Round ball sight in trajectory ?

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kyron4

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I got my Traditions Deerhunter (24" barrel ) out today for the first time to do an initial sight in . I plan to use it on deer this fall at ranges between 25yds and 75 yds using iron sights. I'm using Hornady lead round ball with 70 gr. Geox ffg . I got it zeroed about dead on at 25 yds. before the rain moved in and only got 2 shots off at 50 yds. One went a little high the other a little low. Likely a combination of me rushing the shot, heavy trigger pull and dirty bore. Anyway in your experience if zeroed at 25 will it still be close to zero at 50 and a little low at 75 ? I'm running out of caps and can't shoot to much more till get more. So any input ?

Also, what kind of accuracy should I expect at 50 yds with the open sights ? Made a snowman with 3 shot 25 yds. group off the bench. -Thanks
 
My experience has been to sight it about 1.5" high at 25 yards to be close to dead on at 50 yards and about 2" low at 75 yards using the 70 grain charge of 3f. 85 grains of 2f will be about 1/2" high at 50 and 1" low at 75. Depending on the twist rate of your rifle, an general rule is that slow twist rifles shoot patched ball best with more powder, while fast twist rifles shoot patched ball best with lower powder charges. Your mileage may vary.
 
You need more range time, each barrel is an individual that will shoot its best with a particular load. This takes some effort to get to but if you want it live up to its full potential it needs to be done. Start with 50 grains of powder, assuming this is a .50, shoot a 3 shot group, increase powder by 5 grains, shoot another group, repeat until you have the tightest group. I will generally start at 35 yards. Once the accuracy load is found keep going until the group starts to open up, this is the maximum accurate load. My .50s seem to like 65 grains for accuracy with one exception, a double rifle I have wants 65 in the right and 75 in the left. Once the accuracy loads are found then proceed with sighting for distance.
 
If you are low on caps, and are not real persnicky about accuracy, just keeping them on a paper plate at 75 will get your deer. So yeah, kind of as stated above, I'd put a paper plate up at 75, and make sure you can keep all your shots on the plate. Having said that, we should strive for better than that.

I hope you are not saying the gun was dirty before you started shooting. ?? Okay no you meant dirty from zeroing in at 25. But that brings up the issue of "where does the first shot, from a cold clean barrel go"? I've found I can emulate a clean barrel by just wiping very well between shots, not cleaning it as you would to put it away, or call it "clean". Four or five (six?) patches should do it, and it's worth the effort. That will give you a "cool" barrel, if not cold.

Well good luck.
 
Good info.

It's a 50 cal. with 1:48 twist. Going to try to get back out Saturday and get some more lead downrange,
 
Jackrabbit1957 said:
You need more range time, each barrel is an individual that will shoot its best with a particular load. This takes some effort to get to but if you want it live up to its full potential it needs to be done. Start with 50 grains of powder, assuming this is a .50, shoot a 3 shot group, increase powder by 5 grains, shoot another group, repeat until you have the tightest group. I will generally start at 35 yards. Once the accuracy load is found keep going until the group starts to open up, this is the maximum accurate load. My .50s seem to like 65 grains for accuracy with one exception, a double rifle I have wants 65 in the right and 75 in the left. Once the accuracy loads are found then proceed with sighting for distance.
Click to expand...

My approach is very similar - get a tight group at 25, or 35 if you're inclined. But don't stop when you find a group at that first range - continue on, because you'll see the group move and as stated above start to open up. Pick the best group, use that powder charge, then adjust your sights to bring that group to your desired zero point. Me, I zero at 25 and find that I am very close at 100, at least with the rifles I have. But it is a methodical approach, plan to spend a while.

My T/C Hawken (1:48) likes 80 grains maximum. My Sharon barrel in my scratch built rifle prefers 120.
YMMV
 
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