I took the burris off the CVA and mounted it on my TC, headed to my bench to sight it in, met my bro-n-law, what ya doin? he asked, I replied sighting in my muzzleloader, here he said, the mrs got me the wrong bullets so shoot these up.
He retrieved a blister pack of bullets from his truck and handed them to me, They were traditions, 250 gr, T-shok XLR's, really a cool looking bullet, poly tip, very pointed so I figured I'd give them a whirl, loaded one with 200 gr of pyro pellets, and put the gun on the bench and sent one down range. impact was 7" left and 1" high, adjusted the scope to POA and fired 3 rounds, they made 1 ragged hole, put a target up at 230 yds and used the second hashmark down on the BP for an aiming point. 2" low, that'll work I thought.
I measured my drop at 230 yds, chrony'd one shot and ran these numbers through my ballistic computer, and integrated the drops to the BP reticle, I now know with certainty that I can kill a deer out to 275 yds with this rifle, and the last day of the 04 season I took this buck at a lazered 208 yds, bang/flop, POI was just behind the onside shoulder just high enough to break the spine and offside shoulder, the bullet exited so didn't recover it.
RR
http://www.the-gleasons.com/Parker_Ballistic_Extreme_275g_2007_07_21_AA5744_44 g_WinchesterPrimer_default%20sabot.jpg
I think I may be using them this year for hunting.
Chap Gleason
08-13-2007, 09:04 AM
#10
Typical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location:
Posts: 973
RE: 200 yards "long ways down thar"
SL - you made me feel pretty good about finding paper "down thar" the old fashioned way. 
Sorry it didn't go better for you. It does give you a new challenge though. Still think you need to try the 10mm/200's out there.
Sorry it didn't go better for you. It does give you a new challenge though. Still think you need to try the 10mm/200's out there.