Hitting Silhouette at 50, 100, 150, 175, and 200 yds

[terrydull]

Hello!

I'd like some advise on shooting silhouettes at know distances. I'll be using the same round ball, the same patch, and the same rifle (same sight picture) for the shoot. The only variables are the powder charge and the distance.

I'd like to have a center hold at each distance and only change the powder charge, but I'm not sure how to figure that out. I could just go spend the day at the range and use trail & error, but I was hoping someone on here might have a better idea?

Right now, I can hit the 10 ring with 50 g of 3F ... center hold ... and a 177 g cast lead patched round ball from the bench. I'd like some way to figure what load I should use at 100, 150, 175, and 200 while maintaining a center hold.

Thanks!

 

[Griz44Mag]

Hello!

I'd like some advise on shooting silhouettes at know distances. I'll be using the same round ball, the same patch, and the same rifle (same sight picture) for the shoot. The only variables are the powder charge and the distance.

I'd like to have a center hold at each distance and only change the powder charge, but I'm not sure how to figure that out. I could just go spend the day at the range and use trail & error, but I was hoping someone on here might have a better idea?

Right now, I can hit the 10 ring with 50 g of 3F ... center hold ... and a 177 g cast lead patched round ball from the bench. I'd like some way to figure what load I should use at 100, 150, 175, and 200 while maintaining a center hold.

Thanks!

In order to properly calculate that you need to know he muzzle velocity with each increasing powder charge.
Feed the data into a ballistics program like BALLISTICARC.
HOWEVER - It would be a lot more fun just heading tot he range and spending the day loading and shooting until you get it figured out.
Here is my set of measures for my hunting guns

 

[Tom A Hawk]

Hello!

I'd like some advise on shooting silhouettes at know distances. I'll be using the same round ball, the same patch, and the same rifle (same sight picture) for the shoot. The only variables are the powder charge and the distance.

I'd like to have a center hold at each distance and only change the powder charge, but I'm not sure how to figure that out. I could just go spend the day at the range and use trail & error, but I was hoping someone on here might have a better idea?

Right now, I can hit the 10 ring with 50 g of 3F ... center hold ... and a 177 g cast lead patched round ball from the bench. I'd like some way to figure what load I should use at 100, 150, 175, and 200 while maintaining a center hold.

Thanks!

I would approach this differently. For starters, a bit more powder would flatten trajectory. I shoot 100 grains in a .50 caliber and its pretty flat out to 125 yards. Second, I suggest maintaining a consistent powder charge and learn how to use front sight elevation. By raising the blade higher than the rear you can keep your sight picture in terms of front sight on target. With experience you will learn how much sight to hold up at the various distances.

 

[jdw276]

At friendship, that course of fire is the most humbling series to shoot and off hand on top of that. I asked for a refund in the office since i did not hit any so no damage was inflicted. Response was nope.

 

[User_Dan]

Here is my ballistic data. Drops are good, tough to deal with wind.

 

[Grenadier1758]

The silhouettes start to get tough to knock over after the groundhogs at 100 yards. At the least you will need 65 grains of powder to get the energy to topple the buffaloes, turkeys and bears. You are going to have a serious rainbow effect on those longer range targets. You will need to know your ball's trajectory for those ranges. Hold the sight at the hump of the buffalo, slightly above the neck of the turkey, but over the body. The bear gets the most drop, but being tall and relatively wide, I place the bottom of the front sight in the bottom of the rear notch and put the top of the front sight on the bear's ear. Center of silhouette is an interesting concept, but accounting for trajectory is the better practice.

 

[Frontier's]

yep even with my 80gr charge of 2fg, ram targets will not go over unless you hit the top of them. But you can still hear them splat when you do hit them center and they are still left standing.

 

[dave951]

I'd find the most accurate charge level and then learn to use the sights in a manner other than a traditional 6oclock hold.

 

[fleener]

you wont be able to do a center hold on all of the animals unless you raise your sights quite a bit to be on the 200 yard target, then start dropping your powder charge to hit the other targets.

I vary my powder charge based on the animals, then also keep a book with a drawing of what my sight picture should look like the farther out I go. For example, I think that my book tells me to aim at the bears head at 200 yards. Also the rifle that I shoot that with I have a two leaf flip up on the rear sight so that the further out you go, I can flip up the other leaf.

Also, if you are shooting the sil. animals at Friendship, dont over look the fact that you do not have to shoot the bear (200 yards) off hand. Most people do, but you can shoot them prone.

Fleener

 

[Art Caputo]

I calibrate off the height of the front blade{proud/high) out to 200 yards....25/50 yards, 6’o‘clock: 100 yards, center target on top of front blade, 100-200 yards with practice, I commit to memory the sight picture/ height of the blade in relationship to the target.....Kentucky Elevation.....after some practice, this has worked very well for me. Wind is handled the same way. Rifle: 50cal, 75gr, .490RB.

