In-line muzzle loader with scope- what distance to zero?

[FL-NC]

I'm still pretty new to hunting with a ML. 2 seasons, and 2 deer. I previously have been zeroing at 50 yards, and fire a couple at 100 to kind of figure out the hold-off. Last year my deer was at 100 yards, the season before at about 25. This is typical of the minimum and max ranges I expect to be shooting at deer where I hunt. Should I stick with the method I am using now, or push it to 75 yards? I have heard of some folks doing that. I have a traditions in-line break open .50. I use 100 grains (2 pellets) of triple-7, and Hornady 250 grain SST sabot projectiles.

 

[WestKentucky]

I zeroed my .50 rifles at 100yds. They always shot the same buffalo bullet seated over 2 50gr pyrodex pellets. Not a whole lot of difference inside of 100 yds, but after 100 you started to really see drop pretty quickly. I hunted fields and open woods. If I were hunting thicker woods I would skip the scope and just shoot irons.

 

[wombat13]

I haven't hunted with my ML in a couple of years. I think I zeroed 2" high at 75. Agree with above regarding trajectory. It is very much like that of a saboted shotgun slug. Not too bad inside of 100 yards, but starts dropping like a rock beyond 125 or so.

 

[readyeddy]

I’m about 1” high at 100. I think it’s a 130 yard zero about 4” low at 175 yards.

 

[Arkansas Paul]

I set mine for 2" high at 100 yds.

I shoot 295 grain Powerbelts and 80 grains of loose Pyrodex.

I shot this deer at 175 yards. I aimed a little high thinking it would drop, but the bullet took her right where the cross hairs were resting.
I was in a 14' stand and she was down in a draw, so it was a pretty steep downhill shot. I consider myself lucky on this one.

 

[Daveboone]

I hunt pretty exclusively woods, where a 75 yard shot is long and 100 yards almost unheard of. 50 and less common. I sight dead on for fifty, and put a shot or two at 75 to know what it does. Generally once sighted I am good for most anything I will every have in range from 25-75. Alot of folks sight for longer distances than they will ever shoot for and I never understood that.

 

[Ernie Bass]

I hunt pretty exclusively woods, where a 75 yard shot is long and 100 yards almost unheard of. 50 and less common. I sight dead on for fifty, and put a shot or two at 75 to know what it does. Generally once sighted I am good for most anything I will every have in range from 25-75. Alot of folks sight for longer distances than they will ever shoot for and I never understood that.

I am also new to ML Have hunted Deer for decades where shotguns are the only weapons other than ML season. So My shooting has actually been 25 yds to 50 yds. I cannot recall the many deer I have shot going more than 40 yds at the most. So I would guess it depend on the individual. Yes, I will hit the 100 yd range in the future as my shooting MZ loaders will be for target shooting and just the enjoyment that comes from them more so than hunting. Not to mention, my shooting club only has long range bern at 100 yds.

 

[wombat13]

Agree with DaveBoone. IMHO, the trajectory on the ML is too steep beyond 125 yards, plus 95% of my shot opportunities will be inside of 100 yards. So no need to worry about zero beyond that. It’s been a few years since I hunted and checked my zero, but IIRC, +2” at 75 means that my bullet is within +/-2” POA from the mUzbek to Beyoncé 100.

 

[stringnut]

I sight in about 2 inches high at 75 yards. Using 295 Powerbelt and 100 grs Blackhorn 209. Why 75 yards? Because that is the max distance of my range in the back yard. If I have a chance to shoot it at my hunting property I shoot at 100. 2 inches high at 75 yards is dead on at 100 with my particular setup. Couple inches low at 125 yards. Hold dead on from the end of the barrel to 125 yards.

There is just no making up for the slow speed and horrible ballistic coefficient of that Powerbelt bullet . I have no interest in trying to make a muzzleloader into a long range wonder.

 

[T.R.]

I zero my rifle for 75 yards. Simmons 2X-7X scope.
- 110 grs. Triple 7
- Harvester sabot
- 270 grain Speer bullet (.429)

TR

 

[wombat13]

Agree with DaveBoone. IMHO, the trajectory on the ML is too steep beyond 125 yards, plus 95% of my shot opportunities will be inside of 100 yards. So no need to worry about zero beyond that. It’s been a few years since I hunted and checked my zero, but IIRC, +2” at 75 means that my bullet is within +/-2” POA from the mUzbek to Beyoncé 100.

I have no idea what "mUzbek to Beyoncé 100" means. It should read from the muzzle to beyond 100 yards.

 

[Arkansas Paul]

I hunt pretty exclusively woods, where a 75 yard shot is long and 100 yards almost unheard of.

Totally different situation than mine. We hunt a variety of locations. Some are like you describe, but others are clearcuts where you can see well past the range of a muzzleloader.

In your situation, I would set the scope dead on at the longest distance you expect a shot. That would make it a dead deer anywhere from the muzzle, to 75 yards.

