Accuracy Issues

[TKhuntsman]

Well I've got a pedersoli Hawken hunter in 54 cal that has always been a 2-2.5" at 100 yard gun. My sights are not stock the big ghost ring just wasn't doing well and the front was just to large so it has a Lee Shaver Globe and a Lyman 57SML tang peep. Anyway I was out today and I haven't changed anything with my load, it wasn't windy, and the weather was perfect, but the gun wouldn't shoot better than an 8" group from a bench with bags. I checked everything sights, lock, barrel, and stock nothing was amiss. I can not explain or figure out why it all fell apart today anybody have any thoughts or advice on what I might be missing.

 

[Britsmoothy]

What are the patches like after shooting? Hold them up to the light, is there any holes in them?

 

[TKhuntsman]

No holes ball seat looks good I did find one that had a rough spot along one of the rifling but it didn't tear through. I'm using .18 pillow ticking and .530 round ball I've tried .535 in the past but the bore was to tight even with .10 patch. I've been shooting the same load without issue for the whole year so far. I have a conical load that I shoot in that gun also it's a 485 grn no excuses with a lubed felt over powder wad and 85 grns of ff it also would not shoot worth a flip.I can't explain it I've run a light and scope down the bore it's clean and smooth as glass no rust or pits. Again it was on a bench and bags so that should take some of the human error out I wasn't flintchy. I just don't know. I've broken it down and cleaned it spotless I guess I will go up again in a couple of days and try again might switch my powder keep same size and load but use a new unopened can. Maybe I've had some damage from humidity Idk.

 

[ETipp]

What patch lube are you using?

Is the temperature any different from the last time you shot that ML?

 

[dave951]

Load data? What type and brand of powder and cap?

 

[waksupi]

I've had rifles go sour for no reason. I just kept shooting them, and eventually they came back. If your nipple has erosion, that can cause poor accuracy. Very likely since you were shooting heavy conicals. Try a new one.

 

[LME]

Well I've got a pedersoli Hawken hunter in 54 cal that has always been a 2-2.5" at 100 yard gun. My sights are not stock the big ghost ring just wasn't doing well and the front was just to large so it has a Lee Shaver Globe and a Lyman 57SML tang peep. Anyway I was out today and I haven't changed anything with my load, it wasn't windy, and the weather was perfect, but the gun wouldn't shoot better than an 8" group from a bench with bags. I checked everything sights, lock, barrel, and stock nothing was amiss. I can not explain or figure out why it all fell apart today anybody have any thoughts or advice on what I might be missing.

Very few people shoot as well as you. A 2.5 inch group at a 100 yards is next to perfect. That being said I would think you are having an off day? Try again another day using your pet load. Check everything to be sure you haven't made a mistake with your loading procedure. I would start with checking the sights they may need tightening?

 

[chorizo]

I found switching from a old can of powder to a new can of powder makes a difference, at least in Triple 7.

If nothing else has changed but time passing, I would, as you may be already thinking, that your powder is compromised and you are seeing the negative result.

 

[ETipp]

I found switching from a old can of powder to a new can of powder makes a difference, at least in Triple 7.

If nothing else has changed but time passing, I would, as you may be already thinking, that your powder is compromised and you are seeing the negative result.

Indeed. That would be one of my suspicions as well.

Also, caps, install new nipple, and recheck the barrel wedges.

 

[TKhuntsman]

What patch lube are you using?

Is the temperature any different from the last time you shot that ML?

Patch lube is wonderlube store bought. I haven't gotten into making my own yet. Temps were similar probably if anything 5-7 degrees cooler but still in the 80s.

 

[TKhuntsman]

Load data? What type and brand of powder and cap?

