Cant get it right


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I have been muzzloading for about 3 years now but I dont hit it alot just a couple times a year.

Well I have a CVA optima and I can get this thing to site in. I can get as close as shooting a 8 in group at 70yds maybe a little better. When I think I have it shooting a good group and the next day shoot it its off. I have tried about 3 diffrent kinds of bullits and 2 diffrent kinds of powders and diffrent combinations.

I clean after every shot its shoot good after it shoots the third round out then slowly gets more off. I have had a TC that I had with the same issue. Also have used lubrications. I have missed two deer so far with it all under 70yds. I would like to replace the shotgun for it but cant get it right.

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Re: Cant get it right

Actually, it could be a few different things. Like all shooting the key to accuracy is consistancy. You have to throw the charge the same way every time. This is what makes pellets so appealing to some is its the same charge every time. You can learn to throw the same charge everytime but it takes practice. I now weigh my charges on a scale. Weight to volume is not a one for one but it can be done safely and my groups shrunk a lot. I throw three charges with my desired amount by volume and weigh each one. I take the average weight and make each of them that amount.

Seat the bullet the same each time. As a range safety officer, I have seen all kinds of methods of seating the bullets. Some slam the ramrod down on the seated bullets to "pack the powder". They wonder why they get big groups. All that does is deform the bullets tip and ogive. Seat the bullet firmly but gently on the powder. Once it is sitting on top of the charge, it is good to go.

Ignition source. Maybe you should try a different primer. I hate the 209 ignition source. I have converted all of my blackpowder guns to use either musket caps or small pistol primers. I only use 209 primers in my Savage for smokeless powder.

Maybe a new bullet choice. I know you said you tried some different combinations, but it could be that. I like the theory behind the powerbelts. I like how easy they are to load, but none of my guns shoot them well enough for me to use them. I had a heck of a time finding a good bullet/load combo in my Knight Disc Elite in .50 cal. I tried 6 different bullets before I found one that shot good enough to use.

Stick with it and keep on testing. Range time is always good. You will have a lot of time before the season to wring it out and find a good working combination.

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Re: Cant get it right

[ QUOTE ]

AJ...why don't you like the 209 primer style of ignition ??

[/ QUOTE ]

I was wondering the same thing?

As far as the sighting in problem..are you sure its not your scope? I have the same gun and have had no problems sighting it in and have only missed one deer so far, but that was my fault. I'm not trying to offend you or anything, but it could either be you or the scope. Are you using a solid rest, and is your scope on tight? Just a few things to think about if you hadn't already.

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Re: Cant get it right

Way too strong for black powder, Pyrodex, Triple 7 and all of the other similar powders. The 209 primer creates too much soot in the barrel also. When I have switched to the musket caps or the small pistol primers, the cleanliness of the barrel is much better, the velocity did not go down, and the groups shrunk.

When I first started using the Precision Rifle bullets I could not get them to group inside 4" at 100 yards. I called and telked iwth Cecil on a few occasions trying to figure out the problems. He got me to swab between shots and while that helped a little, it was still giving me huge groups. Cecil finally asked me which ignition source I was using and when I mentioned the 209, the light went on. I switched to musket caps and the groups dropped to under 1" only by changing the ignition source.

In all of the inlines I have played with which include T/C Black Diamond, Rem 700 ML, custom barreled Rem 700 ML, 3 different Knight DISC Elites, Knight Wolverine, and my T/C Encore handgun, all have shot better since I have moved away from the 209 primers.

I now use the musket caps in my Rem 700 MLs and the T/C Black Diamond, and I have switched the Encore to use small pistol primers in a breechplug modified to use .25 ACP cases. My Knight's that have DISC systems use a Vari Flame adapter that allows the use of small pistol primers.

The 209 primer may give an occasional good group, but consistant every time groups are what I demand. I would rather have consistant 2" groups rather than occasional 1" groups.

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Re: Cant get it right

Ive used Horndy,round balls,powerbelts. The best so far that I have had luck with is the powerbelts hollow points and the round balls. But im sure some of it has to do with the the bullit get a little spots when putting it in. I use the triple 7 becouse its cleaner. I do have the other breach plug to shoot caps and the caps becouse thats what I shot with. Thanks for all this info.

Also I have check the scope and this happens even when I shoot open sited.

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Re: Cant get it right

If you want to use the 209 primers you can try the New Triple Se7en® Muzzle Loading Primer that Winchester has out. It is different than their standard W209 primer. It is supposed to be redesigned for use specifically in muzzleloaders. They do say not for use in shotshell reloading. It's supposed to cut the crud that is left behind. Maybe, we'll see.

You can always use the Vari Flame Adapters that will work with your breechplug. They use small pistol or rifle primers instead of the 209 primers.

Both of these will require no configuration changes to your rifle.

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Re: Cant get it right

[ QUOTE ]

As far as the sighting in problem..are you sure its not your scope?

[/ QUOTE ]

That's exactly what I was thinking. I've got a 25-06 that I spent over $100 trying to sight in. The cross hairs were moving and the rail was bent, so I put a new scope and scope rail on it. After mounting the scope and sighting it in by looking down the barrel, I had it sighted in with 3 shots.

Before I did this, I couldn't hit a pie plate at 25 yards. Now it shoots 1" group at 150 yards.

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