.50 cal Lyman Great Plains Bullet Zero

[chorizo]

One thing I did notice on the data sheet work up…it was for Swiss BP. I can take the same weight charge of Swiss and Goex in my 50 caliber longrifle, and the Swiss will have a 25 to 30 percent velocity increase over the Goex. That could make quite a difference.

Yes. I have even noticed a difference in cans of powder change. Not much, but some. I cannot comment on the differences in BP brands. As I have said I find it extremely accurate for TRIPLE SEVEN if you add 10% to velocity and pressure. That I have validated with at least a hundred of chronographed rounds.
Again, take the external ballistic chart and use it to validate the internal ballistic calculations. Add or subtract powder to give you matching sight in and various drops at ranges.
It takes some stubby pencil work, some meticulous records, and some chronograph work, but once you have a load worked up and know it's capabilities in your gun then you get to do this:

 

[azsixshooter]

I was at the Kenockee Trading Post about a month ago and Anson Morgan did mention to me that Swiss was hotter than Goex, but I didn't know it was that much more. From what he told me they have a different kind of wood in Europe that they use to make the charcoal for the powder with. I think he said they call it the Gunpowder Bush and that the limbs are about finger-diameter.

I'm going camping this weekend but hopefully I'll be able to make it to the range next week and see how my load compares in trajectory with the Goex compared to the ballistic table Chorizo gave me. I think his zeroing suggestion for this season will work great with what I have, but I will do my due diligence and test it out. It's so fun burning coal, I'm really glad I finally got into traditional black powder!

 

[azsixshooter]

I got to the range tonight and shot about a dozen of the 385 grain Lyman Great Plains bullets. I was shooting at 100 yards and started out hitting way low and right. By the time I got zeroed in on the bullseye at 100 yards I fired a 3 shot group that went 1.75".

Unfortunately (or fortunately from my shoulder's perspective), I needed to check some .41 Mag handloads to be sure my pistol would be ready for deer season so I wasn't able to tweak in the zero to the recommended 75 yards.

If I get another chance to hit the range I have plenty of powder and bullets, it was daylight that I ran out of tonight. I'd like to at least shoot at 50 yards and see how high this load hits with the current 100 yard zero using 100 grains of FF Goex and CCI #11 caps.

I don't think I'll be going any hotter than this with these bullets, I really pounded myself shooting these today. I shot a lot of max load .41 Mags too. I definitely got my recoil fix for the day!

Now I need to shoot some deer and test these bullets/loads out! I was bowhunting this morning, but no luck yet.

 

[Christophero]

Depending on how big the bullseye is you are ready to hunt as it is now. If the bullseye is 2"-3" and the grouping is contained in the black the deer is perfectly dead at 75 yards as well as 125 yards. Especially with a 100 grain load.

Satisfying getting to this point, eh?

 

[azsixshooter]

Yes, I'm good to go for this season with the 100 yard zero. I reviewed the ballistic sheet chorizo posted earlier for the 100 yard zero and I should be about 2.2" high at 50 which is pretty good for my needs.

I did find a clearing when I was scouting for gun season on some state land where there is a corridor from an underground pipeline that would offer some longer shots. While I was there I saw a doe about 100 to 125 yards away staring at me. I was coming up over a rise and she was down in a lower area looking up. I got down and she couldn't really see me. I could have taken a great prone shot at her from there. I imagine with my 100 yard zero I could have aimed a little high and been right on the money.

I'll probably get up to the range and shoot another half dozen or so rounds to make sure my zero is staying put with these adjustable sights and to see how high I am at 50 yards.

 

[Christophero]

That 2.2" at 50 is exactly what I achieved with the TC Maxihunter conicals that weigh 355 grains. You are spot on with what you are doing. I truly expect that at 125 yards you won't need to elevate your sight picture much if any should you level off on a deer with what you are currently shooting. Check at the range, if it extends past 100 yards, but you should be successful with your rifle now.