Sheutzen 2F 85 grns 485 grn no excuses conical lubed felt wad over the powder. The PRB load is 80 grns. of the same I use a .10 45 cal patch over powder and a .18 pillow ticking patch lubed with wonderlube and a 530 round ball. Rifle is a fast twist 1-24 28" barrel and I use CCI #11 magnum caps. Surprisingly it shoots PRB as well as it does conical. Again Ive shot both loads for over a year through it and it's always been a shooter until yesterday. The sights were all tight and no changes have been made. I tend to agree that it must have been me but I didn't feel like I was flinching or jerking the trigger no hangfires or delays in the shots. I'm going to go up again today and instead of starting with that rifle I'm going to shoot my 50 cal Mtn. Rifle fist might even shoot the 36 cal TC and see before I start in on the big gun again.

 

[dave951]

Sheutzen 2F 85 grns 485 grn no excuses conical lubed felt wad over the powder. The PRB load is 80 grns. of the same I use a .10 45 cal patch over powder and a .18 pillow ticking patch lubed with wonderlube and a 530 round ball. Rifle is a fast twist 1-24 28" barrel and I use CCI #11 magnum caps. Surprisingly it shoots PRB as well as it does conical. Again Ive shot both loads for over a year through it and it's always been a shooter until yesterday. The sights were all tight and no changes have been made. I tend to agree that it must have been me but I didn't feel like I was flinching or jerking the trigger no hangfires or delays in the shots. I'm going to go up again today and instead of starting with that rifle I'm going to shoot my 50 cal Mtn. Rifle fist might even shoot the 36 cal TC and see before I start in on the big gun again.

Thanks for the load data. I tend to think it isn't the powder or cap at this point. I have seen similar things happen with no explanation and go away just as fast. That leads me to think something environmental or in the guy on the trigger. At this point, I wouldn't change anything until you make a couple more range visits with the same results.

 

[TKhuntsman]

Thanks to everyone for the advice I am headed to the range now. Will shoot a couple of other rifles first to work out the kinks and then try again with the 54, but I've got a new can of powder same size and brand just unopened.

 

[dave951]

Thanks to everyone for the advice I am headed to the range now. Will shoot a couple of other rifles first to work out the kinks and then try again with the 54, but I've got a new can of powder same size and brand just unopened.

FWIW, I've never had a problem with any real black powder going "off" to any serious degree.

 

[Grenadier1758]

Any possibility of leading of the bore from the conical bullet?

 

[chorizo]

Thanks to everyone for the advice I am headed to the range now. Will shoot a couple of other rifles first to work out the kinks and then try again with the 54, but I've got a new can of powder same size and brand just unopened.

And?????

 

[TKhuntsman]

Ok back from the range so the 54 shot well it wasn't quite as accurate as it was last week I probably got a 3.5 7 shot group at 100 with PRB which is more than acceptable in my world. I made no adjustments other than a new can of powder. The group with my conicals was about 5-6" so still not great but improved I only shot 4 rounds of that.shot 1 and 4 were high right of bull almost touching shot 2 bottom of bull well centered and **** 3 was low left. No leading from the conicals they are all lubed and I'm super meticulous when I clean my guns and this one in particular even though it's fast twist has never fired plastic. I ran out of time to do more had to get some work done on a Monday.

 

[TKhuntsman]

It's getting closer to my first hunt of the year and I think I'm going to make some changes on my conical load. Probably going to try 1 heavier and 1 lighter and will start to work on the powder charge some. I enjoy the game of working up loads and shooting a lot. I'm not going to mess with the PRB I'm happy with it and if I can't get a conical load to my standards it will kill anything I've got tags for this year.

 

[morehops52]

I've had days like that and it truly pi$$e$ me off to no end. You know you have an excellent shooting rifle that just won't perform no matter what. Go out to the range a month or two later and back to normal. Range gremlins I think.

 

[kyron4]

I've had days like that and it truly pi$$e$ me off to no end. You know you have an excellent shooting rifle that just won't perform no matter what. Go out to the range a month or two later and back to normal. Range gremlins I think.

Nothing I hate more than range gremlins