Cleaning and Accuracy
11-05-2009, 07:55 PM
#21
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 1,519
So you guys say no more than 80 grains of powder with a 240 grain Powerbelt but what about for a 295 grain Powerbelt hollow point? I shoot 100 grains of Pyrodex pellets with them and it shoots great in both my guns and I've killed 3 deer with this setup. I've only had one get away. It was a spike. I shot it and knocked it down however, it jumped up and ran. I found blood but not much and eventually once I got to the thick stuff couldn't find anymore blood nor a trail the deer went on nor the deer. It really bothered me as I really didn't like not finding him.
I shot a 8 point buck last year with it and I shot it from around 130 yards and it ran about 15 yards and then couldn't get up. Bullet did not pass through and the skin was poking out on the other side from it.
I shot a doe at probably 90-100 yards this year and got a clean pass through. Small doe though. Ran maybe 15-20 yards.
I shot the one I said I lost above which made me really rethink if I need to find a new bullet I think I hit him slightly high but it seems like with him going down like that he shouldn't have been able to make it far.
Then I shot a 6 point buck at about 25 yards give or take. I was really close to him. Bullet didn't pass through but pretty much exploded when it hit him and left a big hole. He ran maybe 80-100 yards into the wood but it was a very good blood trail leading to him. Big piles of blood every couple feet so I just followed them and found him laying dead at the end of the blood trail.
So overall, I've had decent luck with this setup but it seems every deer I've shot with it has run a little ways not been a DRT like I'd like.
Is there a better setup or is this the setup to keep using since it seems to work and groups well? The only time I've doubted it is with that one I lost.
I shot a 8 point buck last year with it and I shot it from around 130 yards and it ran about 15 yards and then couldn't get up. Bullet did not pass through and the skin was poking out on the other side from it.
I shot a doe at probably 90-100 yards this year and got a clean pass through. Small doe though. Ran maybe 15-20 yards.
I shot the one I said I lost above which made me really rethink if I need to find a new bullet I think I hit him slightly high but it seems like with him going down like that he shouldn't have been able to make it far.
Then I shot a 6 point buck at about 25 yards give or take. I was really close to him. Bullet didn't pass through but pretty much exploded when it hit him and left a big hole. He ran maybe 80-100 yards into the wood but it was a very good blood trail leading to him. Big piles of blood every couple feet so I just followed them and found him laying dead at the end of the blood trail.
So overall, I've had decent luck with this setup but it seems every deer I've shot with it has run a little ways not been a DRT like I'd like.
Is there a better setup or is this the setup to keep using since it seems to work and groups well? The only time I've doubted it is with that one I lost.
11-05-2009, 08:09 PM
#22
Banned
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Boncarbo,Colorado
Posts: 9,186
Same limit with the 295's. Im in the process of making custom inserts for the powerbelts that will allow the standard 100gr load. Maybe even more. So far though, the insert for the powerbelt is doing amazing in my sand trap from 20 yards on out to 150 yards.
Im building the .45cal right now. The .50cal insert mold will be next on the line. All i need now are handles for the .45 mold and screw down the sprue cutter!
HTM, Check this out if you're interested.
http://thepowerbeltforum.powerguild....powerbelt-f23/
Im building the .45cal right now. The .50cal insert mold will be next on the line. All i need now are handles for the .45 mold and screw down the sprue cutter!
HTM, Check this out if you're interested.
http://thepowerbeltforum.powerguild....powerbelt-f23/
Last edited by MountainDevil54; 11-05-2009 at 08:12 PM.
11-06-2009, 03:41 AM
#23
Fork Horn
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 159
For whatever reason the first shot after I do complete and really good cleaning my first shot with a cold barrel will hit about 6 inches low at 100 yards... after letting it cool for an hour to make sure that it's outside temperature and I've done this recently in sub 32 degree air it right on the money for the next 10 shots of so.. So I guess I'll never hunt with a clean barrel.. I removed the breech plug and cleaned it and with a dirty barrel it's still right on the money, so that's the way it will be the entire big game season..like women, they'll all different to some extent!!!!
11-06-2009, 06:36 PM
#24
Spike
Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 22
Guys,
I am brand new to muzzleloader hunting, so please be patient before you flame me too bad on my questions. I am also self taught in every bit of this, so if anything I say is just plain-out stupid, it is because I have never had anyone tell me otherwise.
