Starting to get frustrated
 

I bought a traditions buckstalker combo (rifle+4x scope = combo) from bass pro about a month ago. I figured I needed a new muzzleloader. I'll be setting up about six or seven people on hunts and good guns are hard to come by. So I took it and my wolf to the range yesterday to sight them in for deer season. I fired a few shots out of the traditions and got a 2" at 75 yards. But it was 9 and a half inches up and to the left so I adjusted and got good groups. I figured I would stop and fool around with the wolf for a little while. After about an hour or so of shooting it, I went back to the traditions. IT WAS ALL OVER THE PLACE. I finally got so frustrated that I just left. The entire time I was 2 50gr pyrodex pellet and a maxiball 350 gr conical. I don't know if its the scope or what but any input is appreciated.

I would obviously make sure that the bases, rings, and scope are firmly mounted....

But with that said, I recently experienced this same thing with 777 pellets. I would get good groups, and then get a few flyers, and then terrible groups, and then a decent group...... I was extremely frustrated too.

I went to loose powder -- very, very consistent groups and cheaper. I will never use pellets again.

That's my experience. Hope it helps.

Did you do any cleaning when shooting? This has a lot to do with it. All my inlines are Lightning Bolts and shoot great with (2) 50 grain Pyro Pellets with a 250 gr Shockwave with 209 Remington Kleenbore primers. I usually swab every 2 to 3 shots as the it gets fouled up quick with Pyrodex whether pellets or loose. I have a Bushnell Banner 3-9 scope on my rigs and all the rings and bases are lock tite down. Was there any wind when you were shooting? Moisture/rain? What was the temp outside?

As stated above, you should swab between shots at the range. I swab with one patch moistened with a 50/50 mix of windex and rubbing alcohol, then one dry patch. I then fire a primer to dry the flash channel, and reload and fire. I recommend swabbing between every range shot. I also recommend loose powder.

My Traditions gun (a Remington Genesis) shoots the Hornady 350 gr FPB conicals really well. Assuming you don't have a scope/mount issue, if you can't get consistent results with the maxiball, try some FPBs. I use a charge of 100 gr loose Pyrodex.

Scope and everything seems to be on there pretty tight. I cleaned between every shot with 2 cleaning patches. I think I'm gonna experiment with it a bit. Season starts exactly one month from today. I'm gonna get to the range later this week and I'll let you guys know how I do.

When I first started with my Hunterbolt, I was using some Pyrodex pellets that were given to me with the rifle. Frustrating isn't quite the word to use - couldn't get a group under 6" no matter what I did. Switched over to P-RS and and was able to get 1 1/2" groups at 75 yards consistently with open sights.