 

[entropy]

I zeroed my Hawken at 100, and I'm glad I did. I shot a big fat WI doe at 125 yards with it, and held a little higher than normal, it hit above the aorta (my target on deer) by a couple inches, the double lung shot didn't drop her on the spot, but she only staggered about 20 yards, then laid down. Finished her off with the 1100 with slugs that was my backup gun. Ironically, that's the longest I've shot a deer at.

 

[sage5907]

Agree with DaveBoone. IMHO, the trajectory on the ML is too steep beyond 125 yards, plus 95% of my shot opportunities will be inside of 100 yards. So no need to worry about zero beyond that..

I use 430 grain super slugs in my White Super 91 with 105 grains of FFg. I sight the rifle to hit dead on at 100 yards and shoot for the upper third of the body at 120 yards. I have never been satisfied with black powder substitutes so I continue to use black powder. I used to calculate the trajectory at longer ranges and even carried a second scope zeroed for 140 yards with quick change mounts but gave up on this effort. I have taken really big bucks the past two years and I will try for a repeat this year.

 

[Aim1]

I think I sighted my scoped T/C Encore for 100 yards.

I will say I switched to Blackhorn 209 powder and it's awesome.

Cleaning my muzzleloader is so much easier now, just like a regular gun. You can use any normal gun oil/cleaner that you use on regular guns, you no longer need hot water, muzzleloader foam, or specialty muzzleloader cleaner. I do use Blackhorns brand cleaner though.

I use 2 wet patches and then 2 dry patches.

 

[Howland937]

Years ago, when "magnum" loads for ML were 150gr instead of 100, or 3 pyrodex pellets (I used 777 instead) I zeroed my TC Black Diamond at 100 yards with 3 pellets. With 2 pellets there was no real difference in POI at 100 yards. 3 pellets at 200 yards was about 3 inches low, and with 2 pellets, about 8 inches low. At 50 and 75 yards, it was less than an inch high whether 2 pellets or 3. I used the TC 250gr Shockwaves IIRC. Shot 5 deer with it. 3 inside of 100 yards, one at 127 yards and one at 188 yards. None moved from where they were standing.

 

[Hookeye]

I had a #11 ignition Knight Wolverine.
100gr FFg and a 240 gr JHP in sabot.
4x scope.

Deer killin machine, 50-150 yards.
Almost cheating really.

Dead on at 75 and learn holds out to 150.

 

[wombat13]

Years ago, when "magnum" loads for ML were 150gr instead of 100, or 3 pyrodex pellets (I used 777 instead) I zeroed my TC Black Diamond at 100 yards with 3 pellets. With 2 pellets there was no real difference in POI at 100 yards. 3 pellets at 200 yards was about 3 inches low, and with 2 pellets, about 8 inches low. At 50 and 75 yards, it was less than an inch high whether 2 pellets or 3. I used the TC 250gr Shockwaves IIRC. Shot 5 deer with it. 3 inside of 100 yards, one at 127 yards and one at 188 yards. None moved from where they were standing.

The manual for my CVA Accura lists 3 pellets (150gr) of 777 as acceptable, but only 100 gr. of powder. I tried 3 pellets, but the accuracy suffered a bit. Still acceptable, but it would shoot "almost" clover leafs with two pellets (and Barnes MZ Expanders) and 1.5" groups with three pellets.

 

[david58]

I thought these newfangled MLs could shoot a 1" group at 250 yards, and were good for killin' beyond that!

I have hunted with Muzzleloaders since 1990, in all cases traditional with patched round ball. I consider 100 yards a long shot, but then my eyes are not as good as they once were and I don't enjoy following blood trails. With these fancy sabots, you don't shoot as heavy a bullet as one might (240 gr v 300+), but the arc is still pretty much a rainbow. And with a stack of powder in there, not real pleasant to shoot (but these new things have recoil pads and all that). I load for 0 at 100 yards, and with my hunting loads I am good for anything up to that. But at my age, I might change that sight-in to 75 yards, much as I hate to admit it.

 

[Howland937]

I thought these newfangled MLs could shoot a 1" group at 250 yards, and were good for killin' beyond that

I don't know about all of them, but I kept using the TC Black Diamond I had for years, even though it was harder to clean than the newer one...mostly because it was as accurate (or more accurate) than some of the larger bore rifles I had. Now we're allowed straight wall rifle calibers, but if I have time to hunt during gun season, I just use an old smooth bore 870 Wingmaster with open sights.

 

[Captcurt]

I ordered a 45 cal. CVA Paramount for friend along with the special 285 gr long range bullets. We made it to the farm and lobbed some out to 400 yards. It was an eye opener. I think that he was loading 120 grs. of Blackhorn and sighted in at 200 yards. I honestly believe that he could take a deer out to 300 yards when a good rest was available. 400 would be a maybe, but neither of us would attempt it.

My own ML is a Ruger 77/50 that I bought back in the 90's. I load 90gr of Goex FF under a 300 gr XTP and sight it at 75 yards. I am good out to 125 yds. That is the cutoff. I passed two nice bucks one time that were feeding under an Oak that I guessed at 150 yards. I went back the next day and ranged it, 118 yards. I don't go out of the house anymore without my Laser rangefinder.