Here is what I am shooting:
Rifle - TC Omega .50 caliber
Scope - Nikon Pro Staff 3x9x40
Bullets - 245 gr. Powerbelt Bullets - hollow point
Powder - 150 grains of Pyrodex pellets
I have shot the gun around 60 times total since I bought it this summer. I have it zero'd at 100 yards. Each and every time I shoot it I give it a very thorough cleaning when I get back to the house. I do the soapy water, solvent patches, wire brush, more solvent patches, dry patches, over and over until all patches come out clean, then I run a patch of Bore Butter. During my shooting sessions I swab the bore with Bore Butter between every shot. Every 5 shots I will remove the breech plug and swab the bore with solvent until clean again.
Here's the deal, my first 5 shots when I first get to the range after a thorough cleaning at the house the night before are pretty accurate. It will hold a 1.5" to 2" group on the bulls eye and I am very pleased with this initial accuracy. The issue is that as I continue to shoot more than 5 shots, even after removing the plug and giving it a thorough field cleaning, the accuracy starts to seriously deteriorate. Shots start climbing high and right. I don't expect this thing to shoot like my centerfire rifles, but I would like to know if I am doing something wrong and causing it to lose accuracy when I get up in the shot count.
After how many shots do you guys remove the plug and swab your guns out with solvent? What do you swab the bore with between shots? Is there anything that I should be doing in addition to the things I am doing now?
Any advice is very much appreciated.
I am brand new to muzzleloader hunting, so please be patient before you flame me too bad on my questions. I am also self taught in every bit of this, so if anything I say is just plain-out stupid, it is because I have never had anyone tell me otherwise.
Here is what I am shooting:
Rifle - TC Omega .50 caliber
Scope - Nikon Pro Staff 3x9x40
Bullets - 245 gr. Powerbelt Bullets - hollow point
Powder - 150 grains of Pyrodex pellets
I have shot the gun around 60 times total since I bought it this summer. I have it zero'd at 100 yards. Each and every time I shoot it I give it a very thorough cleaning when I get back to the house. I do the soapy water, solvent patches, wire brush, more solvent patches, dry patches, over and over until all patches come out clean, then I run a patch of Bore Butter. During my shooting sessions I swab the bore with Bore Butter between every shot. Every 5 shots I will remove the breech plug and swab the bore with solvent until clean again.
Here's the deal, my first 5 shots when I first get to the range after a thorough cleaning at the house the night before are pretty accurate. It will hold a 1.5" to 2" group on the bulls eye and I am very pleased with this initial accuracy. The issue is that as I continue to shoot more than 5 shots, even after removing the plug and giving it a thorough field cleaning, the accuracy starts to seriously deteriorate. Shots start climbing high and right. I don't expect this thing to shoot like my centerfire rifles, but I would like to know if I am doing something wrong and causing it to lose accuracy when I get up in the shot count.
After how many shots do you guys remove the plug and swab your guns out with solvent? What do you swab the bore with between shots? Is there anything that I should be doing in addition to the things I am doing now?
Any advice is very much appreciated.
just keep it clean
12-09-2009, 10:17 AM
#26
Spike
Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 86
If you are useing powerbelts only go 80 grains. If a sabot then two pellets is plenty. Don't get hung up in the 150 grain 200yd or more shooting. 100 grains takes you out more than enough distance unless you are out west and not a tree in sight.
12-09-2009, 05:43 PM
#27
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Northern Chautauqua Co. N.Y.
Posts: 2,976
It seems as if the 150gr's of pellets is too much and they may not be being burned completely during firing causing excessive build up and fouling causing the accuracy problems. As mentioned get some loose powder and start at 90 and work up in 5 gr incriments untill you find you MLers sweet spot, usually between 90-110 grs, possibly lower than 90gr's but I like at least 90. As for Bore Butter, I have used it for a Barrel Protectant with great success, I dont use it for swabbing, windex patches for swabbing. Also try not to (overclean) your bore while shooting, I found that a slightly fouled bore holds much tighter groups than a cleaner one.
The next time you go to shoot try a shot with your clean barrel and see where it goes, dont swab the bore and shoot two or three more shots and see where theese go. See wich ones are a better group. Try this a few times.
(BP)
The next time you go to shoot try a shot with your clean barrel and see where it goes, dont swab the bore and shoot two or three more shots and see where theese go. See wich ones are a better group. Try this a few times.
(BP)
