ml load question

[Guest tyshe17]

Ok so here is the deal. Muzzelloader opens up in TN this saturday. My little brother called me today seeing if he could still borrow a gun from my buddy to take to the woods. Turns out my buddys dad is going to hunt, so Patrick is going to take my muzzelloader and I am going to take the bow out one more time (am excited abotu this cuz I have a bow stand set up that I havent hunted yet). He is not 15 yet, and I load my encore wtih 110 grains of 777. I am thinking about bumping the load down to 80 or 90 grains to reduce recoil. I know this is plenty for a deer. However what will it due to accuracy. Right now mine is set 2 inches high at 100. I dont think this change should make any noticible (as far as a kill shot) difference on ranges inside of 100 yds which is all he will get anyways. Just wondering what yall think. By the way, this muzzelloader has grouped well with every load I have ever put in it so it isnt really picky.

[AJ]

Re: ml load question

Personally, I have no compasion for those that wait till the week the season starts to get a new gun, want to change something drastically, or whatever, and have problems.

The 100 grain charges are not that bad. Heck I shot them in my ML handgun. You can take him to the range ane see if it kicks too much and work on reducing a load and zeroing it with that load. You still have 4 days.

[Guest tyshe17]

Re: ml load question

Well, maybe I didnt make it clear in my post what the situation is. Ill break it down a little bit more, and maybe you can help me figure out what my best option is.

1) I am 21 years old and go to college at Emory in Atlanta. I have a 15 year old younger brother who has gotten into deer hunting in the last 2 years and whom I love to go to the woods with.

2) I had made plans over the summer for my brother to use my buddy's old muzzelloader this weekend. However, things change. His dad is going hunting at our hunting camp (which he usually doesnt do) because one of the old tymers has altimers real bad, and this will more than likely be his last trip down there.

3) So my brother is without a muzzelloader, bow, or crossbow that he has ever shot before.

Now as has been pointed out, there are 4 days left before the weekend. However, working up a new load is not feasible because of the following reasons.

1) I am in Atlanta and work 10 hours a week, take 16 hours of classes, and have a position in my fraternity. Adding all that up I cant make ends meet on a 4 hour drive one way to go to nashville to work up a new load.

What if my parents took him?

well that doesnt work, because I am the only one that hunts. I got into this by myself, and luckyly patrick is now taking to it. My parents or him wouldnt know what to do

Maybe they could go to the range, and I could talk them through it on the phone?

No that doesnt work for multiple reasons.

1) it is not safe

2) my mom got shingles 2 days ago so she cant go

3) my dad is in a one year masters program at UPenn and doesnt have to time between doing that and a full time job.

Now, maybe I have overlooked a viable option. However I dont feel i have. I know my brother I know the gun, and I am not going to have him get a weatherby kiss bc of me. I am not some slacker that does everything right before season. I had my load, stands, and sights set before I came to school but things have changed.

so here is the question: Do you think yall could possibly find enough "compasion" to tell me what changes it would make if I dropped the charge 20-30 grains?

[AJ]

Re: ml load question

The velocity will drop, how muych depends on the barrel, sabot, and conditions. I don't have a crystal ball to say what a gun will do having never seen a group from it or a velocity reading, etc. I understand that you want to help your little brother get out hunting and that you are a caring big brother keeping him from the nasty introduction of the eye piece.

Honestly I can not say how much the POI will change going down 20-30 grains. Or even what the groups will do. It should shoot high. You mentioned you are shooting 2" high at 100 yards already. Droping 20-30 grains should raise it up another 2" give or take. Like I said, you will have to shoot the gun with the new load to be sure.

I would think a 15 year old should be able to shoot the 110 gr load. Unless he is a little guy for his age, he should be able to handle it. Worst case scenario is he gets thumped while shooting at a deer. He really won't notice it that much when there is a critter in the scope.

[ZooBear]

Re: ml load question

[ QUOTE ]

. It should shoot high. You mentioned you are shooting 2" high at 100 yards already. Droping 20-30 grains should raise it up another 2" give or take. Like I said, you will have to shoot the gun with the new load to be sure.

[/ QUOTE ]

I think it will shoot low if you drop the powder charge.

I agree with AJ that leaving it as is would be your best option at this point. He only has to shoot it once.

Good luck!

[EKYhunter]

Re: ml load question

Why change anything? Heck 110 grains won't have much recoil at all and if he shoots a deer he won't feel it anyway. Also, don't fix it if it aint broke! I mean some muzzle loaders can be very finicky about what load they like. Why take a chance if it's already shooting good?

I do understand what AJ means about waiting until the last minute. Go to Wal-Mart here where I live the night before rifle opener. The idiots are lined up at the counter buying the cheapest ammo they can get, even buying scopes! Makes me sick.

[Guest rutnroy]

Re: ml load question

you have to remember that 777 is hotter than pyrodex,so 110 gr's would probably be like shooting about 130 gr's of pyrodex. would this be correct?

[DannoBoone1]

Re: ml load question

If you were punching paper at the range, it would be a

good idea to lower the charge...........but add adrenelin

while aiming at a deer, and he won't notice the thump. It

ain't worth chancing changing the POI. It may not just

drop, but shoot to the left or right, also. Good luck!