 

[gerryherd]

Been a lot of years since I shot silhouettes, but I in those days I shot a 50 cal Hawken, with a 50 gr charge for everything except the 200 yd bears. Crows at 50, hold on the center of the crow. For Groundhog @ 100 yds hold maybe even with the target's 'shoulders'. Buffalo at 150 yards I'd hold right at the top of the hump. Turkeys at 175 yards I'd hold low on the neck. For bears at 200 yds, I'd bump the powder charge to 80 grains and hold the base of the front sight even with the top of the rear sight, with the top of the rear sight level with the bear's belly. And for bears I'd usually shoot from a sitting position with my elbows braced on my knees. For the match, I'd typically score 15-18 hits out of 20. Depending on your barrel length and sight placement, what you need to use might be quite different from what I used, but the point is that at ranges greater than 150 yards the rainbow trajectory of the roundball is going to be a significant factor. Also, at known distances and knowing what sight picture to hold you can get pretty consistent hits. Cut yourself some silhouette targets out of cardboard and set them up with a big sheet of paper behind them so you can see where the balls are going.

 

[Grenadier1758]

One of the frustrating aspects of silhouette shooting is that the target must fall over. While the setup and design of the targets is for them to topple when hit with a 65 grain charge pushing a 45 caliber ball, there are instances where a center hit on a buffalo or bear will just get absorbed into the mass of the target and it stays on the stand. I have seen crows, groundhogs and turkeys spin on the stand and not fall. You hear the clink, and the target seems to disappear, but its still on the stand. No score.

 

[terrydull]

At friendship, that course of fire is the most humbling series to shoot and off hand on top of that. I asked for a refund in the office since i did not hit any so no damage was inflicted. Response was nope.

 

[terrydull]

The silhouettes start to get tough to knock over after the groundhogs at 100 yards. At the least you will need 65 grains of powder to get the energy to topple the buffaloes, turkeys and bears. You are going to have a serious rainbow effect on those longer range targets. You will need to know your ball's trajectory for those ranges. Hold the sight at the hump of the buffalo, slightly above the neck of the turkey, but over the body. The bear gets the most drop, but being tall and relatively wide, I place the bottom of the front sight in the bottom of the rear notch and put the top of the front sight on the bear's ear. Center of silhouette is an interesting concept, but accounting for trajectory is the better practice.

Can it be done with a 50 cal 177g ball?

 

[fleener]

I have not shot this game for a few years. Back when steel prices was low, and shop kids needed projects a shop teacher buddy of mine had the kids cut me out one of each of the animals. I have them hanging on my farm from chains.

My goal was to come to Friendship and shoot the match for the first time and win it.

A year or so ago I also had one of each of the animals made for the small bore sil. Got them hanging from steel rods that can be hammered into the ground.

I really should get out and shoot them both.

Fleener

 

[jdw276]

I knocked a bear down last spring with a 50 cal roundball like you are asking. Problem was i hit bear one when i was shooting at bear two. Crosswind of 15 mph or more if you all recall. Walk of shame for me on the silo line as no credit. Proud walk all the other lines as they thought i got credit. 200 yds out and back, only one doing it, is a long walk for bad knees uphill both ways.

 

[Grenadier1758]

Can it be done with a 50 cal 177g ball?

Yes, it can be done with a 50 caliber rifle.

I used a 45 caliber 133 grain ball rifle. I did use 90 grains of powder in hopes of flattening the trajectory. That did work but I was holding on the bear's ear and the ball would still drop to about the middle of the bear. Still had to hope that the bear was set just ahead of the topple point as a center of mass hit would send out a satisfying ring, but ocaisionally the bear would still be standing. (I found the bear easier to hit than the turkey.)

 

[jdw276]

Yes, it can be done with a 50 caliber rifle.

I used a 45 caliber 133 grain ball rifle. I did use 90 grains of powder in hopes of flattening the trajectory. That did work but I was holding on the bear's ear and the ball would still drop to about the middle of the bear. Still had to hope that the bear was set just ahead of the topple point as a center of mass hit would send out a satisfying ring, but ocaisionally the bear would still be standing. (I found the bear easier to hit than the turkey.)

Them turkeys are the skinnest i have ever seen. Nothing like those we see in the hunting section on thisforum..i believe the record is 17 of 20 knockdowns from 1994 or so folks. Last spring 11 won it i believe.

 

[user 43911]

I calibrate off the height of the front blade{proud/high) out to 200 yards....25/50 yards, 6’o‘clock: 100 yards, center target on top of front blade, 100-200 yards with practice, I commit to memory the sight picture/ height of the blade in relationship to the target.....Kentucky Elevation.....after some practice, this has worked very well for me. Wind is handled the same way. Rifle: 50cal, 75gr, .490RB.

Yep, .54 the same way

 

[Larry (Omaha)]

My goal was to come to Friendship and shoot the match for the first time and win it.
Fleener

Hey Art,
I know you are a good shot, so how did you fare out?
Flintlocklar