I am currently helping a local gunsmith with load development on smokeless muzzleloaders that he's currently making. (by the way they are amazing) he's using top of the line components with his builds like krieger barrels and jewel triggers all on trued remington 700 actions. His specialty is a 22-24" fluted barrel in an ultralight stock. All of these guns with 72-73.5 grs of 4198 have a muzzle velocity of around 2800 fps with a 275 gr parker muzzleloader bullet. Some of them like 72 some up to 74 grs but they are pretty consistent. We are putting huskemaw optics on The majority of them and have really good luck. We shoot them at 100 and then verify the drop by shooting them at 500 yards. All velocities are confirmed with an oeheler 35. Here is my question. We shot 4 different ones the other day and all had a velocity within 20 fps and 3 shot at 500 yards with 12 moa clicked in the scope. One gun needed 16moa to get close to the target. (huskemaw scopes are 1/3 moa clicks that's why I didn't want to confuse someone by saying it took 36 clicks vs 48 for 500 yards.) We changed scopes with a proven scope and same results. @ 100 yds the scopes track perfectly. All of the bullets are the same and velocities are very close. Extreme spread is 7 fps on the worst muzzleloader we have tested. Does anyone have any ideas? We are stumped. Oh shooting conditions were very mild with less than 5 mph wind .
I have a very odd situation/ question
- Thread starter antitactical
- Start date
My first thought is the indexing of the bbl's. The one indexed down enough to need the extra elevation at distance.
I'll 2nd Froggy's theory on indexing of the bbls. While most of the barrels I've chambered since I started using Gordy's method of dialing them in have had .020" or less runout at the muzzle after the chamber portion of the breech was dialed in, some have been more extreme - like over .050".
The indexing idea is a thought. The bullets are swaged to the diameter of the barrels. They are shot with no sabot. I know that no 2 barrels are alike but if the velocity is the same with the same bullet ???? I am not very computer smart and havent figured out how to post pics. These muzzleloaders are really interesting. I have one with a 30" barrel and i shoot a 300 gr parker match hunter @2820 fps with 73 grs of 4198 ignited by a fed mag primer. It will shoot in the low .1s at 100 and I can regularly shoot sub 2" 3shot groups at 500yds and its completely legal in virginia's muzzleloader season.
Aren't we losing the point of muzzleloaders. The rules started out as "primitive weapons". The original intent was to hunt the way it was done 200 + years ago. And as far as I know, Oregon still addresses muzzleloaders as primitive weapons.
I don't think your muzzleloaders would qualify as "primitive".
Rant over. Thanks.
I don't think your muzzleloaders would qualify as "primitive".
Rant over. Thanks.
:I tend to think that this is the only logical answer. If your velocity is the same with all the rifles and they are all sighted in the same there are only a couple of things that can cause what you are seeing. One is BC of the projectile which you said is not the problem. Another is a difference in the mounting system of the scope. I would change the mounts from one gun to another and see if that sheds any light on the subject.CJ6 said:
Erik Cortina
Team Lapua Brux Borden Captain
Reticle or scope canting will cause a scope to need more elevation to reach target.
tunered said:
+1
mshelton
I've seen them and they do shoot extremely well, the limiting factor on them is the bullet (and not really that limiting)
If you break it down and think about it, then there is no reason they should shoot worse than a regular rifle and in fact should shoot better. How much time do benchrest shooters spend on brass prep, weighing and sorting brass, length trimming, neck turning, that along with seating depth, primer seating, etc, etc... All of that is out the window and doesn't matter any more, there is no brass to be inconsistent, the powder chamber is the barrel itself and will not change, so a huge source of inaccuracy is eliminated.
If you break it down and think about it, then there is no reason they should shoot worse than a regular rifle and in fact should shoot better. How much time do benchrest shooters spend on brass prep, weighing and sorting brass, length trimming, neck turning, that along with seating depth, primer seating, etc, etc... All of that is out the window and doesn't matter any more, there is no brass to be inconsistent, the powder chamber is the barrel itself and will not change, so a huge source of inaccuracy is eliminated.
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